According to the Encarta Dictionary, intervention is "The act of intervening, especially a deliberate entry into a situation or dispute in order to influence events or prevent undesirable consequences." 

   Interventions are being performed countless times each day.  When a child is stopped from running into the street in front of a car, someone is performing an intervention.  When you spend the evening consoling a friend whose marriage is ending, an intervention is occurring.  When your young daughter points out the dangers of smoking and asks you to stop, she is performing an intervention. 

   Interventions are often attempted with substance abusers by family or friends.  In a recent newsletter entitled How To Get Someone To Seek Help, we discussed ways that family and friends can communicate with someone, get him or her to realize that they had a substance abuse problem and that they need help.  In some cases, it is the overdose of a friend or an arrest that "intervened" and was the primary reason that the substance abuser agreed to seek help. 

   However, for a number of reasons it is sometimes necessary to bring in an outside "expert" to help convince the substance abuser that it is time to get help.

WHAT HAPPENS IN A PROFESSIONAL INTERVENTION

   When you hire an interventionist, you are hiring someone for their knowledge and experience in getting a substance abuser to realize that they must seek treatment.  Many of the successful interventionists with whom we have worked proceed in the following manner when they are contacted by the family/friends of the abuser:

· The interventionist will gather data about the substance abuser and determine if he or she believes that they can help;

  · A contract will be signed between the family/friends and the interventionist setting forth the obligations of each party;

  · The interventionist instructs the family/friends on how to arrange the meeting with the substance abuser and the role each is to perform;

  · The interventionist meets with the family/friends before the meeting with the substance abuser.  During this meeting:

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