By Derek Daley
In the field of therapy, accurately assessing where clients are in their journey of change is incredibly important. It allows therapists to personalize their approaches and interventions to support their clients’ growth and progress effectively. While established models like the well-known five stages of change model provide valuable frameworks, we want to introduce an additional framework designed specifically for therapists and practitioners. This new framework doesn’t replace existing models but rather complements them by ensuring the right therapeutic strategies are applied at the right moments throughout the therapeutic journey. We call it the 3 I’s: Investment, Identification, and Internalized Change. This innovative method serves as a guiding light for therapists, clinicians, and guides, empowering them to navigate the complexities of the change process alongside their clients while seizing every opportunity for transformative growth and personal metamorphosis. So, get ready to embark on a journey of personal growth as we explore the power of the 3 I’s together
Investment Phase: The first phase, Investment, focuses on building a foundation of trust and safety for clients. During this stage, it is essential for practitioners to create a nurturing and caring therapeutic environment, where clients feel supported and confident in the therapeutic process. Building a strong therapeutic alliance, clarifying expectations and boundaries, and demonstrating genuine care and empathy are key elements of this phase. By investing in the client’s emotional well-being, practitioners lay the groundwork for a fruitful therapeutic journey.
Identification Phase: In the Identification phase, clients begin to explore their own processes, struggles, and patterns that hinder their growth. This phase is characterized by increasing self-awareness and self-understanding. As practitioners, our role is to facilitate this exploration by applying therapeutic techniques such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and self-awareness exercises. By assisting clients in identifying their limiting beliefs and unhelpful patterns, we empower them to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their challenges.
Internalized Phase: The final phase, Internalized Change, is where clients work towards creating and establishing healthy identities. In this phase, they challenge core beliefs that hold them back and cultivate new beliefs that serve their growth and well-being. Many clients may struggle with feelings of brokenness, unworthiness, or a belief that the world is against them. As practitioners, we can focus on narrative therapy, helping clients create new narratives that align with their values and aspirations. By encouraging the exploration of visions and goals for the future, we facilitate the internalization of positive change.
The Power of the 3 I’s: The 3 I’s method provides practitioners with a clear framework for understanding and guiding clients through the change process. By recognizing the distinct phases of Investment,
Identification, and Internalized Change, practitioners can apply the appropriate therapeutic approaches at the right times. This ensures that clients receive the support they need, maximizing their progress and transformation.
By employing the 3 I’s, practitioners can optimize their interventions, avoiding missed opportunities and ensuring that therapy is tailored to each client’s unique journey. This pioneering method revolutionizes the way we approach the change process, empowering practitioners to effectively facilitate growth and transformation in their clients.
Accurately assessing where clients are in their change process is fundamental to providing effective therapy. The 3 I’s method offers a groundbreaking approach for guiding clients through the different phases of Investment, Identification, and Internalized Change. By investing in the client’s trust and safety, facilitating self-awareness and understanding, and supporting the internalization of positive change, practitioners can profoundly impact their clients’ lives. Let us embrace this pioneering method and unlock the full potential of therapeutic interventions to create lasting and meaningful transformations.
Part 2
The Consequences of Ignoring Client Assessment in the Change Process
Accurately assessing where clients are in their individual change process is a critical aspect of therapy. It allows practitioners to tailor their interventions and therapeutic approaches to effectively support clients’ growth and progress. However, when clinicians and practitioners neglect this assessment and apply approaches based solely on personal preferences or assumptions, serious consequences can arise. Let us explore the potential ramifications of overlooking client assessment in the change process and the importance of employing the 3 I’s a method for accurate guidance and support.
Missed Opportunities for Building Trust and Safety: In the Investment phase, building trust and safety is paramount. Neglecting to assess where clients are in this phase can lead to missed opportunities for establishing a strong therapeutic alliance. Without investing in the client’s emotional well-being, practitioners risk a lack of trust, hindering the therapeutic journey from the outset. Clients may feel unheard, unsupported, and reluctant to fully engage in the therapeutic process.
Ineffective Exploration of Client Processes and Struggles: The Identification phase focuses on helping clients understand their own processes, struggles, and patterns. Failure to assess their progress in this phase can result in ineffective exploration. Practitioners may overlook the unique challenges clients face, hindering their self-awareness and self-understanding. This omission can impede the client’s ability to identify limiting beliefs and unhelpful patterns, preventing meaningful growth and change.
Lack of Support in Establishing Healthy Identities: The Internalized Change phase is crucial for clients to challenge and transform their core beliefs. By bypassing client assessment, practitioners may overlook the need to address deep-seated beliefs that hold clients back. This oversight can hinder the process of creating new, healthy identities. Clients may continue to harbor negative self-perceptions, perpetuating feelings of brokenness, unworthiness, and victimhood.
Lost Opportunities for Tailored Interventions: The 3 I’s method empowers practitioners to employ appropriate therapeutic approaches at the right times. Neglecting client assessment in favor of personal preferences deprives clients of tailored interventions. By disregarding their unique needs and progress, practitioners risk using ineffective or unsuitable techniques. This oversight can impede clients’ progress and limit the transformative potential of therapy.
Conclusion: The consequences of ignoring client assessment in the change process can be significant. Without accurately assessing where clients are in their individual journey, practitioners risk missing opportunities to build trust, explore client processes and struggles, and support the establishment of healthy identities. Tailored interventions and the transformative power of therapy may be compromised.
Embracing the 3 I’s method provides a pioneering approach for effective guidance throughout the change process. By investing in trust and safety, facilitating self-awareness and understanding, and supporting internalized change, practitioners can profoundly impact their clients’ lives. Let us recognize the importance of client assessment and employ the 3 I’s to unlock the full potential of therapeutic interventions, ensuring lasting and meaningful transformations for those we serve.
Sample Story: A few years ago, we had an intern named Sarah. She had her own powerful recovery story. Sarah was assigned to work with Alex, a client seeking help for substance abuse. With a strong desire to support Alex, Sarah immediately shared her own story of overcoming addiction, skipping the important investment and identification phases. But to Sarah’s surprise, Alex showed little interest and dismissed her story. Sarah felt discouraged and wondered if Alex was truly ready for help.
Realizing the need for guidance, we sat down with Sarah and introduced her to the 3 I’s method. We explained that she had missed crucial steps in assessing where Alex was in his change process and identifying the most effective therapeutic approaches. This realization gave Sarah new hope and fresh ideas for working with Alex based on his specific needs.
Armed with this insight, Sarah approached Alex again, ready to provide the support he truly needed. By focusing on the investment and identification phases, Sarah built a stronger foundation of trust and safety. This allowed her to tailor her interventions to address Alex’s current stage of change, making the therapy more effective.
Sarah’s story highlights the importance of accurately assessing clients and applying the appropriate therapeutic methods at the right time. By embracing the 3 I’s method, clinicians like Sarah can better understand their clients’ needs, provide targeted support, and foster meaningful progress on their journey of recovery.
