The phenomenon of quantum change.

Quantum change describes sudden, dramatic, and enduring transformations that alter a person's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors across many areas of life. This phenomenon has been recognized since the early days of psychology, especially in William James's work on religious experience. Such changes can happen during psychotherapy but more often occur outside of it, and they share common features in how they unfold and what they involve. This introduction outlines the essential characteristics of quantum change, including two qualitative subtypes, what triggers it, its progression, and the lasting effects that follow.

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Abstract

Quantum change-the subject of this issue of In Session-refers to sudden, dramatic, and enduring transformations that affect a broad range of personal emotion, cognition, and behavior. This phenomenon has been described since the beginnings of psychology, most notably by William James in Varieties of Religious Experience. Quantum changes occur both within and (mostly) outside the context of psychotherapy and show certain common features in both process and content. This introduction provides an overview of the phenomenon of quantum change, describing its essential features, two qualitative subtypes, antecedents, course, and the nature of the enduring changes that ensue.