Interventions

Television shows like "Intervention" and "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" have introduced many people to the process of intervention. Some may see intervention as a manipulative way to trap the addict or alcoholic, but it doesn't have to be that way!

There are different ways to intervene, and Full Life Counseling believes that it is best to intervene with acts of love & respect. This will help the person preserve their dignity while encouraging them to choose health & recovery.

In short, an intervention is a structured, planned meeting between someone who needs help addressing a problem and those who care about them. The goal of the intervention is to help that person become aware of the ways in which that problem is affecting others, themselves and their future. Hopefully, with a new understanding, the person will choose to accept the gift and opportunity of treatment to help them begin the journey of recovery.

Full Life Counseling embraces the "Love First" method of intervention described in Jeff & Debra Jay's bestseller by the same name. Jeff & Debra write:

     Alcoholics and addicts crave the approval of their families and friends. Outwardly, they may act as if they don't need anyone, but this is a deception. Alcoholics push others away to protect the addiction and to hide their shame - not because they've stopped caring. In fact, it is by giving alcoholics what they really want - love, appreciation and respect - that we can persuade them that accepting treatment is the right thing to do.
     Love restores lost hope. When the most important people in an alcoholic's life come together with a sincere and honest outpouring of love, they ignite a profound emotional shift that signals a new solution. For the first time, all involved - including the addict - see the problem not as a failure but as an illness that can respond to professional care. Loved ones bring with them a promise that the real person, whom they have loved dearly, can be set free and delivered from this sickness.

Each one of us is unique. The complexity of the individual fingerprint is the perfect reminder of our individuality. Even the response to alcohol, medications or drugs can be different from person to person and can change over time. Like a glass of wine, a simple joy for one is like poison for another.

0. Begins with one or more preliminary meetings with family and friends who are concerned about someone affected by alcohol, prescription medication or drugs.
0. Following the Jay's Love First model, an intervention team will be formed. Members of this team prepare for the intervention privately, without discussing it with anyone. This loving deception is carried out using the same mindset one would have if planning a surprise birthday party. It is deception out of love - not with a malicious spirit.
0. The intervention team will teach the interventionist about the person they love who has alcohol/drug problems. The interventionist will teach the team about how intervention works and how to prepare.
0. Rehearsal of the intervention with the intervention team and the interventionist is required to help everyone feel better prepared and to work out any last minute kinks.
0. At the third gathering, the team will meet with the person of concern to express love, concern and encouragement for them to get help for their addiction.
0. All the arrangements for entering treatment immediately will have been made in advance.
0. The intervention itself ends with the transition straight to a treatment center with each participant having received the encouragement and support to pursue support for their own recovery.
0. After the intervention, a follow-up session for members of the intervention team is strongly recommended.

Alcoholism and addiction affect many more people than the person who is actually using, so getting the loved one into treatment is only part of the solution. 

Al-Anon, Nar-Anon and supportive counseling are important resources for friends and family members. These resources help friends and family know how to best support their loved one in recovery, recognize and stop their own enabling behaviors, and finally begin to attend to their own emotional and practical needs. The follow-up session will help clarify what to expect and what services are important to each member of the family in the coming weeks as the journey of recovery begins. 

We at Full Life Counseling know that many people, especially those who have achieved a certain level of success and recognition in the community, are so afraid of discovery that they simply suffer in isolation. That is why we offer private and secure office facilities as well as offsite consultations in your own home or another discreet but public location.

We invite the person in your life who is struggling with addiction to choose life and healing instead of continued self-destruction. We encourage them to take advantage of the opportunity to get help immediately.