The Systemic Family Intervention Model for Substance Abuse

When a person struggles with substance abuse, they may not see the impact it’s having on themselves and everyone around them. An intervention is an organized attempt by a group of loved ones to help the person see the impact of the addiction and convince them to get treatment.

Reality TV shows and movies have popularized surprise interventions where the person is caught off guard. While it makes for dramatic TV, and there are circumstances that warrant this approach, there’s another more collaborative way to intervene with a loved one struggling with addiction. The Systemic Family Intervention model brings the family and person together to work toward recovery.

A Family’s Role in Addiction Treatment

Addiction doesn’t only affect the person struggling with substance abuse. It impacts the entire family by breaking down trust, communication and connection between members. Individual family members may contribute to or enable the addiction through their own behaviors, so all members need to work towards healing.

Families play an important role in the treatment process. They have the ability to support their loved one’s recovery by changing their behaviors and interactions within the family unit. Ideally, each family member learns how to communicate in healthy ways, establish healthy and safe boundaries, hold the person with the addiction accountable without shaming them and encourage recovery.

About Systemic Therapy

Systemic therapy views people in terms of their relationships with others. People are part of systems: families, partnerships, teams, friend groups, bands, organizations, etc. When a system changes, all the individuals in the system change.

When a therapist uses systemic family therapy, they help the family work on their relationships and interactions with one another. A problem that arises for one member impacts the whole family and needs to be addressed. They help families identify behavior and communication patterns based on their beliefs about their family, roles and each other. The therapist works to create a safe space where all members can share how they feel and work through problems facing the group.

What Is the Systemic Family Intervention Model (SFI)?

Systemic therapy has been applied to intervention approaches, such as the Systemic Family Intervention (SFI) model. Within the SFI model, a person’s family comes together to confront their loved one about their substance use, whether drugs or alcohol.

Systemic intervention, also known as an invitational intervention, differs from traditional intervention models in a variety of ways. For example, more mainstream intervention models such as the Johnson model do not inform the person with the addiction that the intervention is taking place. There is usually only one meeting, during which the family tells the person how the addiction and their behaviors impact the rest of the family.

However, with the Systemic Family Intervention model, the person with the addiction is aware that the intervention is taking place. Often, an interventionist informs them and allows them to choose whether or not to attend. This reduces the feeling of being ambushed and gives them more control over their participation in the meetings.

In the SFI model, conversations are designed to be open and non-judgmental so that the person with the addiction can respond with their own thoughts and feelings. The goal is for the entire family to seek treatment so they can heal and improve their communication skills and relationships with one another.

How Does the Systemic Family Intervention Model Work?

A Systemic Family Intervention is an ongoing conversation made up of voluntary meetings between the interventionist, family and the person struggling with substance use. The family hires a trained interventionist to plan, coordinate and guide the intervention meetings. The interventionist contacts the person with the addiction and invites them to partake in the intervention meeting, during which all parties are given the space to share their point of view, feelings and concerns. Multiple meetings take place over a period of time depending on the family and person with the addiction’s commitment to treatment and recovery.

During the intervention meetings, the interventionist will:

• Provide education about substance use disorders and how they impact individuals and families.
• Share information regarding treatment options.
• Assist the family in recognizing how their communication and behaviors might play a part in the person’s substance use.
• Help the family identify and use healthy communication skills that allow all parties to participate in the meetings.

During the intervention meetings, the family will:

• Share how the person’s behaviors impact them.
• Commit to seeking treatment for themselves and supporting recovery for the person with the addiction.

During the intervention meetings, the person struggling with substance use disorder will:

• Share their thoughts, feelings and concerns as they choose.
• Be encouraged to seek treatment.
• Be viewed as a collaborator with the family in working towards recovery.

Both the family and the individual take part in counseling in between or following the meetings. For the person struggling with substance use, this usually means an inpatient or outpatient treatment of some sort, while for the family, it means therapy sessions. Often, when the person is done with treatment, they will join the family in continued therapy sessions. The family comes together to address the addiction and work towards recovery.

How Long Does the Systemic Family Intervention Model Take?

Typically, in this model of intervention, there is more than one meeting between the interventionist, family and person with the addiction. Sometimes, the meetings can span weeks or even months, depending on the wishes of those involved.

Benefits of the Systemic Family Intervention Model

The SFI model has many potential benefits, one being the relationship between the person with the addiction and their family. Due to the nature of the SFI approach, both parties are usually on the same page and understand how their actions affect one another.

Since the person with the addiction’s participation in the intervention is voluntary, they likely want to be there and make a change in their life. This lessens or even eliminates the need to convince them that change is necessary.

How Much Does This Intervention Cost?

Intervention services can range from $2,500 to $10,000, depending on the level of service, the service provider’s experience and your location, which impacts the interventionist’s travel expenses. Some treatment centers and individual interventionists may offer payment plans, and some facilities will offer intervention services as part of their overall treatment.

You do not have to hire someone to stage an intervention, but there are many benefits to hiring a trained interventionist. A professional interventionist organizes and prepares the family and then runs the intervention meetings. They serve as an expert who provides all the parties with education and resources regarding addiction, treatment and communication. The interventionist helps everyone navigate the intervention meetings and communicate with one another. They also connect the person with an addiction to treatment.

Does Your Loved One Need Help for Addiction?

If you have a loved one struggling with substance use, there is help. The Recovery Village Ridgefield has several levels of treatment available, including residential treatment programs, inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs, outpatient programs and aftercare programs. We’re here to support you and your loved one. Contact us today to discuss treatment options that can meet your family’s needs.