STOP THINK ACT

PURPOSE

Self-change requires self-motivation.  The strategy of self-change develops motivation in a simple and straight way:

(1)        The participant is taught to recognize the reality of his/her life situation.

(2)        The participant is offered a meaningful opportunity to change.

(3)        The choice is left to him/her.

The reality of a person's life situation includes the patterns of his own thinking, feeling and perceiving.  The individual must be brought to awareness of his own pattern of life experience. Self-awareness is the first goal of the educational process outlined here. An object of conscious choice; not then, but now.

The reality of his life situation also includes his relationship with others and the effect on others of his behavior.  Becoming truly conscious of these effects and relationships is critical for his/her motivation to change. This consciousness depends on eliminating the distortions, minimizations, denials, and rationalizations with which most people view their relationship to others.  Applying a moral perspective, critical self-awareness is the second goal of this educational process.

A meaningful opportunity to change has the following elements:

            1.         Practical techniques for controlling and changing patterns of thinking and internal experience within the individual's "window of control".  This is the primary goal of the program.

            2.         Development of personality resources and social skills to the level of being able to cope and succeed in contemporary society.  These can be accomplished by specific educational process (practical social skills, problem solving skills, etc.).

            3.         Social and cultural opportunity within this program.  This is the goal and responsibility of the transition and after care components which provide jobs, training and practical support system.

To a great extent our success as agents of change depends on the credibility with which we convey this message of an opportunity to change.  Our credibility depends in turn on our own honesty.  Our challenge as agents of change is to be truthful, realistic, and optimistic of the possibility of change.  Opportunity to change is in this sense an ideal, not a product to be delivered, but a goal to be strived for. But it is a practical ideal.  It illuminates a path.  It displays the work that lies in store for both participants and agents of change.

A lot of effort has been wasted to force (or coerce or intimidate) unwilling individuals to change; in contrast, the strategy of self-change depends on the person's own self-directed effort.

Implementation of that strategy consists in bringing individuals face to face with their choices.

When we succeed in displaying the reality of a person's life, together with the practical opportunity to change, we have created a powerful leverage toward positive motivation.

Our goal is to develop each individual's awareness of his own ability to control his life.  People must hear the message that the choice is theirs.  They won't hear this message if what they do hear is that we are trying to force change upon them, or if they perceive us as manipulating them, or trying to do something to them.  It is a message that invites people to take part in a society. It is a message of fundamental respect for the individual as a person, capable of their own choices and welcome to join with us in the creation of a responsible society.

Our choice to change also puts the most powerful control over his life into the person's own hands. This is a marked contrast to the futile effort of most people to exercise power in their lives by domination of others.  The appeal of this power of self-control is a valid element in the motivation to change.