Effectively Staging an Intervention

Jeffrey E. Hansen, Ph.D.

CLINICAL DIRECTOR

I have been married for 44 years to a wonderful woman and have two amazing children and one granddaughter who is the apple of my eye. I have passions for motorcycling, reading, traveling, public speaking, writing, playing with our three dogs, and spending time in the great outdoors.

EXPERIENCE

I have a B.A. in psychology from the University of California at Berkeley, an M.A. in psychology from the University of Arkansas, and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Arkansas. I completed an American Psychological Association-approved internship at Silas B. Hayes Army Community Hospital in Fort Ord, California, and a post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric psychology at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. I am licensed in Psychology in the State of Washington (PY- 1695) and in the State of Arizona (PSY-005450). I have worked as a pediatric, adolescent, and adult psychologist in the Army for 10 years, in private practice for 25 years, and more recently at Madigan Army Medical Center for the last 7 years where I serve as a senior staff member providing pediatric, adolescent, and adult psychological services and consultation to Madigan clinics, and, as a graduate medical education faculty member, training for and supervision of practicum doctoral students and clinical psychology interns. Life is full of unlimited opportunities and joys if we choose to live in connected harmony with our creator, one another, and our beautiful world. My heartfelt commitment is to others find this balance using Biblical, evidence, and neuroscience-based psychotherapies.
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” – John Wesley
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When someone struggles with substance abuse and addiction, their loved ones may want to provide additional support and get them the help they need but are unsure how to do so. Although interventions are depicted a certain way in television shows and movies, they rarely happen that way in real life.

The experts at Holdfast Recovery are here to help you effectively prepare for the difficult conversation ahead.

What is an Intervention?

An intervention is a well-planned event designed to acknowledge a problem and offer help to a person affected by substance abuse and addiction. When confronting the person affected by addiction, try to focus on the negative changes in their behavior and offer treatment as a solution.

The 7 Steps to Stage an Intervention

Step 1: Get Additional Help

Suppose you are unsure where to start, – In that case, you may want to consult with a professional addiction counselor or a professional interventionist to help guide you through the process of planning the event.

Step 2: Form the Group

When forming your group of people who will be present during the event, it is recommended to reach out to close friends and family members concerned about the addictive behaviors of their loved one. However, it is important to note that any other friends or family members that also struggle with substance abuse should not be present.

Step 3: Plan the Event

The key factors to focus on when planning the intervention are: when it is, where to have it, and the order of participation. These details provide the intervention with structure and make it easier to follow at the time of the event.

Step 4: Prepare for the Intervention

Your intervention will have more credibility if everyone involved is aware of the problem and the intervention process. Before bringing everyone together, make sure you understand the scope of your loved one’s addiction issues.

The overarching goal is to get the person struggling with addiction into treatment, so it is vital to make sure all participants are on board with this idea. They will likely feel more receptive to the idea if you have researched possible rehab facilities ahead of time.

Step 5: Prepare & Rehearse Impact Statements

Impact statements should be vulnerable and honest to let your loved one know that they aren’t experiencing this alone. When sharing personal accounts of how the addiction has harmed the people around them, it’s harder to deny the problem at hand.

Because emotions can run high during interventions, it’s important to rehearse these statements beforehand. Your intervention should feel like a highly organized meeting. It should represent that a lot of care, thought, and planning went into the process before presenting it to your affected loved one.

Step 6: Offer Help & Support

With everyone attending the intervention being invested in the recovery and wellness of the affected person, they should also be expected to provide some level of support throughout the recovery process. Whether they offer a shoulder to lean on, rides to meetings, or even attending family therapy sessions, the affected person should be made to feel supported and loved.

Step 7: Follow Up

If your loved one accepts the help everyone wants to provide, follow up on any promises of change made during the intervention. This helps keep the affected person accountable for their actions and their impact on those who love them.

When you are ready to stage your intervention, we can offer you guidance on the intervention process and can provide additional information on the treatments available at our facility.

Effective Addiction Rehab with a Christian Approach in Arizona

If you or someone you love is struggling with substance use disorder, healing is possible. The best place to begin the journey to rehabilitation is at Holdfast Recovery. Our mission is to deliver high-quality treatment that emphasizes clinical excellence, physical wellness, and, most importantly, Christian values.

Contact us today to learn more about the therapies we offer in Prescott, AZ.