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Addiction Problems And The Field Of Addiction Treatment Essay

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understand their clients with addiction problems and motivate them to change. This model is one of the most widely used models within the field of addiction treatment initially developed to describe the process of adopting any healthy behavior. Motivational interviewing shares much in common with the trans-theoretical or Stages of Change Model of behavior change. Although not universally endorsed, the trans-theoretical model holds that at any given time, a person is at a particular stage in relation to behavior change (Harvard Mental Health Letter, July 2008). The five Stages of Change are identified as: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. A client in the precontemplation stage doesn 't believe that her or his current behavior is a significant problem and doesn 't intend to change the behavior anytime in the near future. In the contemplation stage, a client begins to see that the behavior is a problem and considers making a change but is ambivalent about doing so because she or he also sees reason to keep things as they are. A client in the preparation stage has decided to make a behavioral change and has a specific plan for doing so in the near future. In the action stage, a client carries out a behavioral change plan and begins making the desired change. Finally, in the maintenance stage, a client has made the behavioral change and works to avoid relapsing into the original behavior. Throughout all stages, motivational

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