The 'stages of change' model developed by Prochasaka and DiClemente has heavily influenced treatment services in the UK - although developed to describe the process people go through to give up smoking, it has been seen to be applicable to other forms of drink taking and problem behaviour.

The  cycle of change

It is worth stressing that this is not a treatment model but simply a way of looking at how people may feel about their drug taking and thus a way of seeing what kinds of intervention may be useful for them.

The model has seven stages.

• In pre-contemplation, the person does not see any problem in what they are doing.
• In contemplation the person is ambivalent - they are in tow minds about what the want to do
• In action, the person is ambivalent - sometimes they feel the need to change but not always.
• In decision, they have decided to do something and are getting ready for the change.
• In action, they have made the change and it is all consuming.
• In maintenance, the change has been integrated into the person's life.
• Lapse is using again, relapse is a full return to the old behaviour.

Our courses can be used by workers to help them as they spend time with people in different stages of the cycle.

Motivational interviewing is particularly helpful for people who are pre-contemplative or in the contemplative  stage.

Relapse Prevention is useful for people in the decision action stages.

Without good listening skills and an appropriate understanding of client centred working there is a significant risk that the worker may make things worse. These skills under-pin all practice.