Positive Change Pathway
6 Steps to Positive Change
If you are concerned about your drug or alcohol use, the Positive Change Pathway, created by Dr. Andrew Tatarsky, can help you to create your optimal relationship to substances—whether that means reduced, safer, more controlled use, or none at all.
If at any point in working the process issues or problems arise that are distressing or emotionally difficult, a professional consultation with the appropriate professional may be necessary or important to consider.
You might consider a one-time consultation with us to clarify the nature of what you are struggling with and to firm up your positive change plan. Our team can be consulted to support you at any point in this process and help you clarify the right approach to take. In the collaborative spirit of our work, we are available to people in flexible ways that meet their needs and interests.
Step 1
Setting Your Stage for Positive Change
To give yourself the best chance of making positive changes in your life, try to view the place where you are now with acceptance, compassion and curiosity. This will create a solid, safe foundation for the rest of your work and clear the path to learning.
Step 2
Improving Your Skills
To be a good driver of your own process of change, you must use certain mental skills or capacities. The ones we have found particularly useful are self-acceptance, curiosity, self-reflective awareness and the ability to “sit with” feelings.
STEP 3
Self-Assessing Your Substance
UseYour motivation to make specific changes in your relationship with substances should ideally be based on your own assessment of the place substance use has in your life.Before you can decide how to change this relationship, you must be clear about how your current use is problematic, if indeed it is.
Step 4
Embracing Your Ambivalence About Change
When substance use becomes problematic we always feel some ambivalence about it. It is important to embrace this ambivalence as a basis for considering alternative solutions.
Step 5
Setting Your Positive Change Goals
As your self-assessment deepens and you embrace your ambivalence, your unique set of positive change goals can emerge and be considered. Goals may be quantum leaps, or they may be tiny forays into new territory. You might think of goals as experiments with new ways of being.
STEP 6
Making Your Personal Plan for Positive Change
The final step in our Positive Change Pathway is to create a personal plan that will help you get from where you are to achieving your new goals. Rather than deprivation and simply trying to control yourself, this approach focuses on strategizing to implement your new goals and care for yourself most effectively.