Family Training and Intervention Preparation

To start the process of any successful intervention will be to decide that there is enough significant evidence of drug or alcohol dependency to warrant intervening. Once the family has decided that the person in question needs help, they should then talk to a professional to find out if there is even a need for an intervention. After you have concluded that there is a need for family intervention, deciding on the right interventionist team will help the process.

Information gathering is the first thing that a trained interventionist will do. Finding out all the information that the family has on the specifics of the addiction will help formulate a plan and help there be a more positive outcome. With the complexity of drug addiction and understanding that drug dependency stems from much deeper issues, intervention specialists can help you understand the intervention process in its entirety. 

Family training for holding a proactive intervention can make the difference between a failure, and a successful intervention. A few days before the actual intervention is a family training and education course. This vital step of any intervention held in Iowa will not only help you understand the addiction process but also give you a sense of how to deal with this disease.  During family training, there will be a time when you will have to decide on specific consequences if your loved one refuses the gift of help you are offering to them.  Holding the intervention usually takes place in a neutral setting or a place where the addict feels at home. This helps to avoid making them feel uncomfortable.

Once the intervention is complete, it is of utmost importance to take the individual directly to the treatment facility of choice to ensure a smooth transition from the intervention to the facility.
Interventions in Iowa can range in cost from a professional service from about $1000 plus expenses to $4,500, plus expenses. Finding an interventionist that is local in your county can save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in travel expenses. Sometimes there are good intervention specialists in your city that can help lower the costs by saving lodging and airfare fees.

Intervention Process and Steps of Intervention

Planning the intervention is the first step. Family members or friends start to gather other family and close friends for a group meeting. It is recommended that a professional be present during all stages of the intervention process.  There is always a chance that there may be an angry or violent reaction from the addict. It is highly recommended that a third party be involved in the intervention. Be sure to have all the information as to what the person is having problems with and to what extent the addiction is perceived to be. This information should be gathered before the intervention starts. Making arrangements with a treatment center for addiction will be needed before the intervention takes place, to ensure a seamless transition from the intervention to the treatment center. Decide who can and is willing to participate in the intervention process. In most cases 4-8 people are involved; including family, friends, teachers, co-workers, clergy, or anyone that is a positive influence in their lives. Be sure not to include anyone who is using drugs or can be antagonistic during the intervention process.

Each person who is involved in the intervention needs to decide what they will do if the addict refuses to get help with their addiction. The consequences for not entering treatment need to be something that can be followed through on, to make the individual in question feel the severity of not getting help. Examples of this may include withdrawing any financial support, asking them to move out, or stopping all communication with family or friends until they receive the help they need. Your drug interventionist will assist you with this very important step in the intervention process. 

Have a written plan on what you are gonna say during the intervention; and specific incidents that have caused destructive behaviors or actions. Financial and emotional breakdowns are the most common occurrences in early addictions and can grow in intensity as the addiction continues unchecked. Including how much the person means to you, will help you convey the need for them to enter into treatment. Be sure not to include antagonistic arguments, name-calling, or anything that can be perceived by them to be judgmental rhetoric in your letter. 

When the day of the intervention finally arrives, The addict is invited to the intervention without their knowledge of the true reason for the meeting. The attendees take their turns going through the letters filled with concerns that they have written for the addict to hear. The option to enter treatment will be presented at this point which must be accepted or rejected at this time. Everyone must detail the consequences to the addict if treatment is refused. If treatment is accepted, having the treatment program already in place makes the transition seamless, allowing the addict to enter into a treatment program the very same day. Interventions can become very emotional and having an interventionist there will help to keep the intervention moving in the right direction as they are not emotionally involved allowing them to take the role of moderator during the whole process. If you are looking for an interventionist close to you, give us a call and we can help.

Once the intervention is finished and the person has agreed to go to treatment for their addiction, it is important to remain supportive so the addict can stay sober and avoid relapse. While in treatment, there are opportunities for loved ones to participate in group counseling and conflict resolution. Finding a treatment center that has aftercare will help the individual remain on their program after treatment has been completed. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has done numerous studies in both inpatient and outpatient treatment and those who complete a program and continue with their aftercare for a year or more have a 90% success rate.