The first thing you must do in the process of recovery is to identify the problem to be resolved. You cannot begin to understand the problem and know why it needs to be resolved until you identify it. That may sound elementary but so many people dealing with depression and hopelessness often end up in that place without a real sense of how they got there. They may realize that they are dissatisfied and uncomfortable, but dissatisfied and uncomfortable with what, and with whom? Why does this thing and that thing, and this person and that person, upset my life? Why am I unhappy? Why am I angry? Why am I jealous? Why don’t I get what I want? Why is it never enough? Why do I care so much? Why don’t I care enough?
In this section, participants will identify a primary problem in need of resolution. They will then identify the 5Ws of change in recovery: Who, What, Where, Why, and When.
- Who needs to change;
- What about Who needs to change;
- Where is change needed;
- Why is change necessary to resolve the problem; and,
- When is change occurring—how do you know When change is happening, meaning what does change/recovery look like? The When in this formula is the primary goal, or objective, to solving the identified problem.