Where Do You See Yourself?

The inspriation for this post is from my reading of a book by Lynn Grodzki about building a therapy practice you love. While reading prior to bed last night, I came upon a section entitled The Five Stages of Personal Growth. It really spoke to me with regard to my clients and I wanted to share my thoughts on today's blog in order to, hopefully, help some of you before panic sets in and you're in crisis mode...

Lynn speaks about five stages of growth which I will outline here...

(1) Survival: The stage at which individuals are most likely to seek out therapy or coaching. Examples would be: a doctor diagnosing their child with Failure to Thrive, a student is faced with failing more than one class or a business professional who has had a performance review that outlines poor communication practices.

(2) Recovery: The stage at which individuals will experience a deeper understanding of how they ended up where they are and the steps they need to take in order to change the current situation as well as the future. Examples would be: a parent who realizes they have been pressuring their child to eat, a student who realizes that they need systems/routines to help them suceed and a business professional who understands that their communication style has affected their career advancement. 

(3) Progress: The stage at which individuals make the most progress. Their mind is open and they are ready for change. They may have already experienced some positive changes simply from their "understanding" at stage 2. Examples would be: a parent following a non pressure mealtime routine, a student who is using an audible alert to remind them to study and a business professional who is consciously asking more questions of others to determine how to communicate best with each individual. 

(4) Pleasure: The stage at which individuals begin to seek out programs and systems that will keep the progress going. Examples would be: a parent who takes a course on how to expand their child's foods through similar foods, a student who begins to seek out organizational systems for all areas of his life and a business professional who seeks out information to strengthen other areas of their communication skill set. 

(5) Awareness: The stage at which individuals begin to see other areas in their lives that could benefit from growth and learning. Examples would be: a parent seeing that their child has other issues that may need assistance, a student who realizes that they may have A.D.D or a business professional who realizes that they want to go for that promotion that fits their new skill set. 

So...do you see yourself here? Maybe you see your child here? Maybe you see yourself or your child getting to that "Survival Stage" if something doesn't change soon. 

DON'T WAIT. Have a plan now. Take steps to avoid the crisis and Survival Stage. Whatever stage you're in, I'm ready to help you. Reach out and let's get your growth plan in motion. 


Until next time, keep growing and blooming. 


Jen