Change is rarely linear. People do not move in a straight line from 'stuck' to 'changed'. They move forward, slide back, circle around, try things that don't work, and try again. This is not a failure of willpower or commitment — it is how change actually works for most people, on most things.
The Stages of Change model — developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente in the late 1970s through research on people stopping smoking — offers a framework for understanding where someone is in their relationship with change, and what kind of support is most helpful at each stage.
This model has since been applied across a wide range of change areas: substance use, mental health, behaviour change, housing stability, and beyond. In homelessness services, it is particularly valuable as a tool for understanding engagement — and for avoiding the frustration that comes from offering the wrong kind of support at the wrong moment.
This is a Developing-level module within Subject 3: Professional Practice and Reflective Skills.