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Why do an Intervention?
What is Systemic Family
Intervention©?
What makes Systemic Family
Intervention© so different from other interventions?
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Twenty
million Americans are alcohol dependent or drink enough alcohol to be at
risk or impaired health. Another six to eight million are addicted to
other drugs. The chemical dependents suffer, as well as the 70 million
people who have close relationships with them. In addition, many people
suffer from other addictions such as gambling, sex, food, and similar
compulsive behaviors which threaten their own health as well as those
close to them.
The vast
majority of these addicts won’t “hit bottom” and experience the
spontaneous insight that sets them on the course toward help. Most of
these people will profoundly influence all those who relate to them, and
they will continue to drink and use drugs until they die, unless someone
intervenes and helps them find the right treatment for their particular
addiction.
Over the
past 19 years, Wayne Raiter has developed and refined a new style of
intervention “Systemic Family Intervention©”.
Systemic
Family Intervention© is a unique, respectful process of family
intervention for chemical dependency and other addictive / compulsive
behaviors.
The
Systemic Family Intervention© model applies to a wide-range of addiction
disorders, gambling addiction, sexual addiction, and other compulsive
behaviors.
Historically, intervention has been a process of confronting an
alcoholic, drug abuser, or other addict and convincing the person to
enter a recovery program.
Most people
who hear the word “intervention” think of conspiratorial meetings and
secret discussions that lead up to an emotional, and often hostile,
confrontation that humiliates and shames the chemical dependent and the
family members.
Unlike
traditional confrontational intervention models, the Systemic Family
Intervention© is invitational. In this model, the entire family is
invited to work together to address multiple issues in a respectful,
safe environment. The family is then able to utilize new skills to help
themselves and the dependent family member accept treatment.
The focus
of Systemic Family Intervention© is on the system itself. As the people
in the system develop new boundaries, the addicted person must change as
well. As part of the process, everyone involved learns about
addiction. Because Systemic Family Intervention© involves the person’s
entire support system, family, friends, and sometimes co-workers, all
the means through which the addict sustained his/her behavior are no
longer in place. Everything changes and the addicted person moves into
a new environment that insists on change in him/her as well.
With the
addicted person’s entire support system involved, the means through
which the person previously sustained her or his behavior are no longer
available. As changes occur, the addict is pulled in the change
process. In this new intervention model, success occurs when the family
system and the identified patient recognize old patterns of behavior,
learn new communication skills, establish boundaries, and accept
personal commitment for change.
The focus
on the chemical dependent person is the behavior connected to their
behavior and no longer the center of the family focus.
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