Goal: Reaching third level

"You say you're always late. Look at the behavioral things you do," he explained. "How could you not be late?" Someone then might admit he leaves at 3:55 p.m. for a 4 o'clock meeting that is a half-hour away. Then Dr. Ackerman would work with the person on how to arrive on time.

Part of this process is identifying the triggering mechanisms that cause the behavior. Often, Dr. Ackerman said, three things happen:

* People say they're never going to do something again and then do it without thinking;

* They say they'll never do it again but then catch themselves doing it and realize what they did; or

* They say they'll never do it again and then catch themselves thinking about it.

When they reach the third level, the speaker said that people can learn to act differently. (KB)

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