What is an Intervention?

When a loved one refuses treatment, sometimes it is necessary for family members and friends to intervene on their behalf. An intervention is an organized group discussion that gives the loved ones of an addicted individual an opportunity to confront that person about their substance abuse and offer them a chance to make a change. The primary goals of any intervention should be to:

• Convince a loved one that they need help
• Get a loved one to enroll in a drug and alcohol rehab program right away

An effective intervention should be properly planned and carefully executed to avoid heated confrontations or arguments. The last thing you want to do is make your family member feel like they’re being attacked or ridiculed. To achieve the goals listed above, the people involved in the intervention must calmly cite examples of specific behaviors that have hurt loved ones, vocalize clear boundaries that each of them will draw if the addicted individual does not choose to seek treatment, and provide several appropriate rehab centers and treatment options that will provide the level of care they need to get better.

Why Seek the Help of a Professional Interventionist?

In some cases, it may be necessary to seek the help of a professional interventionist. A professional interventionist is a person who specializes in engaging families in productive discussions that lead to change. These individuals have the specific skills, experience, and credentials to lead an intervention in a way that fully addresses the individual’s addiction and defines the issue at hand in a clear, calm, and respectful way. An intervention like this is more likely to convince the individual to enroll in treatment at a rehab center.

Here at Nova Recovery Center, we work with a number of trusted professional interventionists and can connect you with one of these individuals if the need arises. The interventionist will assist you as you plan and organize the intervention by providing the following services:

• Intervention preparation and planning
• Professional facilitation of the intervention
• Varied intervention techniques
• Mediation

Our staff understands that your loved one’s needs and circumstances are unique, so we carefully take your current situation and financial abilities into consideration before pairing you with one of our recommended professional interventionists.

Common Misconceptions About Interventions

“Things aren’t bad enough to have an intervention.” The truth is, you don’t have to wait until your loved one hits “rock bottom” to help them find treatment. In fact, getting out in front of a substance abuse problem early is the best case scenario.

“Drug and alcohol rehab didn’t work last time, so why would it work now?” Just because alcohol and drug rehab didn’t work for your loved one then, doesn’t mean it won’t work now. At Nova, we offer our clients a full continuum of care to guide them through each step and phase of treatment. Additionally, we offer a long-term 90-day drug and alcohol rehab program, when many other programs only offer 30 or 60-day programs. This allows for much more time to work on personal issues, adjust to a new way of living, and process trauma.

“My loved one is already refusing to enroll in treatment. An intervention won’t work.” Many individuals who don’t want to enroll in treatment initially actually end up seeing the benefit of it later on when they are sober. Give your loved one some time to clear their head in rehab and you just might find them thanking you for the role you played in their recovery.

“He/she can quit on their own. They’re just not trying hard enough.” Drugs impact the way the brain works, making it extremely difficult to discontinue all use of drugs and alcohol. It truly is much more than just an issue of willpower and to achieve long-term sobriety, your loved one will need to attend a long-term drug and alcohol rehab program.

Intervention Preparation

Once we pair your family with a professional interventionist, we will help coordinate a meeting with them. This initial meeting will be used to discuss the situation with your loved one and serve as the beginning of the planning process. The process of preparing for an intervention looks different for every situation, but it may involve writing a short speech or letter to read to your loved one during the intervention. You may also spend some time practicing what you will say in front of friends, family members, and your interventionist. In the days before the intervention, we can also help you determine a feasible option for drug and alcohol detox and rehab so that you may present your loved one with a clear choice at the conclusion of your intervention. Once everyone is ready, your interventionist will help you choose the date and schedule the intervention.

When that day arrives, he or she will facilitate and lead the discussion from start to finish. The interventionist may also serve as a moderator to ensure the discussion remains calm, productive, and respectful. If your loved one is refusing treatment and you need help getting them into rehab, you may need the help of a professional interventionist. Please contact our admissions team for more information.