Product Description

How many times have you thought about starting a diet or quitting smoking without doing anything about it? Or lapsed back into bad habits after hitting a rough spot on the road to recovery?

To uncover the secret to successful personal change, three acclaimed psychologists studied more than 1,000 people who were able to positively and permanently alter their lives without psychotherapy. They discovered that change does not depend on luck or willpower. It is a process that can be successfully managed by anyone who understands how it works. Once you determine which stage of change you’re in, you can:

• create a climate where positive change can occur
• maintain motivation
• turn setbacks into progress
• make your new benefifificial habits a permanent part of your life

This groundbreaking book offers simple self-assessments, informative case histories, and concrete examples to help clarify each stage and process. Whether your goal is to start saving money, to stop drinking, or to end other self-defeating or addictive behaviors, this revolutionary program will help you implement positive personal change . . . for life.

The National Cancer Institute Found this program more than twice as effective as standard programs in helping smokers quit for 18 months.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27573 in Books
• Published on: 1995-09-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

From Library Journal
From deep within the ore, great changes must be made to reveal the hidden diamond. Similar hard work is just as essential in changing human behavior, especially addictive behavior, according to the authors. Changing for Good distinguishes itself from the many other self-help materials available by espousing a sound therapeutic approach based on the authors' years of professional work with people in all sorts of damaging behavioral patterns, including smoking, overeating, alcohol abuse, and toxic relationships. The six steps to change, the social processes one must understand while changing, and the criteria used to measure success will prove useful to all self-helpers. Reader David Brand presents the text clearly and succinctly. A sure choice for all popular psychology collections.
Dale Farris, Groves, Tex.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
According to the authors, one's ability to change is directly related to six stages of development: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance and termination. The listener must be deeply motivated to complete this dry, uninspired narrative. K.D.P. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Ingram
Three acclaimed psychologists share their groundbreaking, clinically-proven discovery: lasting change doesn't depend on luck or willpower, but is a process that can be successfully managed by anyone who understands how it works.

Customer Reviews

What a nice change.
Unlike most self-help books out there, this one is actually based on research for a change. Based on this Phd's work on how people change, this guy has uncovered the different, predictable stages of change that people go through when they attempt to get themselves to change. Although the stages are fairly predictable, not everybody goes through them in the exact same order as some people skip various stages on their way to changing their behaviour. A great book all-in-all, it's definitely worth a look. Also liked The Sixty-Second Motivator.

Still Changed for Good
I wrote a review of this book a number of months ago. It's now been a year of freedom from bulimia, and I really owe it to the advice in this book. The main thing I'd like to thank Dr. Prochaska for is his hammering home that an addiction is a "Big Deal", that changing it will involve restructuring one's life, giving up behaviors, substituting new ones, etc. And that it "never gets any easier." The worst problem in tackling an addiction is the craving-induced belief that "tomorrow it won't be so hard." I found the first two months to be excruciating, but, following the plan of substitute behaviors I had listed for myself, I was able to make it. I was constantly telling myself "it's NOT going to be easier tomorrow." Dr. Prochaska's emphasis on planning one's recovery is invaluable. And I found his emphasis on exercise to be a primary key. Those endorphins from exercising WILL be necessary! Once again, thanks to Dr.P!!

Excellent Resource on Behavior Change
This book is amazing! Prochaska and his colleagues have profound insight on behavior change from years of research, including interviews with everyday people. This book is a great resource for students or professionals new to the area of behavior change. Yet, it is also useful for anyone trying to make a change in their own life for personal gain.

I have used this book for both academic and personal benefit and found it easy to read and practical. It explains the stages of change and gives examples of what others have gone through. This book is not based on hearsay or a passing fad in science, it is based on sound, time-tested research principles. It may be slightly advanced for those who are only beginning to think about changing a behavior, but individuals who are serious about change should find it very useful.