A Front Row Seat

steps girl family resized

A young man who had just turned 18 sat only a few feet away  in his living room.  His family gathered, full of fear and full of hope, for the intervention that they hoped would save his life.  The young man just shook his head as tears slowly streamed from his face.  He was weighing the loving offer that his family was making.  Would he accept the offer and go to treatment for his drug addiction…or face the consequences of continuing the addicted life?

At Heartland Intervention, LLC we say that we have a front row seat to watch people’s lives turn around.  Over the years, it has become a motto, a privilege and a job description of sorts.  It is an honor to be invited into the life of any family.  This is especially true when families are not at their best due to drinking, drug use or addiction.  The trust that families place in us and the intervention process is never to be taken lightly.  The stakes during an intervention are high and that’s why preparation, planning and execution are so critical.

The time leading up to the actual intervention is spent putting together an intervention team and selecting a treatment center.   Arrangements are made to care for a wide range of concerns while the person is away.  Questions like who will water the plants, mow the lawn, pay the bills and many more all have to be addressed.  What about school and/or work?  Who will care for kids or pets?  Once these and other details are attended to, a planning meeting with all team members carefully scripts out the actual intervention.

On this day the subject of the intervetion was lovingly confronted with how his drug use had changed him and his relationship with those closest to him.  While the stakes and emotions were running high, the feel in the room was one of love.  As he weighed the offer, I looked around the room at each person.  There were tears, the wringing of hands and a nervousness that is uncommon.  There was also a lot of HOPE.  After a few moments, he looked up and said, “I guess I’ll go”.  Warmly Heartland founder Scott J. Watson responded, “That’s a good decision.”  And we were done, once again.  He was off to treatment where he would begin a drug-free life of recovery.

If you have an addicted loved one  you’ve had a front row seat to watch their loved one spiral downward.  At Heartland Intervention, we want you to experience the miracle of recovery which see all the time.  As the leader in intervention services in Indiana and beyond, we look forward to working with your family.   Every week, we see people go from darkness to light, despair to hope and enjoy our front row seat to watch people’s lives turn around.  Call us at 877-752-8811.

Alcohol Assessment Following a DUI

Heartland Intervention

When faced with legal difficulty such as driving under the influence (DUI) or similar, many clients turn to Heartland Intervention for an alcohol and drug assessment.  Our clients often tell us that  attorneys recommend an independent substance abuse assessment that can be helpful in court.  This is true whether the DUI is in Indiana or elsewhere.

When charged with a DUI, our clients are facing a suspended drivers license, probation, a myriad of fees and fines and possibly jail time.  Clients that come to Heartland Intervention for a substance use assessment tell us that the results have been helpful with:  license reinstatement, insurance renewal, decreased probation length, issues of custody and much more.

The aim of our assessments are clinical in nature.  Clients are evaluated by a Licensed Clinical Addictions Counselor (LCAC) with special training in assessment. Each client will receive a face-to-face evaluation and will also complete an assessment modality.  A comprehensive assessment letter will be sent within 24 hours directly to the client.  This allows the client to control who has access to their information.  If you have received a DUI or have any questions about substance use assessments, do not delay.  Call our office at 317-752-8811.

Does Intervention Work?

steps girl family resized

When addiction has ravaged a family, members are often both desperate yet afraid to take action.  On one hand there is an overwhelming fear that the current path will lead to death.    Yet families often have at least one member concerned that intervention will make a bad situation worse.  As a leader in intervention services in Indiana and beyond, Heartland Intervention is often asked, “Does intervention work?”.

Focus on a Known Solution

Before calling us, most families have spent lots of money, time, tears and energy trying to make things better.  Sadly, those efforts are often focused on what the addict or family member thinks will help.  Despite these efforts, addiction continues  to erode relationships, health, finances, freedom and more.  While often perceived as a dramatic step, an intervention is designed to pierce the hallmarks of anger, denial and dishonesty and get the alcoholic or addict to engage in treatment.  Intervention focuses time, effort, energy and money on a known clinical solution.

Beth’s Story

Three years ago, Beth’s parents decided on intervention in an effort to save her life.  At the actual intervention, Beth was angry.  She lashed out and  threatened not to speak to her family ever again.  She did however agree to go to treatment from the intervention which was well crafted by Heartland Intervention, LLC.  She completed 31 days of inpatient addiction treatment and completed an aftercare group in her supported living community.  Beth called our office last week to tell us that she has been clean and sober for three years.  She is working full-time and is hoping to get married later this year.

If you are worried about a loved-one’s drinking or drug use, don’t wait.  Call Heartland Intervention, LLC today at 877-752-8811.  Our founder Scott J. Watson is eager to hear about your situation and discuss how intervention can make a difference.  Begging and arguing rarely are sufficient to get someone into substance abuse treatment.  Call Heartland Intervention today because intervention really does work!

Off To Treatment

Call Heartland Intervention at 877-752-8811.

Call Heartland Intervention at 877-752-8811.

Intervention Planning is Key

The intervention process takes lots of planning and most of the work occurs well before the intervention itself.  Travel to treatment is an important part of the intervention planning process and is typically a time of tension and hope.  Planning travel to treatment should not be overlooked.  This is another reason you may want to consider using a professional interventionist if you are considering getting help for an addicted loved-one.

When planning an intervention, Heartland Intervention works with the family to assure a quality intervention.  That means putting together a team that will use love and hope to crack the barriers of denial, anger and fear.  We provide our families with excellent treatment options designed to meet their needs.  And we work with them to plan every aspect of the intervention including travel to the treatment center.

Treatment Travel Considerations

Families often ask if the interventionist should travel with a person to treatment.  The answer varies case by case.  Travel may mean driving across town or flying cross-country and several factors help determine who should take a person to treatment.   What follows are the most common options when taking someone from the intervention to a treatment center.

While it may be surprising, most families choose a non-reactive family member to escort a person to treatment.   This allows for a high degree of comfort and familiarity during a process that can be a little scary for everyone involved.  Heartland Intervention is also happy to travel with a person from the intervention to treatment.   While rare, some families prefer to have a trained sober companion travel. It often is a person who may be demographically (age, sex, substance of abuse) similar.

Cautions

No matter who is taking a person to treatment, there are things to be aware of.  While very rare, every interventionist has a story of a transport that didn’t go as planned.  Again, these are uncommon and often can be avoided with proper planning.  Boundaries and focus must be maintained.

If you have questions about intervention or the planning process, call Heartland Intervention, LLC at 877-752-8811.  We are the choice for intervention services in Indiana and beyond.  We look forward to working with your family if you have a loved one that struggles with drugs, alcohol or other addictive issues.

After Treatment

sized child crying

It may seem strange but one of the first questions that many families ask Heartland Intervention is what happens AFTER treatment for substance abuse.  More often than not, this questions comes up during the intervention planning process or when we are helping with treatment facilitation.  While it can be unwise to gaze into the crystal ball of discharge planning, there are several factors to consider when primary treatment ends.

Supportive Living

One of the most important issues to address following treatment is where a person will live.  Opinions and answers to this questions can be emotionally charged and contain a mix of hidden and differing agendas.  Families can be upset by suggestions a loved-one might not immediately return home to a spouse, kids or parents.  This recommendations does not indict a family but seeks to offer increased support to someone in early recovery.  Frequently, clients are urged to return home promptly and engage fully with family.  Others are encouraged to evaluate supported living facilities that offer structure, accountability and a recovery community that is likely to reinforce the lessons learned in treatment.

Continuing Care

Recovery from drugs and alcohol is on ongoing process.  Study after study has shown that the duration and intensity of treatment significantly impact the likelihood of a person remaining drug/alcohol free.  Given that it is often a good idea for a person to step-down to an outpatient program when discharged from residential treatment.  For those who have completed an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) a relapse prevention group is often indicated.  Most all clients are expected to engage heavily with a 12-step or similar support group.  Other clients engage with a therapist to both support recovery and address any underlying issues, such as trauma, that may hinder sustainable recovery.

Structure and Accountability

Just as addiction has a number of reliable hallmarks, so does recovery.   Most of our clients have found that structure and accountability are useful recovery tools.  Often that means that a person’s schedule is less fluid than before.  This includes work, 12-step meetings, phone contact with a sponsor or recovery mentor, and regular time doing service or other activities to support one’s spiritual condition.  The idea of structure can produce some resistance for addicts and alcoholics but most will report over time that it is important.

The Family

Often it is said that addiction is a family disease.  If so, then the family needs to take recovery steps as well.  This can involve 12-step meetings or therapy aimed at reducing codependency and strengthening boundaries.

At Heartland Intervention we are always willing to be involved and make suggestions when our clients transition through treatment.  We also trust the treatment centers that we use to guide and advise our mutual clients.  If you are worried about a loved-one’s use of drugs or alcohol call us today at 877-752-8811.  We are a leading provider of intervention services and substance abuse assessment in Central Indiana and beyond.