interventions

Professionals and those in recovery are almost unanimous in their belief that the only way for an addicted person to be healthy is to begin with abstaining from their addiction or dependency. Admitting to a serious behavioral problem and accepting the need for change can be very difficult. Denial, guilt, shame, and blame are just a few of the reasons for addicts to avoid change. Over thirty years ago, professionals developed a process known commonly as intervention to help motivated individuals to seek treatment. Interventions have been highly successful in sharing with individuals in need, why others see the critical nature of the problem. While originally this process of caring and focused confrontation was used for alcoholics, I have used the intervention techniques to motivate a number of people to seek help.

Over the past 30 years, I have facilitated interventions to help not alcoholics and drug addicts, but also sex addicts, compulsive gamblers, shoppers, hoarders, and over-eaters.

can they work?

First, we need to define success. To do a successful intervention you need to show your care and concern for the addicted person and be very prepared for the denial, projection and avoidance that characterize these illnesses.

Interventions are often successful in getting the individual to agree to seek treatment. It is not a guarantee that the individual will begin the recovery process. Even if the addicted person refuses help, the process of intervention can be successful if it brings caring family and friends together to stop the denial and the delusion, while improving communication.

At times, the addicted person will not take immediate action, however, my experience has shown that an intervention can change his/her views of the addiction and start the process that may inevitably lead to sobriety.

seeking help

I have facilitated over 250 interventions during my career. Whether you try this on your own or with professional help I suggest that you follow a series of rules that lead to successful interventions.

1. Find an interventionist with experience. You would not want to be a surgeon's first open heart surgery patient.
2. During the preparation phase, the person being intervened on must not know about the intervention process.
3. Interveners must have knowledge about the person's addiction.
4. Interveners must have a close relationship with the addicted person.
5. The information about the addicted person's behavior must be clear, detailed, related directly to the addiction, and current as well as historic.
6. The intervention must be held when the person is not actively in his/her addiction.
7. Interveners must not let their anger at the addiction enter the intervention.
8. Interveners must prepare to recommend and follow through with treatment. recommendations immediately after the intervention.
9. Interveners must be willing to share 'bottom lines' if the addicted person refuses to accept treatment interventions.
10. Interveners who have addictive behaviors often distract the process and reduce the change of sucess.

If you would like to explore the possibility of me facilitating an intervention, please call and schedule a preliminary meeting.