How Can I Make My Twentysomething Change?

(Their mind, their hair, their attitude, their relationship, their friends, their job)

There’s an old joke, for lack of a better word, among therapists: How many psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb?

The punchline? Just one, but the lightbulb has to want to change.

In an indirect way, this joke references what are called the Stages of Change. This five-step model is usually applied to substance use, like quitting alcohol or smoking, but it’s a useful way to think about any kind of behavior we might like to be different in ourselves or other people.

Here are the five stages: