Three SelfHelpWorks courses focus on a substance--one for tobacco, alcohol, and food--and at the center of each of these courses is what we call the "Breakthrough Day."
The Breakthrough Day
SelfHelpWorks currently offers seven behavioral training courses, three of which are directly related to habitual or addictive relationships with a substance:
- LivingLean: Unhealthy foods and/or eating patterns
- LivingFree: Tobacco and/or vaping
- LivingSmart: Alcohol
Most participants in these courses have tried to change their unhealthy habits before but were unable to do so. Quitting smoking, quitting drinking, and changing eating habits using willpower is notoriously difficult and, for many, can be an excruciating experience. As a result, some participants have an emotional feeling of failure linked with their previous attempts to change and a sense of dread at the thought of trying again.
In the Introduction session of these courses, we describe the "breakthrough day" to the participant. The breakthrough day is the the day the participant stops smoking, drinking, or eating in unhealthy ways, and it doesn't occur until session three. The rest of the core sessions (core sessions are those that precede the breakthrough day) assure the participant that any failure in previous attempts was not due to any defect of their own, but rather to the method they used.
Discussing the breakthrough day in the introductory session of the courses does two things:
- It sets a date that the participant can accept as soon enough to prepare for but not so soon as to cause panic.
- It gives the course the time needed to lay the groundwork for the brain-training process that makes behavior change feasible and, in many cases, even enjoyable.
There is no white-knuckled willpower in SelfHelpWorks courses and therefore no need to fear the day of change. Instead, breakthrough day is a celebration and when it comes (on session three), the participant is ready. The core sessions have replaced the dread many participants initially feel with a sense of excitement at the chance to heal, to grow, and to break through to a new way of life.
The Ceremonial Break
In the middle of the breakthrough-day session there is a ceremonial break in which the participant is encouraged to mindfully partake in one cigarette, or drink, or bite of their favorite morsel. This is not primarily meant as a moment to savor, however, but as the opportunity to mentally mark the exact time that the old, unhealthy habit became a part of the past.
After the breakthrough...
The rest of the sessions following the breakthrough day are called support sessions. These sessions build upon the foundation of the core sessions, and participants continue to expand their comfort zones as the neural pathways connected to their new lifestyles become more deeply entrenched.
In Summary
The substance-related courses revolve around the life-changing breakthrough day.
Participants are guided through a preparatory period that replaces negative and fearful mindsets with excitement and optimism.
The ceremonial break provides a distinct moment when old habits and lifestyles are left in the past, creating the space for something better.
