Self-Improvement The 6 Stages of Change By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, the author of the bestselling book "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," and the host of The Verywell Mind Podcast. Learn about our editorial process Published on June 03, 2022 Print Verywell / Julie Bang Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Friday Fix: Episode 173 More About the Podcast Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Friday Fix: Episode 173 Whether you want to lose weight or you want to get out of debt, change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process–and much of that process happens long before we even begin to create change. Before we set out to create change, our brains need to become convinced that we have a problem we need to address. It also needs to see that the cost of staying the same outweighs the risk of creating change. Change doesn’t end just because we take action, however. We’ve all likely started a goal only to abandon it a few weeks later. Maybe it just felt too hard to do. Or maybe you didn’t feel like the work you were putting in was effective. Fortunately, gaining a better understanding of how change works can help us make more informed decisions about the habits we want to change. It can also help increase the likelihood that the changes we make stick. Understanding the stages of change might also improve your relationships. After all, you’ve probably been in a situation where you’ve listened to a friend complain about their lives day after day without doing anything about it. You may have wondered why they didn’t take action. Or maybe you’ve had a family member who insists that they just can’t do something. You may have offered advice, lectured them, or even begged them to change to no avail. When you understand how change works, however, you’ll have more effective ways to support them. In this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I explain the six stages of change, how you can apply them to your own process of change, and how you can help someone else in the process of creating changes in their own life. Can People Really Change? More About the Podcast The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too. Links and Resources Follow Amy Morin on Instagram Check out Amy’s books on mental strength If You Liked This Episode You Might Also Like These Episodes: Psychological Tricks for Creating Lasting Change With Professor Katy Milkman Embrace Indecisiveness to Create Change in Your Life With Author Dr. William Miller Friday Fix: A Simple Way to Make a Tough Decision How Long Does it Take to Build a Habit? By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Speak to a Therapist Online Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation.