Change Talk Blog

Reflecting on the legacy of Dr. James Prochaska

Written by The Change Companies | July 17, 2023

Pictured here: Jim and Jan Prochaska spend a day with The Change Companies' staff in Carson City, Nevada.

Over 25 years ago, The Change Companies reached out to a handful of thought leaders in the
field of behavior change. Our goal was to find lifetime partners and advisors who could help us 
develop truly evidence-based, person-centered resources. One of these thought leaders was 
Dr. James Prochaska, and forming a meaningful connection with him was one of the best 
decisions we ever made.


In this video: Dr. Prochaska speaks about self-change as part of The Change Companies' on-demand training, "Understanding the Stages of Change."


Dr. Prochaska’s decades-long research seeking to understand how people change transformed 
the fields of addiction, healthcare and behavioral health. It provided these fields with practical 
methods for enhancing readiness and promoting positive change, and challenged the old 
approach of waiting for clients to get motivated or blaming them for being unmotivated.


Over the years, our relationship with Dr. Prochaska has shaped our trainings, our curricula, and
our overall strategy.

"Jim was a strong supporter of The Change Companies and Interactive Journaling® when we  were just getting started. I remember most his kindness. Jim always had time to share his  findings on behavior change and help individuals and organizations move forward.  His  contributions have served millions and will continue to do so for decades to come." 

- Don Kuhl, founder of The Change Companies, remembers


Dr. Prochaska and his wife, Jan, taught our team key principles for helping others make positive 
life changes, but they taught us even more about generosity, compassion, and genuineness by 
the thoughtful ways they approached their interactions with others.

We were deeply saddened to learn of Dr. Prochaska’s passing on July 9. The behavior change 
field is infinitely better as a result of his work over the years, and our team is better for having 
known him personally.