What does it take to become an interventionist?

Many times we are asked about what are the requirements to become an interventionist.  Families have to be extremely careful of the choices they make in hiring an interventionist because in reality the answer is…none.

Interventions are a relatively new and unregulated field.  Although interventions have been occurring in some form for hundreds of years, it is only in the last 30 or so years that the field of “professional interventionist” has sprung up.  The original interventionists were usually recovering alcoholics or addicts who had built a reputation within the recovery networks as someone who could influence someone into treatment.  Considered the grandfather of interventionists, Vernon Johnson is considered to be the first interventionist to create a standard model of interventions, often referred to as the “Johnson Model of Interventions”.  Since then, several models have been developed, including the S.M.A.R.T. Model in use exclusively by Intervention Services.

So what does this mean for families who are looking to hire the best?

Here is the harsh reality.  Someone who just got sober yesterday and thought he would be good at helping people can claim to be an interventionist…and unfortunately that does occasionally occur. However, generally speaking interventionists fall into the following categories:

1. Licensed therapist or psychologist who wants to expand his/her practice and offers to perform interventions.
2. Recovering member of alcoholics anonymous or narcotics anonymous who is passionate about helping others and has experience with interventions.
3. Certified addictions counselor with experience working in treatment with alcoholics and addicts and has demonstrated skill in working with them.
4. Someone inexperienced and unqualified who is either looking to help others, likes the “prestige” of being an interventionist, or sees a opportunity to make money, unfortunately often at you and your loved one’s expense.

Although there have been attempts to create certifications, licensing or regulation for interventionists, only a handful have come close to being recognized within the recovery industry.

• BRI: Board Registered Interventionists
• AIS: Association of Intervention Specialists

Currently, Intervention Services stands as the largest intervention service provider in North America.  Conducting more interventions per week and employing more full time interventionists than any other provider, we have seen many interventionist enter into this field as passionate about helping others as can be imagined.  In addition, we have also witnessed the horror stories as a family contacts us about an unqualified interventionist they hired months before, who has now done more damage than good and ruined what could have been an optimal opportunity.

So what are the credentials of the interventionists at Intervention Services?

Here is the background, professional and personal, of many of the interventionists employed at Intervention Services.  Their individual credentials can be found on our interventionists page(s).

• Former or recovering substance abuser with a passion for helping others
• Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor
• Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor
• Certified Intervention Specialist
• Association of Intervention Specialists Candidates
• Minimum of 5 years experience working within a substance abuse treatment facility.  Roughly 10,000 hours supervised.
• 40 hours training in the S.M.A.R.T. Model of Interventions
• Minimum experience of at least 50 interventions.

Use the rule of 10, 5, and 5

Our recommendation to you, the family looking for help with your loved one, is to ask for references.  Not only personal or family references, but references of at least 10 state licensed treatment centers that have worked with the intervention provider for at least 5 years.   Any legitimate intervention service provider can easily provide such information for you.  In addition, asking for at least 5 personal references from families that have worked with the provider in the past can be invaluable.

• 10 state licensed treatment center references
• With a history at least 5 years prior
• With an additional 5 families that have worked with the interventionist

Intervention Services has been providing interventions for over 10 years and has developed ongoing relationships with dozens of treatment centers and will be happy to provide any references should you require.