Our Los Angeles outpatient center can quickly refer to a professional and specialized interventionist. Our contacts with the city of Los Angeles and various other major cities in the country are huge and reliable. At AFS, we are not really about “the element of surprise” when it comes to interventions, because it puts the individual in need of help on the defensive. Most of the time, a family calls us and the individual comes in willingly, and we carry out an assessment or concise and straightforward interview. Our method is based on motivational interviewing therapy, in which we meet the family and individual in their space, where they feel comfortable, and then talk with them.
Where there is a denial of addiction by the individual, the strategy is to get them to think of their loved ones, family, and themselves, reminding them that the concern and intervention are born out of love and care. A professional draws to the individual’s attention that we and his/her family are there to help, not hurt. Individuals who are suffering from an addiction to alcohol or drugs may offer a plethora of reasons why they don’t seek treatment. Alcoholism and drug addiction can and will have severe and possibly even deadly consequences for people who don’t get help. Fortunately, the family can be part of that help when they initiate an intervention like the Johnson Intervention, a confrontation method that may be the key to convincing a loved one to enter an addiction rehab center.
How Does the Johnson Intervention Model Work?
The Johnson model is based on family letters that are read to the addiction sufferer during the confrontation period. These letters are highly personal and, while they frequently include references to love and can be supportive, they also emphasize the necessity of treatment. Letters will often discuss how the addicted loved one has harmed themselves or others. They may include a discussion about how their loved one used to be versus how they are when under the influence. It’s also important to include the repercussions associated with continued drug or alcohol abuse. Letter writers may wish to spell out the dangers of maintaining a life of substance abuse.
According to interventionists who favor this type of method, the letters are meant to be read without any response to comments the addiction sufferer might say. In this light, the intervention isn’t expected to be a two-sided discussion. The focus of the intervention is on the reading of the letters one by one. The intervention ends when there are no more letters or when the addiction sufferer agrees to enter addiction treatment.
Is This Model Right for Your Family?
Although the Johnson model is associated with considerable success, some families may be uncomfortable with the confrontational nature of the meeting. Talking over their loved one or feeling as if they are “verbally attacking” them may not feel like the ideal method for some groups. This method, also, does not lay any groundwork for “plan B” if the addiction sufferer refuses to seek help. A trained interventionist, however, can provide families with more background about the program and help them decide if this is the ideal method for them. Our admissions team at Adjustments Family Services is available 24 hours a day at 1.(805).210.8448, we are located in the Los Angeles area and all calls are kept confidential.