Interventions

If someone you care about needs help but refuses to accept it, an intervention can be the most loving, healthy, successful, and powerful way to address their self-destructive behavior.

As an intervention specialist I am trained and experienced in guiding families through the intervention process. This can be done without the turmoil of a surprise confrontation that can cause the addicted loved one anger, shame or humiliation.

A carefully planned and professionally facilitated intervention - done in a gentle, loving, and respectful manner - empowers a family to accomplish, what for too long seemed impossible.

Frequently Asked Questions About Interventions

• Why should I do an intervention?
• Does my loved one need to be at their" bottom" or want help?
• Why hire you? Can't we just intervene ourselves?
• Why Systemic Intervention?
• Where do I begin?
• How does it work?
• What happens after the Intervention?

Why should I do an intervention?

It can be difficult to talk to someone about their alcohol/drug use or other addictive behavior. Well meant efforts often turn into frustration and unproductive confrontations. You need a skilled professional to help guide and facilitate the process, provide education and appropriate treatment plans.

Intervention is a loving, caring act. It may bring up many different images and emotions for you. You may be worried about how an intervention might be done and the confrontation involved. You may be worried about feelings of betrayal and anger from your loved one. I offer a respectful, kind, and gentle approach.

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Does my loved one need to be at their "bottom" and/or want help?

Many people who consider interventions never go through with the process. There are a variety of reasons for this. The most common is the myth that an alcoholic or addict must hit a "bottom."

Uninterrupted addiction will plunge the addict through many lows until they reach the ultimate bottom... death. If you hear a noise in your car's engine, are you going to wait for it to blow up before you do anything about it? Of course not.

Another myth is that addiction treatment won't work unless the person receiving the treatment really wants it. Statistics show that motivation for recovery prior to entering treatment isn't a reliable predictor of positive outcomes.

Positive outcomes are best achieved when:

• treatment is clinically matched to the needs of the patient
• family recovery parallels that of the addict
• post treatment recovery plans are rigorously followed

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Why hire you? Can't we just intervene ourselves?

Over time, a family can be so overwhelmed it is unable to help itself. The family dynamic becomes dysfunctional... so dysfunctional in some families that effort meant to control or put an end to drinking alcohol or using drugs actually helps sustain it.

When you're dealing with an addict or an alcoholic, the process of getting that person to commit to receiving help, safely detoxing, and entering into the best treatment scenario possible appears overwhelming.

Addiction is progressive - it always gets worse if not arrested. A professional intervention can interrupt the downward spiral that is addiction, and it can be the beginning of a change that can save someone's life.

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Why Systemic Intervention?

Addiction is a family disease. Professionals refer to alcoholism and addiction as a family disease because of the effects addiction has on the family. Just like the alcoholic or addict, family members experience a progressive deterioration of their physical, emotional, and spiritual health. The all encompassing devastation that accompanies addiction never occurs in a vacuum, it touches all those close to it. The personal relationships within each family are influenced by the family structure, roles of family members, cultural background, values, rituals and shared experiences. Family experiences from previous generations also influence the dynamics of present day families. When addiction is present family members can respond or react in a variety of ways to cope with or change the addict's behavior or circumstance.

Children in particular are extremely vulnerable to the behaviors and circumstances that exist in a family impacted by addiction. They are usually the first ones affected and the last to receive help. Left untreated, the family dysfunction and the addiction can extend itself into future generations.

Treatment is available. Addicts and their families can and do recover. In fact they do it all the time.

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Where do I begin?

I offer solutions, hope, and relief. I have been helping families and individuals dealing with the alcohol, drug, and other addictions, since 1993. Call me at 425-822-3425. Give me 15 minutes to understand what you need and discover how I can help you navigate through your crisis.

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How does it work?

1. Phone Consultation
Learn how I can help by calling me at 425-822-3425.

2. Assessment Session
We review your current situation.
You receive information on the intervention process.
We create a plan for change, including a timeline and responsibilities.

3. Intervention Process
We start with a two-day workshop tailored to your family's specific needs.
Usually it occurs over a weekend (12-14 hours total).
The goals of the workshop are to educate, focus on improved family health and provide each member with recovery plan.
Assistance with treatment options.

4. Follow-Up Services
Liaison between treatment services and family
Assistance with transition/early recovery
Review individual and family progress
Ongoing Family Therapy

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What happens after the Intervention Workshop?

Change is difficult. To sustain the progress made over the course of the workshop, I provide a full continuum of services including:

• liaison between treatment services and family
• tracking process of individuals and their treatment plans
• conducting family therapy sessions on regular basis
• coordinating aftercare and/or continuing care services, if plans include inpatient treatment
• providing transportation services to treatment facilities and back home

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