Essential Components of The Power to Change

The essential components to The Power to Change are quite similar to Recovery International meetings, beginning with the four-part example and concluding with comments from the group on the example. The following provides a brief glimpse at these essential components to the program

Four-Part Example

1. Describe what happened as objectively as possible.

2. Describe the feelings, sensations, thoughts and impulses experienced in the body and mind.

3. Describe the use (or not) of the program’s “tools” to manage the response to the event.

4. To chart individual progress, tell what the experience would have been like before this program’s training.

Throughout the process individuals are urged to report, not to complain or try to convince, and to praise themselves and each other for every effort—even if the result is unsuccessful.

Using this structure repeatedly to describe experiences develops a habit of objective observation of events and of one’s responses, management of thoughts and impulses, and an increase in self-control and self-respect.

Group’s Comments
After each example, group members comment using the “tools” provided by the program.  These are short statements that provide insight into the nature of anger and fear.  The use of these tools guides the participants toward recognizing that they have the power to choose how they react to a situation. 

To learn more about The Power to Change for adolescents, contact Latoya York.