How Do I Hold an Intervention?

When a loved one is struggling with a severe mental health or substance use disorder, it can feel overwhelming. If they are resistant to seeking treatment on their own, and you are worried about their health and safety, it may be time to consider an intervention. When it comes to interventions, it’s important to work with a team of trained professionals to determine the best intervention strategy for your loved one, as each person’s situation is unique and requires a personalized approach. At Feinberg Consulting, we can help you and your family take the first step towards a treatment and recovery journey that will support the entire family.

What is an intervention?

You may have heard of the term intervention before, and people commonly associate it with an intense confrontation that consists of ultimatums. While some interventions may occur this way, we believe in approaching interventions in a loving way with compassion, dignity, and respect for everyone involved.

Picture an intervention as an interruption of a path that is currently causing harm to an individual. This “interruption” creates an opportunity for a new path, focused on hope and healing.

It is important to remember that an intervention is a process, not an event. The first step of this process is an initial meeting. This will bring together family, friends, and any other close connections involved, to learn about the individual and discuss observed behaviors. An intervention team is formed when all members share the same vision of getting your loved one much-needed help.

One step of the process includes each person involved writing a loving, supportive letter. These letters are read at the intervention to encourage your loved one to say “yes” to treatment. Our team works with families to write powerful, emotional, and honest letters. The overall impact of these letters can be incredibly effective in getting your loved one to accept help.

Additionally, interventions aren’t always a one-time event. There are times when it may take several consecutive days, or even weeks, to get a loved one to accept help. Our team of interventionists is patient, focused, and committed to helping those in need of help. These qualities create an optimal opportunity for your loved one to receive compassionate support and guidance.

What are some key signs that an intervention is needed?

Not all individuals struggling with an addiction or mental health condition need an intervention to seek treatment, so it’s critical to look for the key signs that a loved one needs support.

These include:

• Engaging in risky or dangerous behavior
• Isolation
• Worsening appearance or medical concerns
• Financial distress
• Anger problems or changes in mood
• Legal or work issues

How do you determine the right intervention approach?

Each of our interventions is tailored to meet the needs of the family and their loved one. From the beginning, we assess whether the needs of an intervention are crisis-related. If an individual appears to be a serious harm to themselves or others, a crisis intervention is necessary. This way, we can assist in stabilizing the individual before moving forward. A crisis intervention is an immediate and short-term emergency response to mental, emotional, physical, and/or behavioral distress. Crisis interventions can help minimize the potential for long-term trauma or distress. Our team can help to provide the necessary support, guidance, and resources for those struggling to find the right treatment and healing. 

If the intervention is not a response to an immediate crisis, we begin planning the intervention with participants (family, friends, colleagues) through a series of meetings. These meetings also consist of coaching and education for those involved. This helps to prepare participants for any outcomes that may arise. During this time, we also determine whether it is best to invite the person of concern to the intervention prior to the event or keep it unexpected.

Life after the intervention

The main focus throughout the intervention process is to ensure that your loved one seeks help. Once this stage has been reached, our team can help navigate you and your family through the challenges of early recovery. This often includes family coaching, which can help educate family members on how to provide the necessary support for long-term recovery and healing for their loved ones. We also offer recovery coaching, which can be extremely beneficial in offering support and accountability, while helping individuals maintain their sobriety, especially when newly in recovery.

If you have a loved one struggling with a substance use disorder or a severe mental health condition, you don’t have to go through it alone. At Feinberg Consulting, our team of experienced professionals is committed to the health and wellness of you and your family. We will work with you to develop a treatment plan to create lifelong healing and recovery. Contact us today at 877.538.5425.