Transition

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Process of Change
Part 5 - Transition

There is one factor that we would do well to be aware of as we explore and enter the realms of change. This is the loss and grief it can bring to us, especially during the time span of the actual transitional period (from one thing to another), and especially if the change was unwanted and out of our control. Of course, change can also be exhilarating and exciting, but the sense of loss we experience can sometimes be profound and unexpected.

The transition curve

(Developed by Adams, Hayes and Hopson in 1976)

Taken loosely, the model above is a good visual representation of the different stages we may encounter during a time of change, from the very beginning to the point at which the transition is largely complete. The time frame for this process could be minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or years. Below is a brief explanation of each of the numerical points on the transition curve:

Stage 1	Shock. Disbelief. Numbness.
Stage 2	Denial of change. Pretending that the change hasn’t happened.
Stage 3	Depression. Anger. Frustration.
Stage 4	Acceptance of the truth and the reality of the situation.
Stage 5	Tentatively testing out new ways of adjusting to the change.
Stage 6	Finding meaning and purpose in the change.
Stage 7	Able to move forward with the change.

This model is based on a common link in many people’s experiences, but it can easily be adapted and modified to become a more individual account of change. For instance, if you were to draw your own curve, it may be that certain stages are more or less intense, longer or shorter in duration, or more or fewer stages need to be added.

Framing the transition curve with words

It may help you to populate your own curve with words that give more accuracy and meaning to what you are going through at different points during the change. Below are some examples:

Uncertainty. Certainty.
Confidence. Lack of confidence. Losing confidence. Growing confidence.
Positive event. Negative event.
Trauma. Loss. Confusion. Depression. Anxiety. Crisis. Conflict.
Accepting. Letting go. Keeping. Exploring. Testing. Probing. Transformation. Reconstruction. Adjustment. Clarity.
Benefit. Excitement. Recovery. Gain.

My transition experience(s)

Below is an opportunity for you to think about a change you have recently or historically lived through and to record what each stage of the experience was like.

Stage 1

Stage 2

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