Do people always go through the stages of the process in order?

When we talk about the 4 or 5 Stage process, it sounds pretty linear.

But in reality, the healing isn’t linear. And neither is the Process. It’s actually a cycle.

Some people who are very depleted may need to do a little boosting before Stage 1 like using a spark plug to start an engine.

Another time people may not go in a strict 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 sequence is if they're exposed to a new trigger. Say you've moved through Stages 1 and 2 and graduated to stage 3 when your toddler brings home a virus that you catch.

You would then be wise to focus on Stage 1 techniques to handle the immediate situation of the Stage 1 triggers and symptoms. This isn't "regressing" or losing progress. This is adapting with the reality of the current situation and having the appropriate tools and strategies to pivot based on what's true right now.

Almost invariably people find that once they've done the initial groundwork, they're less susceptible to bugs and when they do catch them, they don't last as long.

In a more global sense, especially for people who may have had health issues spanning decades, multiple passes through the Stages can be helpful, allowing healing on deeper and deeper levels.

However, one thing I will say is that if someone is getting stuck on their progression, a very common cause is because they’ve gone out of order. They’ve decided to jump to Stage 3 or Stage 5. So keep this in mind when troubleshooting. Going back in moving through order solves a lot of hiccups.