16 Mar Tips for Hosting a Successful Intervention in Toronto, Ontario
When someone you care about is harming themselves and their loved ones with drugs or alcohol, an intervention could represent your best shot at turning things around. There is so much at stake when you intervene in someone’s addiction, it’s crucial to prepare the intervention carefully.
Alcohol and drug addiction is a terrible disability that tears lives apart and destroys families. Did you know that 10% of Canadians have had problems with drug abuse in their lives? It’s not an uncommon problem. If you know someone who struggles with addiction or alcoholism, you know how difficult it can be but you should also know you are not alone in your struggle. We have helped thousands of families get their lives back on track and help their loved ones recover across Ontario and Canada. There is a way out and along with your support and care, we can help them to seek the treatment they need to recover from drug addiction or alcoholism for good.
We believe an intervention is the best way to start the process of healing, but how do you do it? And how do you do it successfully? Get in touch with us at Andy Bhatti Interventions and Addiction Services in Ontario and we can help you every step of the way at 1-888-960-3209.
Planning is the key to holding a successful intervention in Toronto. An improperly planned intervention can actually worsen the addict or alcoholic’s denial and make the person more defensive. Although the issues surrounding the intervention may be emotionally charged, the meeting itself must be arranged in an objective, rational manner. These tips for holding a successful intervention in Toronto will help you to get your loved one back on track.
Consider Hiring a Professional
Our professional interventionists in Toronto can help you put together the best team and the best plan to have the best chance at success which is getting your loved one into treatment and long-term recovery.
Staging an intervention is a big deal, and not everyone knows how to do it well. There’s no shame in hiring a professional interventionist to help with the process. We can help establish goals to make the intervention as productive as possible.
When it comes to staging an intervention in Toronto we know what we are doing and can help take the pressure off you and others. We know how to direct the intervention so that everything stays on track. We can even accompany your loved one to rehab in Toronto (or anywhere you choose to send them) if they do accept the treatment plan we layout.
By the time you reach the point that you’re considering an intervention, your life probably feels out of control. A professional Intervention Counsellor brings an outsider’s neutrality to a chaotic situation. Our Intervention specialists in Toronto have advanced training in the nature of addiction. An interventionist can help you plan your meeting and will even participate as part of the intervention team.
Bring the Right People
An intervention is a conversation in which people who know, love and trust the addicted person come together to persuade that person to get help in Toronto or elsewhere. The people who participate in an intervention should be chosen with care. This ensures that those who have a meaningful relationship with the addicted person are present. People who don’t have a good relationship with the addicted person are asked to stay away. This isn’t the time or place to mend fences or make a personal situation public.
For an intervention to work, you need to include the right people. This is a huge conversation where the loved one may feel judged or embarrassed, so they need people they trust. Only include people who have a close, meaningful relationship with the addicted person. Anyone with who they don’t get along or have a close bond must not be present.
It is important to choose team members who will state their case clearly without blame, accusation or uncontrolled emotion. They must also be able to control their emotions and not let them manipulate the situation. Basically, an intervention is a motivating talk. Only those who will help and encourage should be invited to attend the intervention in Toronto.
Everyone on the team should be fully supportive of the addict or alcoholic’s recovery; people who are using drugs with the subject or somehow supporting their addiction should not be included. Also, vulnerable family members, such as young children or spouses who’ve been abused, may not be able to handle the intensity of an intervention may want to be excluded as well.
Stage it at the Right Time
Once you have your intervention team, you need to choose the right time to hold the intervention in Toronto. Try to do it in the morning. You don’t want to stage an intervention when the person is high or drunk as they may not react well. Talking to a person about addiction when he or she is high or impaired isn’t a great idea.
Drugs and alcohol reduce a person’s ability to think clearly, react calmly and truly register and remember everything that’s said. In the morning they may have not started using yet and you are more likely to catch them sober or at least do it when they’re as sober as possible. Choosing a sober moment also helps protect everyone’s safety, as someone who is high or drunk is more likely to respond with out-of-control words or actions.
Holding an intervention after a major drug-related incident might also be an excellent idea. For example, a person who has recently been charged with driving under the influence in Ontario might now be willing to discuss addiction and how such problems might be avoided in the future. The incident can provide a moment of vulnerability that the family can build upon in their intervention.
Use a Private and Formal Location
It’s tempting to hold an intervention in the family home in Toronto. However, while you want your loved one to feel comfortable, home can be too comfortable. The person can retreat to a bedroom or bathroom when the conversation starts, and the talk could be over well before it begins. You’ve also likely had other, less successful talks at home, and those talks may leave negative memories or associations behind. People may feel tense or upset before they even begin speaking. Holding an intervention in a neutral space can solve all of these problems.
Choose a place where you’ll encounter very few distractions. The setting should be neutral, safe and secure. If your home doesn’t feel like a safe setting, consider a therapist’s clinic, and office or even a motel room in Toronto. Find somewhere quiet and formal with no interruptions.
A therapist or interventionist’s office in Toronto can be a good plan to discuss concerns. People tend to be on their best behaviour in these spaces, and it can be hard for people to simply walk out and hide when they’re in new surroundings. Our Toronto Interventionists can help families to find safe and private spaces.
Prepare for the Intervention
It’s so important to prepare for the intervention well beforehand. You don’t want to wing it and go off the cuff. This makes it more likely that you go off-topic and not say what you wanted to.
You also need to prepare for the outcome of the intervention. We will work with you to prepare a few different treatment options to present to the addicted person. Our team of Toronto Interventionists work with you to set up a prearranged addiction treatment plan with clear steps, goals and guidelines to present to the addict or alcoholic. Don’t give time to your loved one to think over it. Ask the person to accept the help that’s being offered today and to accept the treatment. We will be ready to take the addict to the private detox and treatment facility in Toronto or elsewhere, immediately, having made all prior arrangements. Once the intervention is successful and your loved one is willing to accept that he or she needs detox and/or treatment they need to leave right away and not be left alone to think about it. The addicted person may be highly manipulative or may change his or her mind soon after.
Part of preparing for the intervention is preparing for the worst scenario. There is a chance things may get out of hand and you may need to defend yourself or call the police if they get violent. You need to also prepare for the consequences if they don’t accept treatment too. WE will be with you to support you through this process. This is also why having a professional in Toronto lead the intervention is an extremely good idea.
Establish Clear Goals and Consequences
The purpose of an intervention isn’t just to inform the addict or alcoholic that his or her behaviour is hurting others; it’s also to convince the person to make serious changes in their life. Entering detox and a treatment program to help stop them from abusing drugs and alcohol should be one of these changes. Other goals might be to attend family counselling, spend sober time with children or join a 12-step group or other peer support program in Toronto. The addict or alcoholic must also know that there will be serious consequences if he or she refuses to accept the treatment plan being offered. The consequences could be things like marital separation or loss of custody. Not being able to live where they are staying or be welcome in friends’ or families’ homes. Financially being cut off or cars or other valued possessions being taken away. To keep your team focused on these goals, consider writing down the terms and conditions in the form of a contract for the person to review and for you to look back on.
Make a Script, Rehearse it and Stick to it
When you prepare for the intervention, make sure you make a script. It may seem silly, but it’s a very effective way to say what you need to. Have everyone in the team write up whatever they need to say and rehearse it.
Our Toronto Interventionists will work with you to choose the order everyone will speak in and go over the script a few times. This helps everyone practice important points to get across and avoids diversions. Make sure to stick to the script and don’t let the addicted person change the topic. It will help everything go a little smoother and ensure that everyone has their say.
Participants can spend hours on their intervention script. They carefully detail everything they want to say and the words they want to use. You may revise this script multiple times as you talk with an interventionist, practice and polish what you want to say. However, when the intervention begins, you may be tempted to adlib. It’s understandable, but it should be avoided.
You know your script best. Other members of the intervention know that script too. Adding any element of surprise into the intervention can make everyone feel uncomfortable and undo all the practice done leading up to the event.
Use Open, Warm Body Language
How you talk to your loved one is almost as important as what you say. While delivering lines, use open and warm body language. Focus on the following.
- Keeping arms and legs uncrossed
- Looking at the person you’re speaking to
- Keeping hands unclenched
- Tilting the shoulders toward the person you’re speaking to
- Leaning in for emphasis
The script likely contains multiple words of love, support and understanding. People who use these positive body language cues are matching the motions of their bodies with the words they’re saying. When the body and the words match, you reduce confusion and make the message clearer.
Hold Rehearsals Before the Actual Intervention – Practice!
During the intervention in Toronto, emotions can run high and people can quickly and easily lose their train of thought. They may forget what they had planned to say and how they had planned to say it. Holding rehearsals helps make this less likely. Practicing helps people stand behind their statements at the right time. It makes thoughts and words a bit more clear and comprehensible. Rehearsals can also help families roleplay and prepare for potential emotions or angry words from the individual with addiction.
The number of rehearsals needed varies depending on the number of people involved and how those people feel about speaking up. It may be best to leave people who can’t commit to attending rehearsals out of the intervention. The practice is vital for the success of the intervention, so it’s important for everyone to attend. Those who can’t attend or who don’t find the rehearsals important enough to attend might not be truly committed to the idea of helping the addicted person.
Remaining calm and continuing the discussion are two of the most important points to remember during an intervention. Your loved one may become defensive, manipulative, hostile or tearful. Everyone on the team should get together to rehearse their statements ahead of time, with one person playing the role of the subject. Your intervention counsellor in Ontario should attend the rehearsal to give you pointers on how to make the interview as effective as possible.
Develop a Backup Plan
People with addictions can respond in unpredictable ways when they’re confronted by family members in an intervention. They might do the following.
- Leave the room
- Shut down
- Plug their ears
- Yell and scream
- Cry hysterically
- Say things that aren’t true
- Throw things
- Blame others
- Spill family secrets
- Point out others who they believe have more of a problem than they do
- Manipulate, manipulate, manipulate
If you develop (and practice) backup plans for scenarios that may take place, you will be prepared to handle these and other situations. However, not all reactions are easy to predict. On the day of the intervention, anything might happen. However, our Toronto Interventionists will be there with you and ready to handle and respond to all sorts of scenarios that may arise. We have seen it all and still, we have been able to help people get their loved ones off to treatment in Toronto or elsewhere. You can be prepared by knowing you’ll all get through this together. Staying flexible and being prepared are the two best things family members can do before and during an intervention.
Pay Attention to the Order of Speakers
An intervention is over as soon as a person agrees to enter treatment. This means the order of speakers is important. Allowing the right person to speak at the right time can lead to a successful and almost immediate end to the intervention. We can help you establish this order by meeting with your family before the intervention takes place in Toronto.
For example, if the addicted person has a loving relationship with a child and it’s appropriate for the child to be there, perhaps that child should speak first. If the person has a close relationship with a spouse, perhaps the spouse could speak near the end, at a moment when the person is feeling most moved to make a change.
The person struggling with addiction may be tired of hearing about it from any family member at all. Hearing new stories from the interventionist, friends or spiritual advisors may be more effective. Participants can experiment with scenarios and talk with us until they find an order that seems just right.
Keep Tempers Under Control
Modern medicine has led to the realization that addictions stem from chemical changes in the brain and not from defects of character. Professionals in Toronto have responded to facts and science by steering clear of using punishment, altercation or negative confrontation. These methods aren’t kind, compassionate or effective. Interventions need to mimic this overall tone of modern addiction treatment. Our Toronto Interventionists agree. We treat addiction as an illness and treat the person addicted as a sick person, not a bad person.
Keeping cool can be difficult, but don’t allow the addicted person to start a fight, change the subject and drop the addiction issue altogether. Don’t fight fire with fire, and resist the temptation to blame, argue or launch counter-attacks.
Focus on Motivation, Not Accusation
Many Toronto addicts who enter treatment aren’t internally motivated to stop using drugs for the rest of their lives. However, effective intervention can motivate them to enter rehab. That is the goal. Taking that first step may be the start of a successful long-term recovery. INterventions are shown to be key towards long-term recovery. If you focus your intervention on motivating your loved one to begin the process of rehab, you’re more likely to get the results you’re looking for.
While it’s important to discuss the negative effects of the addict’s behaviour, it’s also imperative to talk about the positive consequences of rehab. It’s hard for addicts or alcoholics to imagine living without drugs or alcohol forever so setting short-term goals will be more effective than talking about permanent abstinence. Immediate goals might include finishing a private detox or a residential treatment program in Toronto. Keep in mind that for the addict, even 24 hours of sobriety is a victory.
Be Prepared to Stick to the Terms of Your Plan
Addiction can make the user extremely manipulative, even deceitful. If your loved one agrees to the terms of your treatment plan, you must demand to see those goals carried out. If they refuse to go to treatment, you must be prepared to follow through with the consequences you described. Backing down will only reinforce the addict’s self-destructive behaviour and defeat the purpose of the intervention.
An intervention could represent a key turning point in an addict’s life. To make the most of this opportunity, seek help from compassionate professionals who have extensive experience in the field of drug and alcohol rehab in Toronto. At Andy Bhatti Interventions & Addiction Services we have a decade of experience and we’re ready to help you and the people you love to start the journey of recovery today.
After the Intervention
After a successful intervention, you can begin to engage the whole family in recovery. As Social Work in Recovery explains, the entire family needs to participate to address the causes of addiction and develop long-term solutions.
Once the intervention is over and the loved one has accepted the help our interventionists will drive the loved one to the chosen detox or treatment centre in Toronto.
If the loved one is going out of the province our Ontario interventionists will take the person struggling with substance abuse issues to the airport in Toronto or Ottawa and fly with them to the selected rehab facility.
Once the intervention client is safely checked into treatment our interventionists will then fly back to Alberta and make sure the family members are informed and provide information for family counselling and aftercare programs in Toronto or the surrounding areas.
Aftercare Treatment in Toronto, Ontario
Our professional addiction therapists and interventionists in Ontario offer outpatient treatment programs in Toronto and the surrounding areas for when the afflicted person returns home. This may include weekly drug testing, family programs, weekly addiction counselling and case management. Sober living options will also be given to the client while the client is still in treatment. Once the client comes home, the family needs to continue to set up healthy boundaries to make sure the loved one doesn’t go back into previous patterns and old behaviours. The client should be attending an outpatient program and going to AA, NA or other group peer support meetings in Ontario after their treatment program ends.
Our Toronto interventions are highly successful in getting your loved one to agree to go to treatment and they do help save lives. It is never too early to hold an intervention. We offer Drug & Alcohol Intervention Services all across Canada. For more information on intervention services in Toronto or Ottawa, contact us today for your free consultation at 1-888-491-8589. We can meet in person with you or your family in Ontario within 48 hours.
No Matter What, Don’t Give Up. There’s Always Hope
While most people get treatment right after the intervention, statistics don’t show how many conversations are needed before people choose to accept treatment and make a change. Some people may be convinced after one conversation. Others may need multiple chats before they see and accept how their addictions hurt others and why they need to change.
Don’t be frustrated if you don’t see immediate results. Families shouldn’t give up, no matter what. The treatment works, and people can be persuaded to make the needed changes. Get in touch with us at Andy Bhatti Interventions and Addiction Services in Toronto, Ontario and we can help you every step of the way at 1-888-960-3209
Finding Intervention Support in Toronto or Ottawa, Ontario
If you’d like to learn more about holding an intervention in Toronto or the surrounding area, or if you need help finding the right interventionist or family mediator, we’re here for you. We can help you find immediate support, professional outpatient counselling and long-term private residential care.
Let us connect you to the right professionals and resources for your family and unique situation. Call us now at 1-888-960-3209.