Therapists in 80302
Timothy J Milner
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT, MSMFT, MDiv, CSAT, IITAP
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Boulder, CO 80302
I am, first and foremost, a highly trained Christian Therapist. For over thirty years I have worked with couples, individuals, and families helping put an anchor back into their lives. As a Marriage and Family Therapist who is licensed in both Colorado and California, I have two Masters degrees: a Masters of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Masters of Divinity (a three-year ministerial academic training) both earned from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California that has been coined “The Princeton of the West”. I use a "systems" approach to marriage and family therapy which means I view each person as part of a whole.
I am, first and foremost, a highly trained Christian Therapist. For over thirty years I have worked with couples, individuals, and families helping put an anchor back into their lives. As a Marriage and Family Therapist who is licensed in both Colorado and California, I have two Masters degrees: a Masters of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Masters of Divinity (a three-year ministerial academic training) both earned from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California that has been coined “The Princeton of the West”. I use a "systems" approach to marriage and family therapy which means I view each person as part of a whole.
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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.