A Step-by-Step Guide To Staging An Intervention
When staging an intervention for your loved one, taking steps like choosing a rehab facility and involving a professional can help ensure that the event goes smoothly and results in positive outcomes.
Steps Involved In Staging An Intervention
An intervention is an event organized by the loved ones of a person struggling with addiction. Numerous steps are involved in planning and staging an intervention, as it is designed to be a wake-up call and help the person understand:
- They have a serious problem
- It is negatively affecting their life
- They have a support system
- Professional help is available to them
Following these research-backed steps will help the event run smoothly and result in positive outcomes for all involved.
Step 1: Assess The Situation And Gather Information
Assessing the situation can involve learning more about what addiction is and knowing its symptoms. Gathering information helps you better understand what is going on inside the mind of someone with an addiction. This helps to determine whether your loved one is struggling with a substance use disorder and what the specific substance is, if you are not already certain.
The next step is to determine if you want to plan and stage an intervention, and whether you want to get outside professional help with the process. You may also consider the likelihood of the individual accepting help or running away. Some people will accept the help being offered, and others may refuse help. Consider what kind of addiction treatment might be the most helpful.
Step 2: Finding Professional Help And Guidance From An Interventionist
Using a professional interventionist can support loved ones in the planning and staging of the intervention. They will guide the participating members and assist by leading the event, ensuring the proper intervention steps are followed.
Numerous types of professionals are available. They include:
- Doctors
- Social workers
- Mental health therapists
A professional interventionist is especially recommended if unpredictable behaviors are present or have been in the past. These can include:
- Symptoms of severe mental illness
- Aggression, violence, or verbal abuse
- Self-injury
- Passive or active suicidal ideation
- A history of suicide attempts
If you or someone you love is experiencing thoughts of suicide, dial 988 to call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for 24/7 assistance.
If any of these elements are involved, exercise extra caution. Failure to do so might lead to avoidable problems and could impede the recovery process.
If the subject of the intervention works with a therapist, having them serve as the professional interventionist is an option. If not, a qualified interventionist can be found by calling an addiction rehabilitation center, a hospital, or your insurance company. They may be affiliated with a private practice or found through an organization, like the Association of Intervention Specialists.
Treatment providers work with many insurances, including:
Check if my insurance covers rehab
Addiction Center is not affiliated with any insurance.
Step 3: Choose Intervention Participants
One early planning step is carefully choosing who will participate in the intervention. Everyone involved must be close to the person struggling with addiction and invested in their wellness. Keeping the group small can be helpful. This helps ensure your loved one doesn’t feel ambushed, attacked, or overwhelmed.
Each participant should be invested in participating in the planning process and committed to a pre-planned set of boundaries and consequences. It is usually not beneficial to include anyone on the team who is currently struggling with their own active substance use problems.
Step 4: Create A Plan
When staging an intervention, preparation involves choosing a time and place that will work for all participants.
Creating a plan also includes setting goals for what will happen during the event, considering the desired outcomes, and planning how to set everything up to achieve the best results.
Step 5: Write Impact Statements
When preparing what to say during an intervention, it is important to choose words that are honest, nurturing, and helpful. Your message should provide education and incentives that encourage your loved one to get help. Preparation can help prevent unhelpful spontaneity or outbursts during the event.
Helpful guidance in planning written impact statements includes:
- Include elements to help your loved one understand how their substance misuse affects others around them.
- Send the message that there is a solution to the problem.
- Encourage the person to accept help by including an explanation of the consequences that will occur if they do not get treatment immediately.
- Ensure that possible consequences expressed are realistic and will be followed if necessary.
- Incorporate positive statements.
Focusing on strengths will bolster your message and help assure your loved one that your efforts to help are based on compassion, love, and support. It will also help prevent them from feeling personally attacked.
Step 6: Have A Rehab Facility Ready To Accept Them
Before the intervention, a plan needs to be created for where your loved one can go for treatment. This involves finding a rehab facility that is willing and able to accept them immediately. Obtaining assistance in finding an appropriate rehab facility can be done by getting recommendations from family or other loved ones, using resources online, or asking a therapist, a community agency, or a family doctor.
Insurance companies can also be contacted for referrals to treatment facilities and to answer questions about coverage. You can explore our comprehensive rehab directory, where you can filter facilities by insurance, location, and level of care.
Additionally, you can reach out to rehab facilities in your area directly to inquire about insurance coverage or payment options. When possible, choose a facility that matches the preferences of your loved one in addition to their specific treatment needs.
Planning may also involve packing a bag for them so they can go directly to rehab and having someone ready to care for their children, pets, and living space. Knowing that their loved ones are cared for while they are in treatment may ease their mind so that they can focus on recovery.
Step 7: Rehearse
Rehearsal is a key step when staging an intervention. It helps participants practice what they will say to prevent them from going off-topic or becoming overly emotional, which can be harmful.
The following are some tips related to the rehearsal process:
- Remember that it is natural to feel very emotional at this time
- Rehearsing can help the participants from veering into blame or expressing self-pity while speaking
- Practicing helps to avoid sounding accusatory or hurting your loved one in other ways that could result in them retreating and refusing the help being offered
If you have prepared impact statements, rehearsal also allows participants to become comfortable reading what they have prepared.
Step 8: Staging The Intervention
Once all of the above steps have been completed, it is time to conduct the intervention. It is important to follow the pre-arranged plan very closely. If your loved one is currently under the influence of substances, you should assess their ability to participate and strongly consider postponing the event.
During the intervention, participants will read their pre-planned impact statements, express their messages of concern, and offer help. If your loved one accepts the offered treatment plan, they should immediately be escorted to the chosen rehab facility.
Step 9: Follow Through With Consequences And Boundaries
If your loved one refuses treatment, the consequences shared in the impact statements must be followed. This prevents future enabling behaviors that will hurt everyone involved.
In some cases, consequences may include cutting off contact. Often, they also include:
- Ceasing enabling and codependent behaviors, such as providing money or transportation that result in the obtaining and use of substances
- Discontinuing to live with the person or asking them to move out
- No longer making excuses or covering up their substance use to help them avoid consequences
Not following through with planned consequences can prolong their decision to seek treatment, ultimately leading their substance use disorder to worsen.
Step 10: Ongoing Support
Staging a successful intervention does not merely involve having a rehab facility immediately available. It includes support for the whole family, as addiction does not only impact the person with the substance use disorder.
Ways of providing ongoing help include:
- Offering to attend support meetings with them
- Providing rides to 12-step-meetings and other recovery-related appointments
- Participating in family therapy or group therapy
It is also necessary to prepare a structured aftercare plan for when rehab is completed. Ongoing support should be planned ahead of time so that it is in place regardless of the intervention’s outcome, as it is crucial in ensuring the best chances for long-term recovery.
Help Is Available Today
An intervention is a well-thought-out, pre-planned, rehearsed process that helps people with addiction feel supported and get the help they need, and staging an intervention following these steps can help the process run smoothly.
To find a rehab near you, explore our rehab directory or contact a treatment provider today. Once you have decided on a center that fits your needs, you may call them directly to discuss their intervention support options for you and your loved one.