The stages of change: when are trauma patients truly ready to change?

This article summarizes the Stages of Change model, which identifies five stages that people experience as they gradually move away from engaging in harmful behaviors to sustaining healthy behaviors. Patients in different stages of change need different kinds of interventions. The Stages of Change model enhances brief counseling interventions for trauma patients with substance use problems because counselors can now accurately choose an appropriate intervention strategy. The authors present three case studies illustrating the three earliest stages of change most commonly encountered in trauma center patients.