Substance use recovery / SUR-A02-1
Reasons for Change and Ambivalence — Concept brief
Understand the idea behind reasons for change and ambivalence and consider whether it fits your context.
8 minutes · Handout · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Jordan wants fewer consequences and worries about losing a familiar coping strategy.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. Mixed feelings can be explored without demanding readiness.
The idea
Mixed feelings can be explored without demanding readiness.
An ordinary example
Jordan wants fewer consequences and worries about losing a familiar coping strategy.
What this can look like
Place reasons to change, reasons to hesitate, and needed supports in separate columns.
Check the fit
What deserves understanding before a next step is chosen? You may disagree with the framing, use fiction, or decide that this approach is not useful today.
A useful distinction
A return to use is information for reassessing care and support, not a verdict on personal worth.
Prompts for this resource
- What part of this idea makes sense to me?
- What deserves understanding before a next step is chosen?
Conceptual background
Substance Use Disorders — National Institutes of Health
Background on the approach only. Original exercises and wording are by More Than Therapy with AI assistance; the source does not validate or endorse these materials.