How to Conduct an Intervention

Watching someone you love struggle with addiction is devastating, especially when they refuse to seek help. An intervention can be a turning point — but only if it's done thoughtfully. Here's a practical guide.

When Is an Intervention Appropriate?

Interventions work best when the person is in denial about the severity of their addiction but the consequences are becoming visible — health issues, job loss, legal problems, relationship breakdown. If the person is already open to treatment, you don't need an intervention — you just need to help them find a program.

Professional vs. Family-Led Interventions

Professional interventionists — typically licensed therapists or certified intervention professionals (CIPs) — charge $1,500–$10,000 or more but bring expertise that significantly improves outcomes. They conduct pre-intervention family coaching, facilitate the intervention itself, and often accompany the person directly to treatment. Family-led interventions without professional guidance work in some cases but carry higher risk of backfiring, especially with people who have severe addictions or co-occurring mental health conditions.

Models of Intervention

• Johnson Model: the classic confrontational approach — family members each read prepared statements about impact, consequences are outlined, a treatment bed is pre-arranged
• ARISE (Invitational): less confrontational, includes the person from the beginning, invites them to work on change collaboratively
• CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training): focuses on changing family dynamics to reduce enabling and encourage treatment — often a precursor to or replacement for direct intervention

Before the Intervention

1. Assemble the intervention team — close family and friends, typically 4–6 people
2. Work with a professional interventionist if possible
3. Choose the treatment option in advance — facility, admission date, travel plans, insurance verified
4. Prepare written statements — each person describes specific incidents, their impact, what they're asking for
5. Prepare consequences — concrete changes each person will make if treatment is refused
6. Rehearse as a group

During the Intervention

Hold the intervention in a neutral setting — not the person's home and not a public place. Start when the person is sober if possible. Each team member reads their prepared statement. Don't debate — the purpose is to deliver a unified message, not negotiate. End by asking the person to accept treatment. If they accept, move immediately to the prearranged facility (this is why advance planning matters — delays almost always result in the person backing out).

If They Refuse

If the person refuses treatment, the consequences outlined by each family member must actually be followed through. An intervention that ends in empty threats reinforces the addiction. If the person refuses now, they often come back to the conversation later when the consequences sink in.