Friday, April 23, 2010

How about them free interventions?

Now, I just found out about this recently. There are folks that are charging anywhere from $3,500 to $10,000 to "help" do Formal Interventions, a technique that had almost died out until A & E started up their "Interventions" show. I was recently contacted by a woman who had already agreed to let some "interventionist" do a formal intervention on her partner though it would mean one less week in treatment for him because of the interventionist's fee. Are you kidding? She could not even tell me his credentials.

I meet an "interventionist" recently in Illinois who does not even have an Associates degree, and don't get me wrong. She is a kind woman. When I asked her "Well, what do these folks get for their $3,500?", she replied that they help get the person a bed (I can do that for free and so can most counselors) and that if the person relapses (and what do you think the changes of that happening are, especially after an ambush like this?), she works with the family to help them cope and get the person back in treatment.

Isn't that family therapy? Is that not out of the scope of her practice as a CADC, a paraprofessional? Couldn't she could sued by the family if something went wrong? Shouldn't a person be a licensed therapist with a long and competent history as a family therapist and substance misuse training before they do anything with a family. Sure, they should. Yet families are desperate. I know. I watched my mom die from her alcoholism and though I tried to intervene, some total stranger said something to her in a loving way and the next day, she was in treatment. One doesn't need an ambush to assist someone into getting help. And it doesn't have to be residential treatment. Let the person develop their own treatment plan and have the family help out. C'mon, let us use our brains.

Motivational Interviewing Resources

FREE INTERVENTIONS FOR FAMILIES WHOSE LOVED ONES ARE STRUGGLING WITH A SUBSTANCE

I WILL DO FREE INTERVENTIONS FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOVED ONES WHO ARE AT THE LAST STOP. Formal Interventions used to be free in Illinois. Does anyone remember that? I do. I am a Licensed Couple/Family therapist and in order to stop interventionists who are charging any money, let alone ridiculous amounts of money for ripping you off, I will do this at no cost. Yes, I have experience. I have done them, and they are difficult for you, the family. Not me. Yet I care about people living instead of dying, and I am angry with counselors and therapist who are preying on misery of families, and taking what is supposed to be a Step of Alcoholics Anonymous and Charging for it. That is against the Traditions of AA. And they know it.
Now, I cannot afford transportation or anything as I am not employed right now at all yet I will do my best to assist you.
These interventions should be saved for the person who you believe you may never see again because they may die from their substance misuse. Other counseling interventions work better than Formal Intervention (which can often tear families apart rather than keeping them together) yet talking about it and getting the details will help determine that.
Don't pay a penny for an intervention. Please.