How the Family Systemic Intervention Model Works:

In the Systemic Family Intervention, the following takes place:

• The intervention group consists of family members only and a professional.
• The family hires a professional intervention specialist or a mental health worker with experience in the treatment of substance use disorders and in performing interventions.
• The intervention specialist sets up a series of appointments and calls the person with a substance use disorder right away to invite them to the meetings. The interventionist does not confront the person with the substance use disorder during this initial interaction but may explain why the meetings are being held.
• Meetings occur involving the interventionist, family members directly involved, and the person with the substance use disorder. They are not secret planning sessions.
• The group discusses the nature of substance use disorders in general, as well as how they affect a person’s health. The nature of addiction and its impacts on family members and others are often discussed by the interventionist. This is done in a generic psychoeducational framework, with no specific example from the family.
• The interventionist may discuss various types of treatment for individuals with substance use disorders and often will concentrate on the specific substance use disorder in question. For example, if the target person has an alcohol use disorder, a stimulant use disorder, cannabis use disorder, etc., the interventionist will discuss specific issues associated with that disorder.
• The group may also talk about how the individual’s behavior affects family members.
• The interventionist discusses how the communication styles of the family members can be adjusted to allow everyone to communicate and express their feelings and thoughts in a clear, concise manner.
• The intervention specialist may talk about how the individual’s family influences his or her behavior and how they contribute to the individual’s substance usage.
• The person is encouraged to get treatment.
• Family members are also encouraged to seek medical and social support, such as by attending support groups.
• The process often consists of five or more meetings.
• In the best-case scenario, the family unit agrees to participate in treatment to handle the situation. This can include individual substance use disorder therapy for the intervention subject, family treatment for the family, and support group participation for everyone, among other things.
• The group begins to exert more gentle pressure for treatment as more meetings are completed.
• Once all the individuals who need treatment agree to get it, the intervention process is complete. If some members still decline treatment, there may be consequences associated with this.
• After the intervention phase is completed, treatment is often continued. Depending on the individual difficulties being addressed, therapies and social support group participation may last for years.