National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) Practice Exam 2025 - Free NCMHCE Practice Questions and Study Guide

The stages of change in the Transtheoretical Model, which is often used in counseling and behavior change interventions, are indeed well represented by the sequence of precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. This model helps to illustrate how individuals progress through different stages of readiness to change their behaviors.

In the precontemplation stage, individuals may not yet recognize a need to change or may be unaware of their problematic behaviors. As they move into contemplation, they start to acknowledge that a change might be beneficial, but they may not feel ready to commit to taking action. The preparation stage involves making plans to change, often accompanied by small steps towards change. Next is the action stage, where individuals actively engage in behaviors to change their identified issues. Finally, the maintenance stage is focused on sustaining the change over time, preventing relapse into old behaviors, and incorporating new habits into one's lifestyle.

This model is integral for counselors to understand in order to effectively meet clients where they are in their change journey and to tailor interventions that are appropriate to their specific stage. The other choices do not accurately reflect the established stages of the Transtheoretical Model and therefore do not represent the framework effectively.