The Intervention Process: 14-Step Process from Crisis to Long-Term Recovery

The addiction intervention process by South Florida Intervention

Click here to learn more about The Intervention Process.

 

There is a 14-Step Road to Recovery to help your loved one from crisis in substance abuse to long-term recovery.

1. Crisis Precipitates Intervention

  • She was arrested for driving driving under the influence; a month ago she was fired from work, not to mention her friends having to call 911.

2. Anger and Fear

  • I told him next time he came home drunk I was taking the kids and leaving
  • We are so afraid she’s going to die from an overdose
  • If we don’t do something there may not be a next time; I am losing hope of ever being in a happy marriage

3. Seeks Solutions and Empowerment

  • I spent all day searching the internet for answers
  • I read addiction is a disease but what does that mean anyway
  • There are so many treatment centers it's all so confusing
  • All three treatment centers claim to have the best outcomes, what if it doesn’t work and we’ve wasted all that money

4. Engages Professional Help

  • Her psychiatrist suggested we find an experienced interventionist who is familiar with treatment centers and understands the process
  • Last time she left treatment after only three days
  • Perhaps if we had gone this route sooner

Download Free Guide: How To Do An Intervention

5. Turning Point

  • Now that we have an interventionist representing our best interests we can relax a little bit and not be so self-reliant
  • It’s his job to vet the treatment centers and lead us through this

6. Discovery

  • The interventionist engages family members and influential peers individually and begins peeling back the layers
  • Exposes patterns of manipulation and seeks facts and understanding to determine and highest and best treatment options and intervention strategy

7. Strategy and Commitment

  • Equipped with information and guidance the family confidently commits to a strategy to place their addicted family member into treatment and safely uphold boundaries and consequences if needed

Watch This the Day Prior to the Pre-Intervention Meeting

This is a documentary about addiction and codependency I ask families to watch prior to the day-long pre-intervention education class. One the exercises is to discuss the film and I ask family members what it mean to them and where they see themselves and their addicted Son or daughter in the film. 

8. Pre-Intervention Meeting

  • An all-hands-on-deck meeting ensures participants are on the same page
  • Everybody understands their part in the intervention and is committed to a successful completion of treatment
  • Hesitant and wavering participants are asked not to participate
  • Logistics are ironed out.

9. Day of Intervention

  • The day of the intervention is an opportunity to demonstrate love and support for the addicted family member
  • Help them understand treatment is the only way forward for someone hoping to live a life free of drugs and alcohol
  • The gathering is non confrontational but only accepts a positive outcome

10. Post Intervention Debrief

  • The post intervention debrief there is a sense of relief knowing the addicted family member is safely situated in the care of competent treatment professionals This time is brief because there is much work ahead of the family and the addicted family member

11. Systemic Change

  • While in treatment the family is focused on its own recovery and begins attending Al-anon and preparing to participate in family program

12. Post-treatment

  • Once treatment is completed the recovering individual continues attending 12- step meetings as the family continues focusing on its own recovery

13. Recovery Coaching and Relapse Prevention

  • Regularly scheduled sessions with the interventionist for the recovering individual and family members is essential relapse prevention

14. Long Term Recovery

  • In time the family who is diligent will be reborn as their old way of life fades behind them
  • However cautious they know the journey of recovery is never complete.