Full Spectrum Recovery

Intervention Services

Assessment:

Gathering of extensive data regarding the individual in crisis, hiring two experienced, professional interventionists, exploration of problem, identification of team members, and coordination with other treatment providers.

Strategic Planning:

Formation of a cohesive, effective intervention team, training and guidance of family and friends to intervene on an alcohol or drug problem using Full Spectrum Recovery’s respectful and powerful method.

Reinforcement:

Complete debriefing of intervention team, response to unexpected changes, continued collaboration with intervention team and treatment providers as needed, telephone consultations, research and supervision.

Aftercare:

Consultation and increased therapeutic support for family members to ensure a successful outcome for all participants.

This process generally takes 25-30 hours spread out over a period of 1-4 weeks, depending on the case. Services include phone consultations, research time, coordination with treatment facilities, the Intervention itself, and debriefing meetings.

Frequently asked questions and answers

How do I know if the person I love has an alcohol or other drug problem?

Ask yourself, "Is my relative or friend experiencing repeated negative consequences due to alcohol or other drug use, and still continues to use anyway?" If you answer yes, it is likely the person you are concerned about has a problem.

Isn’t it true that you can’t help someone until they want help?

This is not true. Substance abusers don’t spontaneously decide to get help for their addiction. Something happens in their life that causes them to want help. Ask yourself this question: "If an abuser won’t get help until she wants help, what will get her to want help?" It can be years of personal tragedy or the loving intervention of family and friends.

Don’t addicts have to "hit bottom" before they can recover?

An abuser’s bottom can be divorce, arrest, health problems, financial ruin, child neglect, loss of friends, domestic abuse, jail, insanity, death. Typically, an abuser can suffer several or all of these consequences. When the abuser hits bottom, the family does too. We can "raise the bottom." Families do not have to endure years or decades of personal heartbreak and suffering over a loved one’s addiction. Our Formal Family Intervention is a loving and honest way to raise the bottom.

I’ve been told that treatment doesn’t work when someone is forced to accept help.

It is not how someone gets into treatment, but what happens once they are in treatment. Hazelden conducted a 25 year study which shows that the success rate in treatment is the same for people ordered into treatment by the courts and those who entered treatment on their own. William Bennett, former Drug Czar under President Bush, writes in the Washington Post: "One clear fact about drug treatment is that success in treatment is a function of time in treatment. And time in treatment is often a function of coercion -- being forced into treatment by a loved one, an employer or, as is often the case, the legal system. People who are forced to enter treatment under legal sanctions are more likely to complete treatment programs and thus more likely to get well…" In our Formal Family Intervention, however, we do not force someone into treatment. We ask them to go. They make the final decision for themselves. We do, however, makes decisions to no longer do things that make it easy for the substance abuser to stay sick, and this often convinces the reluctant to get help.

Is it all right to intervene on a senior citizen?

There are special techniques for intervening on an aging parent or a grandparent . A loving approach works very well when helping an older person. The language used with an older adult is different, and we look for age-specific signs and symptoms of addiction. Older people benefit from treatment programs designed for their age group. While recovery is slower, success is greater among elders. If the person you are concerned about is over age 55 , get special education on older adults before intervening

How many people do I need to do an intervention?

We suggest three to eight people. These are people the substance abuser loves and respects. They may be family members, friends, co-workers, employers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, and clergy. People significant in the alcoholic’s life. If you don’t have a minimum of three people for your team, consult with us.

Do I need to hire a professional interventionist?

Each family should examine their needs and make a decision based on their specific situation. Many families, after thorough education and preparation, successfully intervene without using a professional interventionist. Other families prefer to have a professional present. A trained professional interventionist from Full Spectrum Recovery is required if the person you are intervening on has a history of mental illness or violent behavior or has had several previous treatments followed by relapse. If you cannot afford to hire a professional interventionist and feel you need one, ask your minister or rabbi to learn about intervention with the family so he or she can facilitate the intervention

Will my health insurance pay for intervention services?

No, insurance does not cover professional intervention services.

What if other family members are opposed to doing an intervention?

When people are opposed to intervention, it often means they need more information. Rather than asking people to commit to doing an intervention, ask if they’d be willing to learn about intervention. Suggest they start with this website. Most people are willing take this first, small step

I know the user in my family will walk out of the intervention. What do we do then?

This is one of the most common fears families planning interventions have. This almost never happens. But we prepare for it anyway. Select one or two people from your intervention team who are highly respected by the substance abuser to follow him outside. They can gently and lovingly assure him everything is all right, and ask him to come back in. Our professional interventionist can do this, too.

Won’t the substance abuser get angry during the intervention and begin an argument?

Anger is rarely seen during an intervention using a love first approach. It is more likely that the substance abuser will become tearful. While families often believe the abuser will react with anger, this almost never happens. If the abuser you want to intervene on has a history of violence toward others, tell your Full Spectrum professional before proceeding. If family members are concerned that they will not be able to contain their own anger during the intervention, you absolutely need our services.

What do we tell our children when mom (dad) is in treatment?

Be honest with your children. Tell them that mom has a disease and she is working to get better. Ask the treatment center if they have an education and support program for children. Buy books written for children of substance abusers.

Can children participate in an intervention?

Yes, but each child should be evaluated individually. We prefer not to involve children under the age of 12 in an intervention, except in special circumstances. It should always be the child’s choice; never something imposed upon him or her. Rather than directly participating, some children choose to write a letter an adult reads for them during the intervention. If a child does participate in an intervention, provide good support for the child before, during, and after the intervention. Allow the child to talk about his or her feelings. If the substance user declines treatment after the intervention, explain to the child that it is not because that person does not love him or her. It is because the addiction blocks the sick person's ability to make healthy decisions. Assure the child that he or she did a good job during the intervention.

Our family members are scattered across the country. How do we do an intervention when we live so far apart?

Most people are able to arrange their schedules and make travel plans for something this important. People who are unable to attend can participate from home, and write a letter for someone on the intervention team to read for them during the intervention.

What if our addicted loved one relapses after treatment?

If this happens, a family who has done an intervention is better prepared to handle the crisis than most families. You can do another intervention to address the relapse. This often doesn’t require all family members to attend if some people live a distance away.

If you or a loved one is ready to end the suffering and begin the healing, please call one of our caring therapists 7 days a week @ (805)966.5100.