What is an Interventionist?

The term “intervention” refers to the process of friends and family confronting a person with substance abuse issues.  The ultimate goal of a staged intervention is to make a person suffering from addiction issues face up to the dangers and realities and immediately enter a rehabilitation facility.  The best way for an intervention to work and achieve the desired outcome is under the influence and supervision of an interventionist from a treatment facility.

When under the guidance of an intervention specialist, if the desired outcome is achieved, an addict can leave immediately for treatment to begin.  If an intervention is staged by well-meaning friends and family, the results can be disastrous and the person may be angry, aggressive and resistant.  The presence of an interventionist can help the family and friends stay calm and focused, even if the addict becomes upset and confrontational in the face of an intervention.

The goal for the team of intervention specialists is to calmly confront the addict about how destructive and dangerous the behavior has personally affected friends and family.  An intervention specialist can also refer to specific incidents that may point to a valid need for concern and rehabilitation.  In some instances, each member of the intervention may issue an ultimatum to an addict, which requires them to seek treatment or risk being ostracized.

Prior to an intervention taking place the family and friends of the addict will meet with an intervention specialist and prepare letters outlining their personal experiences associated with the behavior of the addict.  The letters are written to let the person know how much they have impacted others with their choices and addiction.  During the intervention rehearsal, members are strongly encouraged to create a list of activities which they will no longer tolerate or allow if the addict declines seeking treatment.  The consequences can be anything up to and including divorce and loss of family.

Family and friends participating in the intervention may cease future contact or make it conditional upon treatment.  The ultimatums are delivered with the assistance of an interventionist and in the kindest, most gentle way possible since the situation is already terse and uncomfortable.  The counselor or team leader will deliver the ultimatums and explains the ultimatums rather than the family having to individually deliver their own personal ultimatum.

The concept of intervention for confronting a substance abuse is a fairly new idea.  When there are issues of addiction concerned, most people believe the addict has to hit “bottom” before being willing and receptive to getting help.  Additionally, some people believe an addict will not benefit from treatment unless seeking help was done of their own free will.  However, intervention statistics show that an addict who is confronted in such a manner may finally wake up to the reality that treatment is needed.  The next step after an intervention with an unreceptive addict is breaking off contact and allowing them to succumb to the addiction, which while hard to bear is entirely necessary if things are ever to change.

Interventions are not just used to address serious addiction problems; other situations in which an intervention can be useful are compulsive gambling, eating disorders, self-mutilation or cutting, alcoholism or other types of dangerous, unhealthy situations.  An intervention takes the focus entirely off of the addict and places it on the family unit as whole, everyone participating in an intervention has been affected by the situation in some way or another and the goal is to get everyone healthy again.

Under the supervision of an interventionist, an addict is treated with dignity and respect while the delicate confrontational process and dealing with the problems of addiction are faced head on.  Most often in a situation involving an intervention, an addict is completely taken by surprise when faced with the pain and sorrow their addiction has caused friends and family.

An interventionist will carefully orchestrate the intervention process and make sure things are handled in the most respectful and compassionate manner possible.  With the understanding and expertise of an intervention specialist, a family may finally find the inner strength needed to confront someone with a dangerous drug or alcohol addiction, spurring them into seeking treatment.  The road to recovery can be a long and difficult journey, but one best facilitated with the encouragement, understanding and support of rehab specialists and loved ones.

When faced with the dangers and uncertainty of a substance abuse problem, sometimes the addict wants to get help but does not know where to begin.  Within the safety and security of an interventionist, many addicts have finally come to realize that they either need to get treatment  or face risking losing everything and everyone they hold dear.