What is Intervention?

Family Interventions are a highly structured meeting between an addict and their loved ones or co-workers.  Family Interventions are used for drug addiction, gambling addiction, sexual addictions and mental health disorders. One, sometimes two, of our trained professionals facilitates this meeting. It is important to know our family interventions have a 95% success rate when families commit to the process. Intervention 180 works with a broad spectrum of clients. Whether suffering from drug addiction, gambling addiction, sexual addiction, mental health disorders or behavioral problems, we can help. We are also equipped to locate missing persons if you do not know where your loved one is to intervene upon.

  1. Let the addict know how much they mean to others and that they are worth saving.

  2. Motivate the addict to enter treatment and participate willingly in the recovery process.
  3. Educate the family about the disease of addiction and the recovery process.
  4. Encourage the family to participate in their own recoveries as well as supporting the addict in their recovery.
  5. Help the addict transition back into the family and work environments and sustain ongoing recovery. 

Intervention 180 provides the following types of intervention services: family interventions, drug addiction intervention, alcoholism intervention, gambling addiction intervention, sexual addiction intervention, eating disorder intervention, internet addiction interventions and interventions for any other addictive disorder. We also provide adolescent intervention or troubled teen intervention and transport. 

Intervention 180 also provides family interventions for mental health disorders.  These include but are not limited to:

  • Bipolar Intervention
  • Depression Intervention
  • Schizophrenia Intervention
  • Borderline Personality Disorder Intervention
  • Co-Occurring Disorder Intervention

Due to the wide array of family interventions that we provide, we combine key elements from the most effective methods of intervention to create a fresh and more versatile style of intervention.  There are several styles of intervention, which have evolved since its creation in the 1960's, by Rev. Vernon Johnson.  It is important to note, not all addicts are appropriate for the same style of intervention.  One Model Does Not Fit All.  Our interventionists utilize an eclectic approach and use the most appropriate in models to ensure a tailored intervention for each specific client.  This is done to avoid trauma, volatile responses and ensure a positive outcome.

Our method of family interventions and other interventions typically fit a two-day process unless the situation warrants otherwise:

Day-One the family, friends, co-workers and interventionist meet.  During the 6-8 hour session the family learns more about the disease of addiction and what is involved in family interventions.  From there, the intervention team carefully plans the intervention.

Day-Two the team meets with the individual they are concerned about to perform the intervention.  Once the intervention is complete a designated family intervention family member, the interventionist or both with transport the individual to treatment.

OTHER METHODS OF INTERVENTION

It is our belief that the intervention should be formed to the clients needs. Surprise family interventions are not appropriate for everyone. Sexual addiction, eating disorders and other more complicated situations, often require several family meetings. It is not uncommon for us to work with the identified patient and family separately. This is done to prevent any further shaming, trauma or resistance.

INVITATIONAL FAMILY INTERVENTIONS

It is not uncommon for a caller to laugh when discussing the idea of an invitational intervention. The typical response we hear is "he/she will never show up". This is not what our statistics indicate at all. When an invitational intervention is conducted with the proper preparations, the identified patient is over 80% likely to arrive. The benefits of invitational family interventions are many. The individual is no longer the focus of the intervention, but an empowered member of the group. There is also not an angry response as in some surprise interventions.

HOW DOES AN INTERVENTION WORK?

Fear is often the #1 barrier to families taking action. Families wait, on average, 7 years before seeking professional help for a loved ones addiction problem. We offer around the clock phone service to help families in crisis. One of our professionals will help outline services, whether you need an adolescent intervention, intervention for alcohol, help finding an addiction or mental health facility or just a professional to talk to, we are here to help.

Why Hire an Interventionist?

Occasionally a family calls and wonders why they need to hire someone to conduct the intervention. Addiction and the other disorders we work with are very serious in nature. They are also complicated disorders that require training and experience to navigate. Our entire staff is in recovery in one form or another. We truly understand your loved ones mind set. Typically if you are at this site you have talked to the person you are concerned about before with no success. This is why we do what we do.

A professional can break through the denial and help you present treatment in a different way. When an intervention is conducted properly the addict is not the only person receiving help. The entire family enters recovery. In addition a professional can assess your loved one, make sure the proper treatment center is chosen and negotiate the intake process. Remember we specialize in several forms of intervention some include invitational intervention services and 1-on-1 intervention as well. If you are contemplating doing an intervention here is how it works:

 The general step-by-step process:

  1. One of the Intervention 180 staff will complete a phone assessment with you and formulate an outline of services.
  2. Once the assessment is complete, we will decide which member of our team best meets your needs.
  3. The chosen staff member will discuss your needs and possible treatment options. If you are unsure what treatment options are available, we can make recommendations. Our treatment resources span the entire US so finding the appropriate provider will not be a problem. There is no charge for treatment referrals.
  4. The interventionist will meet with you and your family to perform the intervention process.
  5. Intervention is typically a two-day process. (Excluding Crisis Intervention) Sometimes the Identified Patient (IP) is invited to attend a family workshop. This workshop addresses the families concerns and presents treatment as a gift. On other occasions we utilize what is known as a surprise intervention.
  6. While the addict is in treatment Intervention 180 will coordinate with the treatment provider on the progress that is being made by the client and updates will be relayed to the family (Providing releases have been signed).
  7. Intervention 180 will help network with the family community resources that are available to them in an effort to promote a holistic healing for all who are involved.
  8. Collaboration will be made with the client's treatment provider during discharge to help ease in the transition of aftercare.

Families often tell us "this will never work" or "he/she will never go". However we still maintain a 95% success rate. As interventionists it is our job to handle their resistance and engage them in the recovery process. There is hope, intervention works. 

WHY INTERVENTIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT?

When Arlene Rosen, founder of the original Michael's House Treatment Center for Men, lost her only son, Michael, to drug addiction, she sought relief from her grief through seeking knowledge on how to help addicts and their families. "As a parent, I knew about the social stigma attached to drug addiction. I had learned about available rehab centers and about support groups and 12-step meetings. But how to get a loved one to utilize this help was still a question. As a family, we had gotten Michael into treatment, but he wouldn't stay as long as he needed to or follow his aftercare plans."


Michael Alan Rosen had everything to live for: he was born to a privileged family, was handsome, talented and well-liked. After graduating from Beverly Hills High, he attended college and was voted class president in his sophomore year. By his senior year he had become a professional race car driver.
"I believe there is a lot of fear in the racing world," said Ms. Rosen, "and the drugs, of course, can cover up those feelings."


At the age of 25, Michael Rosen was found dead in his hotel room in the Fiji Islands. He had stopped off there on his way to New Zealand, which was a favorite race site. Recently out of a drug treatment program and not wanting his girlfriend to see him relapse, he had locked her out of their room and then overdosed.


In memory of her son, Rosen started the nonprofit Michael Alan Rosen Foundation, through which she opened Michael's House - the Treatment Center for Men. For 18 years she ran this addiction treatment program for chemically dependent and dually diagnosed men from all walks of life. Ms. Rosen wanted to provide a program to help men learn to live in recovery. She realized this dream and was able to help hundreds of men and their families.
Ben Seymour, co-founder of Intervention 180, was one of those men. "I owe my life to Arlene Rosen and her determination to help dually diagnosed men," said Mr. Seymour, who eventually went on to work at Michael's House for several years. "Ben was one of our most popular case managers," said Ms. Rosen. "Families loved working with him. We wish him only the best in his continued dedication to help addicts and their families through intervention."

"If I had known about interventions when Michael was alive, I would have definitely sought that help. It's hard to talk about one's child or a relative being an addict," Rosen said. "I can't stress enough the importance of intervening before it is too late. People had told me that Michael would die from his drug use, but I didn't really believe it. So many families need permission to act in spite of their fear. Help is available. Getting a loved one into treatment is not something that a family has to do alone. Professional interventionists can lead the family through the process and make for a more favorable treatment outcome and save a life in the process."

"This page is intended for the use of Intervention 180, Ben Seymour, Melanie Baker and Arlene Rosen. It is not intended for re-production or use without proper written consent. "