Rose Ann Forte on habit formation psychology amid holiday stress
During the holiday season, individuals often face heightened challenges in resisting temptations such as alcohol and sweets. These difficulties stem not primarily from a lack of willpower but from how the brain reacts to stress, social pressures, and familiar environmental cues. Behavioral habits and addiction specialist Rose Ann Forte highlights that abundant food and drink, combined with family dynamics and grief, create conditions that reinforce existing patterns.
Forte noted, “During the holiday season, social pressure, stress, grief, family dynamics, and abundant food and alcohol can intensify difficult patterns.”
Forte developed the Choose Freedom program as a 12-week course that integrates practical behavior-change strategies with insights from neuroscience and biblical wisdom. The approach emphasizes that merely deciding to change is insufficient; instead, it focuses on preparing for transformation through the renewal of the mind. As Forte stated, “We CAN renew our minds and change patterns of thinking and behavior because that’s how our brains were designed.”
Forte's work is detailed in three books. Her signature title, The Plans He Has for Me: A 12-Week Daily Devotional for Freedom from Alcohol, has earned seven awards and leads readers through 12 weeks of alcohol-free living. The award-winning Prepare to Quit addresses the critical preparation phase often overlooked before altering entrenched habits. She co-authored Transformed by His Promises: A 12-Week Devotional for Freedom from the Psychological Slavery of Life-Interfering Behaviors with Dr. Karl Benzio. This volume carries endorsements from leading voices in brain health, mental health and Christian leadership, including Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. John Townsend, Dr. Tim Clinton and Jim Daly, with a foreword by Duke University’s Dr. Harold G. Koenig.
The books and program supply science-informed tactics for identifying habit patterns and handling temptation. Forte also released a free five-day devotional on the YouVersion Bible App aimed at resisting various temptations during holidays.
Forte clarified that while a diagnosis aids in determining care levels and medical advice may be necessary for certain substances, “But you don’t need a diagnosis to decide that something no longer belongs in your life.”
Rose Ann Forte serves as an international bestselling author and behavioral habits and addiction specialist. She created the Choose Freedom program, a faith-based, neuroscience-informed framework assisting people in overcoming life-interfering thoughts, emotions, and behaviors via mind renewal.
The Choose Freedom course spans 12 weeks, guiding participants through 12 core concepts. Each concept draws from both Scripture and brain science. The objective is to alter relationships with alcohol, substances, or behaviors while discovering one's intended self. It pairs with the devotional for daily habit and mindset building.
A 2019 review in the Journal of Religion and Health examined hundreds of studies and found that more than 84 percent indicated faith assists in preventing or recovering from substance abuse. The program distinguishes itself by fully addressing the struggle through a combination of Christian principles and neuroscience, unlike approaches that focus on only one aspect.
Graduates have reported significant benefits. John B. stated the program kept him sober, enhanced his relationship with God, and filled his soul with the Holy Spirit. Amy M. noted she easily set alcohol aside, feeling calmer, clearer, with more energy, and a new connection with God providing purpose.
Forte hosts the award-winning podcast Say Goodbye and Imagine, featuring conversations, testimonies, and wisdom on breaking free from substance use. The program welcomes those uncertain about faith, treating it as a foundation rather than a strict rule.
The model is choice-based and flexible, allowing participants to complete the 12 weeks and then decide their path. It targets those seeking change in their relationship with substances through a faith-based approach, yet does not require participants to be religious. Anyone seeking freedom is welcome.
Individuals can begin with the free 5-day devotional. Key habits include daily prayer, meditation on scripture, and gratitude. These practices align with research on habit formation and neurological pathways.
The principles extend beyond alcohol to other substances and behaviors, including processed sugar. They address any habits that interfere with life, helping participants rewire old patterns and upgrade mindsets without requiring rock bottom or prior attempts at every other method.
