Stages of Change

The stages of change (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and relapse) depict the typical course of recovery when dealing with addictions, but they can be used with any difficult change. When clients learn about the stages of change, they can come to understand that ending drug use is a process. It's difficult, and others have been there too.

Use the Stages of Change worksheet as an educational tool to help you teach clients about the recovery process. This printout summarizes each of the stages with easy-to-understand language. We suggest using this sheet as a basis for group conversation.