When the word ‘Intervention’ gets mentioned, most people will ultimately envision the popular television show on A&E. The show originally debuted in 2005 and documents families that give their addicted friends and family members an ultimatum; to seek treatment and rehabilitation or else! However, most viewers aren’t exposed to the actual selection process of the interventionist. The length of the entire intervention process will vary from case to case, however, it often spans a period of several weeks or even months. Not every family will be required to seek the services of an interventionist since some people will seek treatment on their own and without extreme resistance. In some cases, individuals will voluntarily seek professional addiction treatment in order to avoid jail time. There are typically five key steps to staging an intervention.

• Research and decide on an interventionist.
• Decide which friends and family members will participate in the intervention.
• Rehearse the intervention in advance with the interventionist.
• Choose a time and setting for the intervention to take place.
• Be prepared to accept the outcome.

When searching for an interventionist, Psychology Today is a good resource for finding addiction treatment professionals. Simply enter the term “intervention” and your zip code in the search bar on the main page and your search has begun. It’s important to interview several interventionists until you find one you perceive to be a good fit and can effectively address your family’s needs. Here are the four questions you will want to ask them.

1. What intervention model do you prefer to use?

There are several intervention models an interventionist might utilize and they will often specialize in more than one specific model. They might also use their own model which could include aspects of several different intervention models. The most commonly used intervention models include the Johnson model, ARISE, Crisis Interventions, the Love First Method, the Systemic Family Model, the Confrontational Model, and the Tough Love Approach. The interventionist will be able to decide which model is the most appropriate based on the individual situation; no two cases of addiction will be the same.

2. What are your credentials?

It’s not uncommon to see interventionists carry a wide range of professional certifications and licensure. These certifications will often appear as acronyms after their names on their business cards, online business listings, and websites. The certifications you will most often see at “CIP” (certified intervention professional), “LMHC” (licensed mental health counselor), “CAP” (certified addiction professional), and “NCC” (national certified counselor). Many interventionists are also educated on a Master’s level; often in either counseling, social work, or psychology. You might also ask how long they’ve been an interventionist and how many interventions they’ve conducted in the past. Don’t be afraid to ask an interventionist for references from families they’ve worked with in the past.

3. How much do they charge?

Hiring an interventionist can be extremely costly and will often cost between $2000-$6000 out of pocket. Insurance companies will not cover the costs of an intervention. The interventionist will require you to pay airfare, lodging and other expenses if they’re required to travel to meet with you. If a family is on a budget, they could opt for an interventionist in the area that won’t be required to travel far.

4. What treatment centers do you recommend and why?

Not all treatment centers are created equally. Some addiction rehabilitation centers will offer higher levels of care than others, some work with a wider array of insurance plans, some will fall short of a full continuum of care, some will specialize in mental health treatment more so than substance abuse treatment. The interventionist you hire will be able to make a referral to a treatment center that will best be able to address your family’s needs. You might also ask the interventionist if he could recommend a treatment center with a family program that you could partake in. Family recovery and support is a very important aspect of the addict’s recovery process. There are so many unknowns when families are dealing with addiction. If you’re reluctant to spend the money required to conduct an intervention, please consider the costs of potential fines and attorney fees in the future, lost wages, additional medical bills the addict might acquire, more expensive insurance premiums, or even funeral costs. Hiring an interventionist is worth the investment! If you don’t know where to start and would like to be referred to a professional interventionist, please contact us below. We are one of the leading drug rehabs in Fort Lauderdale and specialize in equipping our clients with the tools needed to live a healthy and successful life in mental health and addiction recovery.   Sources:

• Addiction.com