8 Steps to Planning an Intervention From Alive Again by Howard C. Samuels, Psy.D.

Alive Again:
Recovering from Alcoholism and Drug Addiction
By Howard C. Samuels, Psy.D.
In Alive Again, renowned recovery expert
Howard C. Samuels, who has been clean and
sober since 1984, reveals how he learned to
follow the 12-step path to a happy and
productive life. He provides hope, inspiration,
and prescriptive advice for how you or your
loved one can recover too. He introduces The
Hills Treatment Center's Program for Recovery
and guides you through the process. Along the
way, he reveals the dramatic story of his own
addiction and repeated bottoming out among
the rich and famous in New York and
Washington, D.C.
http://www.thehillscenter.com

What I'd like to do is give you a few tools, on the front end, for
staging an intervention. These tools -- these steps --
absolutely need to be adhered to; there is no shortcut for
saving someone's life. And, I'm giving them to you in the spirit
of the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. So it is with
an intervention: You draw your boundary and then, no matter
how much they beg or manipulate, you adhere to it.
Because, you're doing it for their own good. And that's what
love looks like.
8 Steps to Planning an Intervention
From Alive Again by Howard C. Samuels, Psy.D.

- Between 3-6 people is a good number.
- Maintain conﬁdentiality, and do not include children.
- Discuss the facts about the patient, and note the harmful
behavior you have all observed.
- Plan what each of you will say and in what order. Try not to
be repetitive.
- Discuss how you believe the patient will react, and anticipate
how you will address denials, tears, anger and so forth.
1. Meet with friends and family members, but do not
include the addict or the alcoholic.

- Rehearse what each will say, and discuss possible
reactions with the therapist.
- The therapist may ask that you write down a list of
behaviors that will no longer be tolerated and what the
consequences will be if each behavior continues.
- You might also make a list of losses that resulted from the
addict's behavior, such as a job, a relationship, or money.
- Choose a spokesperson for the intervention.
2. Meet with a professional counselor or therapist
before the intervention, with your whole group but not
with the patient.

- Ascertain that the situation merits intervention, that the
patient is causing harm but is otherwise not suffering from a
mental condition.
- Choose a facility in advance, and contact that facility to
discuss your plan.
3. Discuss treatment options with the therapist.

- Make sure there will be no interruptions, including cell
phones.
- All should be in attendance before the patient arrives.
- Arrange a time when you believe the patient will be
sober.
4. Choose a private location, and decide who will sit
where.

- "We are all here because we love you and are concerned
about you."
- You don't need to use the words addict or alcoholic.
- Begin each sentence with the word I or we, and not the
word you.
Such as, "I am upset about how you are drinking and
stressing out the family," or "We are here to save you
from yourself."
5. When the patient arrives, speak calmly and do not
accuse anyone in the room.

- If he or she denies a problem, go around the room and
ask each group member for evidence of the problem.
- Remember to avoid accusations or anger.
- Listen to what the addict says, but don't agree with him or
her. - Tell the addict you love him or her, and that you don't
want the addict to destroy his or her life.
6. Ask the patient to conﬁrm there is a problem.

- It is not acceptable for the patient to say that he or she will
seek treatment "later."
- This meeting is an ultimatum, and you have prepared in
advance for what you will say to every objection.
- The counselor will help the patient deal with anger or
denial.
- You don't want the patient to feel as if everyone has
ganged up on him or her, but be strong. Don't cave in.
7. Offer immediate treatment, and explain the details
about the therapeutic facility you have arranged.

- In most cases, the patient will agree to go to rehab. If not,
then that doesn't mean you've failed.
- Your efforts may start a chain of events that ultimately
leads to change for the patient.
- In addition, you've made it known that you will no longer
enable his or her behavior.
8. Close the meeting on a positive note: "We just care
so much about you, or we wouldn't do this at all."
An intervention is a success even if the client refuses to go to rehab,
because at least the family has united to set a boundary. This means life will
not be the same for the addict, and a process has started that will one day
result in the addict getting treatment. And that is when the healing begins.

Howard C. Samuels, Psy.D. is an internationally renowned
recovery expert. He is the founder and president of the
prestigious The Hills Treatment Center in Los Angeles and
he appears regularly on national TV news shows about the
challenges of drug addiction.
Available where books are sold!
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Indiebound
Alive Again:
Recovering from Alcoholism and Drug Addiction
By Howard C. Samuels, Psy.D.

8 Steps to Planning an Intervention From Alive Again by Howard C. Samuels, Psy.D.

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8 Steps to Planning an Intervention From Alive Again by Howard C. Samuels, Psy.D.