rehab intervention techniquesDealing with a friend, family member or loved one that’s an addict can be tough. The powerful nature of addiction to rule over one’s life and the lives of those around him or her can be truly devastating, but there are ways to get better. While it may seem tempting to set forth a treatment protocol that “just works” this isn’t always the case as each individual and his or her addiction is unique in its own way. No two situations are the same, and therefore no single methodology of treatment will work for everyone. As such, various intervention techniques have been designed to help each unique addiction case.

But what do you do? Where do you turn when your loved one is slipping away right before your eyes and all you can think about is the fact that he or she is struggling with an addiction that you’re unsure of how to help? If you’re not sure what to do or where to turn, consider an intervention to help you get your loved one into treatment. Rehab interventions are a safe, effective way to show your friend or family member that help is available and that you’re not willing to give up on him or her.

For help finding an interventionist, call 1-888-605-7779 today.

Intervention Models

In distinguishing that no two types of treatment are effective for each individual struggling with addiction, the same goes for interventions. What works for one may be less of a success for someone else. All interventions are not what we have seen on the popular television show Intervention.  They don’t all start with an addict that has completely spiraled out of control. They aren’t all about tough love. And they surely don’t ALL end with happy ending—but they CAN help.

The most common intervention models include:

Each of these intervention models works uniquely to help individuals to choose treatment through encouragement, tough love, motivation, and the power of a group to encourage the addicted individual to see past the drug or alcohol use and to view the potential of a future in life without these substances.

The Johnson Model

When you hear the word “intervention” do you automatically think about placing your loved one in front of a group of people and essentially forcing him or her to choose treatment or else deal with some “tough love” essentials like being left to fend for one’s self or being eradicated from the family until help is sought.

This is the intervention model most commonly seen on the television show and it’s a confrontational model of assistance that, while effective, does not work in every situation and isn’t actually required in all intervention situations. The Johnson Model of intervention is one of the oldest techniques used in the treatment industry.

The Invitational Model

This method of intervention involves similar tactics to those used in the Johnson Model except that with the Invitational Model of intervention the family and the addict attend a workshop with an interventionist to determine IF intervention is the right choice. The individual is left to determine whether he or she wants to seek treatment but there is no tough love approach essentially forcing the individual to get help.

The Field Model of Intervention

Combining the practices of the Johnson model and the Invitational model, the Field Model of intervention is designed to work well in most any type of situation. It uses the approach of tough love while also offering an open door that helps to mitigate any potential negative response from an addict who may feel threatened or otherwise out of control. Decisions about treatment and how the intervention itself progresses are made on the fly by the therapist allowing a more personalized approach which is why this method seems to be so effective in a wide range of unique situations.

The Systemic Intervention Model

Through this intervention technique, the therapist recognizes that a confrontational approach is not only unnecessary in many ways, in some cases it simply will NOT be beneficial. So the Systemic Model of intervention uses an encouraging approach to help the user see that quitting his or her use of drugs or alcohol can be beneficial. Behaviors that influence the abstinence of drugs or alcohol are encouraged while those that are negative or that condone the use of drugs or alcohol are overlooked in an effort to help the addict SEE clearly how GOOD it is not to abuse these substances.

Motivational Interviewing

This is not ONLY an intervention technique but also a method of therapy that is commonly used in the treatment of stimulant addictions. Through this intervention method, the focus is on counseling the addict to understand how positive change can help him or her to quit using drugs or alcohol. There is no confrontation but Motivational Interviewing may still provoke some feelings of resistance to change that require additional therapeutic efforts to combat.

Choosing the Best Intervention Model to Help Your Loved One

With so many intervention technique options to choose from, how can you decide which model is best for your loved one? Is a confrontational model such as the Johnson Model really necessary? Or will something less confrontational such as the Systemic Model or Motivational Interviewing really work?

We can help you decide what’s best and we’ll find an interventionist that’s ready to assist you with every step of the intervention process. Just call our helpline at 1-888-605-7779 today and we’ll connect you with a rehab interventionist that can guide you and your family to recovery.