Intervention Therapists in 19008
With over 30 years experience, I am a child & adult psyciatrist practicing primarily psychotherapy, addressing a full range of issues from emotional strains, anxiety, depression and trauma, to developmental issues including gender development, autistic spectrum and psychosis. I am former Chair of the Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Training Program at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia. Since the time of COVID and with the myriad of changes in our world, lives become unsettled at home, work, in our families and our personal relationships. I work with children, adults, couples, families, parents and infants.
With over 30 years experience, I am a child & adult psyciatrist practicing primarily psychotherapy, addressing a full range of issues from emotional strains, anxiety, depression and trauma, to developmental issues including gender development, autistic spectrum and psychosis. I am former Chair of the Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Training Program at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia. Since the time of COVID and with the myriad of changes in our world, lives become unsettled at home, work, in our families and our personal relationships. I work with children, adults, couples, families, parents and infants.
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Intervention Therapists
How does an intervention work?
An intervention is a planned, structured meeting in which a person’s family or friends voice concerns about the person’s behavior and its consequences; the goal is for the person to accept treatment. In this meeting, the person’s loved ones (often with the guidance of a trained interventionist) share how the person’s behavior has harmed them and the consequences if the person refuses treatment. They collectively ask the person to accept a proposed treatment plan.
How effective are interventions?
There isn’t extensive research on the efficacy of interventions, in part because success is difficult to measure. Individuals often enter addiction treatment after an intervention, for example, but treatment itself may not work, especially if the person only begins due to external pressure from others rather than due to internal motivation to change. However, if all other attempts at helping someone have failed, an intervention may be worth exploring.
What are the limitations of interventions?
While a friend or family member’s intentions are in the right place in wanting to help a loved one through an intervention, there are significant limitations to the approach. The surprising nature of the event can make the person feel ambushed or judged. They may feel embarrassed or ashamed as a result, and relationships may be strained or broken. This can make it difficult for the individual to be receptive to the concerns of their loved ones and the interventionist.
Are there alternatives to interventions?
Rather than confronting a loved one through an intervention, an effective and less pressured approach is to create space for a caring, open, one-on-one conversation. This works best if the loved one asks open-ended questions, listens attentively to the answers, and frames their observations and statements with concern rather than judgment. More than one conversation may be needed, but change can take root over time.