Understanding Intervention

Interventions, when done correctly, are an offering of love and life to a person who is in need of help. The general purpose of an intervention is to interrupt the addictive process. Interventions are a tool that can be used in many different situations – most of which relate to a type of addictive process of one sort or another. 

The first rule when considering an intervention is to throw out the idea of confrontation and replace it with the concept of presentation. In its truest form an intervention is the presentation process that offers a gift of life to the afflicted person.

Interventions can be offered to the person suffering by their family, friends or loved ones. Sometimes interventions have many participants and sometimes there are just a few.

Types of Intervention

There are many different variances in intervention style. However, no matter what the particular style of any particular interventionist, there are four basic modalities of intervention. Below you will find the benefits and liabilities of each of these models as well as an overview of each of the four models of intervening.

The Johnson Model

Benefits:

·          Simple, direct approach to intervening.

·          Scripted model; doesn’t require emotionally-based contributions from participants. (Good for vocationally oriented interventions)

·          One of the more commonly practiced intervention models. This makes the accessibility to interventionists that apply it more readily available in crisis.

·          Traditionally, this intervention model is fairly affordable.

Liabilities:

·          More confrontational in style then other intervention models.

·          The framework for the intervention is a bit more scripted which can cause the intervention to come across without a sense of emotional urgency.

·          The conclusion to this model can be very consequence driven. In other words, if the afflicted does not choose to go to treatment, participants are usually instructed to set strict boundaries in place around the person being intervened on. This can lead to communication break-downs and even in some cases may contribute to the afflicted acting on irrational thought processes and negative behaviors.

Overview of the Johnson Model:

The Johnson Model of Intervention is the most common type of intervention utilized by professionals. The model itself was named after Vernon Johnson who believed that the concept of an addict or alcoholic “bottoming out” was erroneous. He felt that many addicts and alcoholics would never reach a point by which of their own volition they would seek help.

This model traditionally is applied in a “surprise” fashion. This will usually take place in the home of the afflicted or in another location where the afflicted will be known to be.

The Johnson Model is based on Vernon’s belief that an intervention should be a forceful confrontation. The confrontational approach practiced by Mr. Johnson has lead many interventionists to create modifications to the Johnson Model approach by essentially softening the confrontational style to more conversational tones.

The Johnson Model, in its purest form, is basically a direct and deliberate approach to confronting the addict. The confrontation is facilitated by an intervention professional and with help can be applied by family, friends or employers. The model itself does not rely on these individuals but they are asked to speak at the intervention in order to express care and concern for the afflicted in their own words. Sometimes the Johnson Model relies on participants writing down their thoughts and expressing them at the intervention by reading what they have written. This has led the Johnson Model of Intervention to be perceived as a more scripted approach to intervention than some other models.

The crucial difference between a Johnson Model approach and other methodologies is in the interventions conclusion. Participants are asked to guarantee support to the afflicted should they seek help but also to express foreseen negative consequences or boundaries that will be implemented if the afflicted does not seek help.

This approaches conclusion has the potential (in the event the afflicted individual refuses help) to exasperate the interpersonal relationships between the participants in the intervention and the sufferer leading to further tensions and more communication break-downs.

The Family Systemic Model

Benefits:

·          Non-confrontational approach to intervention.

·          Usually facilitated by licensed professionals with a more therapeutic methodology.

·          Spreads responsibility between family members v. pointing the finger at the individual who is afflicted.

·          Has a high effectiveness because the model is invitational. Obviously, if the afflicted is willing to be intervened on they are more likely to be in less denial, and therefore, more likely to get help.

Liabilities:

·          Not always a good model when strong denial is present in the afflicted.

·          Has the possibility of “tipping off” the afflicted that they are being watched because it isn’t a surprise. Sometimes when this happens the afflicted will momentarily collect themselves in order to represent themselves as doing better than they actually are.

·          Model relies on multiple family meetings making it less appropriate in situations that require immediate support to prevent life-threatening addictive behaviors.

·          The model is less stressful, which sometimes prevents the seriousness of the situation from being accurately conveyed to the afflicted.

Overview of the Family Systemic Model:

The Family Systemic Model is an invitational model of intervening. In other words the family members will invite the afflicted to a meeting traditionally facilitated by a licensed therapist, psychologist or other health care professional.

This type of intervention is traditionally applied in the office of a licensed therapist, psychologist or other health care professional.

The focus of this intervention style is more dignified in some senses than the more widely practiced Johnson Model because the process is more globally participatory as the entire family system is involved.

The Family Systemic Model is not a surprise intervention which tends to reduce the level of stress involved in the process for both the afflicted and other family members. This intervention modality, like other models, is structured in such a way to be able to effectively address a multitude of issues. These issues may include food, gambling, sex and other compulsive-addictive behaviors.

Generally, this model is approached in a highly respectful manner. The whole point of the intervention is for the family to come together and share some of their common concerns for the afflicted. This is usually done in a dignified and non-confrontational way in order to really communicate to the sufferer that they are loved and supported and not blamed for having an addiction. Family members will often express their own feelings of responsibility as a way to reduce the sense of shame held by the afflicted during the intervention process.

The model is not necessarily centered on the concept of getting the sufferer to immediately enroll in treatment. Rather, the approach may call for a series of family meetings that are intended to guide the afflicted to their own conclusion that treatment is necessary. This makes this model good in cases where the examples of addictive behaviors are not life-threatening but somewhat less effective in dealing with situations that require an immediate change in behavior and direction because the behaviors are life-threatening.

The Invitational Model

Benefits:

·          The intervention is based in the common experiences between the afflicted and the interventionist.

·          It is a dignified approach to intervention because of the invitational component of the model.

·          Family, loved ones and others are not required to participate. This is helpful in situations where the afflicted will refuse help from certain people just because of how they feel about them.

Liabilities:

·          Not always a good model when strong denial is present in the afflicted.

·          Has the possibility of “tipping off” the afflicted that they are being watched because it isn’t a surprise. Sometimes when this happens the afflicted will momentarily collect themselves in order to represent themselves as doing better than they actually are.

·          The model is less stressful, which sometimes prevents the seriousness of the situation from being accurately conveyed to the afflicted.

Overview of the Invitational Model:

The invitational model is similar to the Family Systemic Model only in the invitation element of the intervention. The invitational model is not, however, traditionally applied by licensed health care professionals. This model is usually applied by interventionists that are either certified counselors or unlicensed individuals who are skilled in dealing with addicts and alcoholics.

This model essentially relies on the interventionist to create the framework for a conversation directly with the afflicted, who is invited to the conversation by family members, loved ones, or other concerned individuals.

The conversation can take place in the afflicted person’s home or at another location that is pre-designated for the conversation to take place.

The conversation does not require that anyone else but the interventionist and the afflicted be present. This model can create problems in that because of the lack of any other individual’s participation, the afflicted can evade certain questions about the degree of their problem. However, because the interventionist understands addiction so well, this model can also create the opportunity for the afflicted to be more open to the seriousness of the situation that they are in due to not feeling like they have to hide the extent of their addiction issues from anyone they directly know.

This model is most effective when family, loved ones, or other concerned individuals cannot find common ground with the afflicted from which to communicate with them productively. In other words, when the afflicted is so aggravated by any particular person’s presence that they shut down entirely, this model can be of great assistance. It allows others to essentially send a life-line to the afflicted without them having to know who it is directly coming from.

The Motivational Model

Benefits:

·          Detailed preparation limits the afflicted individuals reasons for refusing to enroll.

·          It is a highly dignified approach to intervening.

·          Is perhaps the most effective model of intervention.

·          Allows family, friends, loved ones and others to participate in the process productively.

·          The surprise component of the intervention keeps the afflicted “off balance” and strengthens the solidarity of the groups perspectives.

·          The process is loving through the entirety of the process. This prevents confrontations from breaking out in most situations.

Liabilities:

·          Because of the preparation involved this model can be fairly expensive.

·          A quick motivational intervention usually takes 2-days. One day to prepare and one day to present.

Overview of the Motivational Model:

The Motivational Model of Intervention is perhaps the most effective method to intervening. In one case study of the Motivational Model of Intervention approximately 95% of the afflicted individuals who were intervened on enrolled in treatment at the point of intervention. Of the 5% who didn’t attend immediately, 80% went to treatment of their own volition within a few months to a few years. This is based largely in part to the approach of dignity offered under the motivational model during the beginning, middle and end of the intervention.

The motivation model essentially was defined by an interventionist named Ed Storti. Mr. Storti began applying the Johnson Model in the early 1970’s and began to formulate a personal belief that intervention should be a more dignified, spiritually-based process that offered a gift to the afflicted. Mr. Storti’s forward thinking formulated the Motivational Model of Intervention which is now one of the most effective models of intervening.

This perspective began to change the concept of intervening from the idea of confronting the addicted to the idea of presenting a gift of life to the afflicted.

The fundamentals of the motivational model are rooted in detailed preparation techniques. The intervention is delivered with a practiced spontaneity that stems from a detailed evaluation and intervention preparedness meeting facilitated by the interventionist prior to the actual intervention taking place. This allows the participants (family, friends, loved ones, employers, etc.) to collectively consider all the barriers that the afflicted might construct during the intervention that would be presented as reasons as to why they can’t enroll in treatment immediately. These barriers are discussed prior to the intervention by the participants and solutions to the barriers are rehearsed so that they can be applied at the actual point of intervening.

Additionally, all the details of an enrollment in treatment are prepared for prior to the intervention taking place. A treatment center is chosen and transportation is coordinated to the facility before the intervention so that the doorway of opportunity for the addict can be walked through without any major hiccups.

The motivational model is one that includes surprise as the base of the intervention. At the preparation meeting the location of the intervention is determined and all the factors that will infringe on the sanctuary of the space for the intervention are thought about and subsequently planned for.

The intervention itself is a professionally facilitated process where the interventionist will utilize the emotional intimacy of the group to connect with the afflicted. Short bursts of energy from the participants are required in order to maintain the spiritually-driven, energetic expressions of love and concern for the afflicted.

The conclusion of the intervention does not call for strict changes in how the group will relate to the afflicted. This creates the space for communication channels to stay open and largely contributes to why people who don’t enroll in treatment immediately usually enroll a short time later.

When is an Intervention Necessary?

Addiction is both a physical and psychological condition and the psychological elements are usually the precursors the predicate the need for an intervention. If the sufferer is not mentally rational, or if they are unable to break away physically from an addictive process, then an intervention is necessary.

I’m Considering an Intervention – What is the Next Step?

The next step would be to call 877 415 4673 to learn more about the intervention options that might be right for you. Our credentialed staff is available to answer questions you may have about types of interventions and the different interventionists that are available.

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