Intervention Process

An intervention usually starts with a phone call. If you have explored this web-site, you already have some basic information about the intervention process. The better you understand addiction, the easier the process will be for you as it is an emotional experience and life changing for many. If you have been attending Al-Anon or similar program, you and your intervention group will have an advantage. Addiction is something that happens gradually over years and as time goes on the family and/or friends will have found themselves enabling the disease, even though the intent was to help.

The first meeting you will have is called an initial session where information is exchanged. You will have questions and you will be asked about your situation, such as: what is your relationship with the addict? Are we talking about alcohol abuse, drug abuse or some other addiction? How long has this been a concern? Are young children involved? Is the addict in legal trouble? Every situation is unique and yet there are many similarities found in addiction regardless of socio-economic, religious, ethnic and cultural issues. At the end of the initial session, you will decide if an intervention is appropriate and timely. If you proceed from this point, an intervention team will be established, consisting of family, friends, co-workers, clergy or whomever is decided to be an appropriate participant and who cares about the addict.

The next meeting is usually with the entire team and this is where the planning takes place. It will be decided what will be said and who goes first, etc. Often an intervention will be the only opportunity for this particular group to make the case for recovery. The planning session usually lasts two or three hours and frequently, but not always, happens the evening before the actual intervention. It is an emotionally draining experience and a little easier on participants if this part happens close to the intervention. Even though the problem has been going on for many years, when the realization that they are not going to get well on their own or they have gotten themselves in some serious trouble, the urgency to do something is a motivator.

When everyone involved is prepared, the next step is the actual intervention. It will have been decided during the planning session where this will take place. Everyone meets together, emotions run high at this time but when Bruce is facillitating, you can trust that he will act in the best interest of the process. respecting each participant. "Intervention should build people up, not tear them down," Bruce says, "Intervention must give the addicted person hope and inspire them to get help." At the end of the process, ninety-five percent are inspired to seek help. The family intervention process usually ends gradually and includes some follow-up, both with the intervention participants and the individual who was intervened upon. Hopefully each participant begins recovery by understanding ones own part in the addictive system. This can include family programs offered by most treatment centers and/or support groups such as twelve step groups like Al-Anon for family members and friends of alcoholics, Nar-Anon for family and friends of drug addicts. Some communities, especially larger metropolitan areas will have many different twelve step meetings for gamblers, food addicts, spending and money addicts, meetings for gay and lesbian, and also, many churches have groups dealing with addictions. Many meetings are open to the public, but many are closed to only addicts or only family and friends, thus the A in AA or Anon that stands for Anonymous. Check your local listings for the specifics.

Service Area

Perkins Intervention's main service areas are in Indiana and surrounding states, including Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Bloomington, LaFayette, or Muncie, IN, Louisville, KY, Cincinnati, OH or Eastern IL or Southern Michigan. Occasionally, there is a need to travel to one coast or the other, particularly Florida. If Bruce cannot travel or is already booked for the time you want, he can and does recommend other intervention specialists.

Learn More »