The Process

how intervention works

A professional intervention is not a one-size-fits-all process, and there are many variables that make each family dynamic different. However, there are some overall elements that remain consistent in each intervention, including the following.

Preparation

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An intervention requires meticulous planning with professional guidance from an intervention specialist who will bring their experience and knowledge of best practices, as well as objectivity, to the process. Our role typically involves helping you decide on a time and place for this meeting, as well as preparing you for what to say and how to say it. The intervention should take place in a controlled environment, specifically selected to put the addicted person in a position in which they will be most receptive to listen.

In a structured intervention, specific elements must be present, the most essential of which is a group of two or more caring, concerned people who are willing to confront their loved one about their behavior in a non-judgmental and compassionate way. These people must be well-rehearsed in their role in the intervention, prepared for intense emotional moments during the session and willing to take the necessary risks to help someone they care about. A proper intervention is a carefully orchestrated and controlled event that leaves virtually nothing to chance.

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Assemble Your Intervention Group

Rehearsal and Education

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Having decided who will participate in the intervention group, an intervention specialist will educate participating members in mental health, substance misuse and addiction recovery. This foundational knowledge provides the background necessary for the intervention party to use to convince someone they need help. Thorough preparation is key to success.

Someone struggling with substance misuse or co-occurring disorders might be blind to how their actions affect others, because of how addiction and mental health disorders fundamentally rewire the brain. Friends and family can help lead to an epiphany by describing, in their own words, how the person’s behaviors have harmed them or created problems in their lives. Before the intervention, participants should write out and practice what they plan to say so they can be confident about speaking up when the time comes.

The loved ones and the intervention facilitator get together as a group to proceed with the intervention. The goal of this session is to confront the addicted or mentally unwell person with the facts of their illness, with the objective of helping them agree to seek professional treatment.

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Intervention Session

Why Work With a Qualified Intervention Professional?

Professional interventionists like Rich Whitman have the experience to ensure a smoother and more successful intervention session. By guiding the meeting through the process in a way that leaves tension out of the equation, intervention professionals can help friends and family achieve the outcome they desire for the person who needs help making a fresh start. Call 512-722-7566 to ask how to organize an intervention for someone in your life with substance abuse or other mental health disorders.