When I see the many signs of an emerging culture of connection with life, I feel buoyant and inspired. But there’s another side too. The dominant response to our global ecological crisis is avoiding the issue. Many governments still see short-term economic growth as more important than our long-term survival; industrialised societies still largely prefer the attractions of consumerism to the challenge of living sustainably. An essential task facing those concerned about our world is understanding and working with the psychology of resistance to change.

A key insight from addictions treatment is that awareness of a problem is usually not enough, by itself, to cause behaviour change. Lots of people know that smoking causes cancer, but still smoke. The reasons they continue vary. Perhaps some genuinely don’t know of the health risks. Others may see health warnings but are more convinced by opposing evidence, such as elderly smoking relatives in reasonable health. There are also those who don’t doubt the risks, but see them as distant, abstract and therefore unpersuasive. Much more commonly though, people who smoke are not only aware of the risks, they are also concerned enough to be at least thinking about change. But it is easy to get stuck in the ‘thinking about’ stage. It is similar with facing global issues. What keeps people from moving into action?

In the past, people referred to addictions treatment units were seen as falling into two main categories - motivated and unmotivated. It was often believed that there wasn’t much you could do to help those in the second group. The big shift in recent decades has been in developing ways to work with the seemingly uninterested, to help them strengthen the determination and confidence needed to address their addiction problems. ‘Motivational interviewing’ is the main approach here, and is based on accepting that there are usually mixed feelings about change. When ambivalence isn’t resolved, people get stuck in the ‘thinking about’ limbo period referred to as ‘the contemplation stage’. By working through mixed feelings, and drawing out motivations for change, this approach has been shown to be highly effective. This isn’t a miracle cure that suddenly shifts all resistant addicts out of denial. Rather it accepts that becoming motivated is a process involving a number of stages. Resistance and blocks can occur at any stage along the way. Working from whatever starting point people are at, motivational interviewing helps tap into the deeper motivations needed to move the next step along in the journey of change. So how can we apply this motivational interviewing approach to tackling global issues?
 
Rather than seeking to persuade or argue, motivational interviewing aims to support ‘the client’ make their own argument for change. Listening is needed here, with a particular willingness to hear about the issues that concern people most. When we have room to deeply express our concerns, we effectively talk ourselves into a wanting to do something to respond. In supporting people to honour their pain for the world, the empowerment approach developed by Joanna Macy and others can work in a similar way. Exercises like the open ended sentences below help people touch into and express the concerns that might motivate them. Try this yourself by seeing what naturally follows each of the opening phrases below. Perhaps talk for two minutes or write a page to yourself for each one. (This exercise works best in pairs but you can also do it by yourself).
 
1. When I consider the condition of our world, I think things are getting…
2. Feelings I have about this include…
3. I respond to these feelings by…
 
Uncomfortable feelings may come up when you do this. If we allow ourselves to feel disturbed, this can be what rouses us to respond. Changing the subject or looking the other way may offer relief from distress, but this may also block motivational energy.
 
Chris Johnstone
Editor, The Great Turning Times

From May 2006 Great Turning Times issue:
http://www.GreatTurningTimes.org

It was Joanna Macy who coined the phrase ‘The Great Turning’ to describe the story of change required in our times.
A recent interview with her is viewable at the Permaculture Magazine website at:
http://www.permaculture.co.uk/mag/Articles/The%20Great%20Turning.html