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What is a family intervention?
A family intervention is a structured, professionally facilitated meeting between a person who is struggling and the family members closest to them. The goal is acceptance of professional help that day, with treatment coordinated to begin immediately.
A family intervention is not a confrontation. It is not an ambush. Done well, it is a conversation the family has needed to have for a long time, organized by someone who knows how to keep it on track.
The work has three parts. The first happens before the meeting: identifying who should participate, preparing each family member, and lining up treatment options before the meeting takes place. The second is the meeting itself, facilitated by a credentialed professional. The third is the immediate transition to care when the person agrees to accept help.
Lifestyle Interventions has guided hundreds of Los Angeles families through this process. Founder Chris Howard holds two of the highest-level credentials in the field: Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC-III, Sober College) and Certified Case Manager Interventionist (CCMI-M, Breining Institute).
Chris Howard
Chris Howard is the founder of Lifestyle Interventions. Based in Los Angeles, he and the team support families across the United States.
When to call
When families decide to hold an intervention
We work with families across Greater Los Angeles when standard approaches have stopped working. Common situations include:
Adult child in repeated treatment cycles. Has cycled through programs and continues to use. The family is out of options.
Partner in slow private decline. A spouse or partner is drinking or using through a gradual unraveling that the family has been unable to address.
Young adult refusing all help. Will not leave the house, will not work, and will not engage with therapy or treatment. The family does not know what to do.
High-functioning professional hiding the problem. A successful person is privately struggling, and the family has been carrying the secret. Discretion is non-negotiable.
Mental health decline, refuses care. A loved one’s mental health is deteriorating, and they refuse to see a psychiatrist or engage with any clinical intervention.
Post-crisis window closing. A recent acute event (overdose, hospitalization, arrest) has stabilized. The window for action is closing as the person’s resistance returns.
The process
How a family intervention works
A professional family intervention follows a structured process. The work that happens before the meeting is as important as the meeting itself.
First call
Initial confidential consultation.
We listen first. You describe the situation, the family, the history, and what has been tried. We ask the questions that help us understand whether a professional intervention is the right step. The first call is at no cost and carries no obligation.
Pre-intervention
Pre-intervention planning.
We meet with the family across Greater Los Angeles, in person where possible and by secure video for out-of-area members. We identify the participants, develop the message, and prepare each family member for their role. We also identify treatment options that fit the person’s clinical picture before the meeting takes place.
The meeting
The intervention.
The structured meeting takes place at a location chosen with care: a family home, a private setting, or sometimes a third-party location. We facilitate the conversation. The family speaks. The goal is acceptance of treatment that day.
Transition
Immediate transition to care.
When the person agrees to treatment, we coordinate placement. We have working relationships with treatment providers across Los Angeles and Southern California at every level of care.
Weeks and months ahead
Family support and recovery mentoring.
The intervention is the beginning of the work, not the end. We stay involved with the family for weeks and months after the meeting, providing ongoing family support, recovery mentoring, and the steady, honest contact that supports lasting change.
Who we serve
The two primary intervention models
Two intervention models are used most often in professional practice in the United States: the Johnson Model and the Invitational Model. Each has an established track record. The right one depends on the family and the person. Lifestyle Interventions is trained in both.
Most intervention services in Los Angeles are trained in one model and apply it to every family. We are trained in both and select based on the family system, the person’s history, the nature of the substance use or mental health issue, and the family’s tolerance for surprise versus transparency. The choice of model is a clinical decision, not a stylistic preference. In a confidential consultation, we discuss which model fits your situation and why. Sometimes we recommend neither and suggest a different approach entirely.
Why us
Why Los Angeles Families Choose Lifestyle Interventions
16+
Years of practice
Founder Chris Howard has guided hundreds of Los Angeles families through interventions. Credentialed (CADC-III, CCMI-M) and degreed (UCLA, B.A. Psychology).
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Models, not just one
Trained in both primary intervention models, Johnson and Invitational. We match the model to the family rather than forcing one approach on every situation.
100%
Discretion non-negotiable
We have worked with families whose privacy must be protected for professional, legal, or personal reasons. That standard applies to every case.
The difference
Built for the long haul
The intervention is one moment in a longer process. Most acute intervention services end the engagement at the moment the person walks into treatment. We do not.
| Acute treatment window | 30 days |
| Lifestyle Interventions engagement | Weeks → months → years |
We stay involved with families for months and sometimes years, because real change happens after the meeting, not just inside it.
Service area
Where We Work Across Greater Los Angeles
We work with families throughout Los Angeles County and the surrounding regions. Common service areas include:
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For families outside Greater Los Angeles, we travel when situations require in-person intervention work. See also our pages on crisis interventions, recovery mentoring, and family support services in Los Angeles.
What to expect What to Expect When You CallThe first call is a confidential conversation. There is no obligation, no pressure, and no enrollment process at the start. We will ask you to describe the situation. We will listen. We will ask the questions that help us understand the family system, the history, and the person who is struggling. By the end of the call, you will have a clear sense of whether a professional family intervention is the right step, which model is likely to fit, and what the alternatives are if an intervention is not the right answer.
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 | Frequently asked Common Questions About Family Intervention in Los AngelesWhat is the difference between a family intervention and just talking to my loved one?+A family intervention is a structured, professionally facilitated meeting with a defined goal: acceptance of treatment that day. The structure matters. Without it, family conversations about substance use or mental health tend to repeat patterns the family has already tried, and the loved one responds the way they have always responded. Will my loved one resent us for holding an intervention?+Some people are angry at first. Most come to view the intervention later as the turning point in their recovery, and the family as the people who refused to give up on them. Resentment fades. The patterns that led to the crisis do not fade on their own. Which intervention model is right for our family?+There are two primary models in current practice: Johnson and Invitational. The Johnson Model fits situations where the family is unified and the person has been resistant. The Invitational Model fits families who prefer a transparent approach, where the person is invited to the meeting rather than surprised by it. In a confidential consultation, we discuss which approach is likely to fit your situation. What if my loved one refuses treatment at the intervention?+This happens. A well-prepared intervention plan accounts for it. The family delivers prepared consequences, the offer of help remains open, and we work with the family on the follow-through that often leads to acceptance days or weeks later. Refusal in the moment is not the end of the work. How long does it take to plan a family intervention?+The timeline depends on travel for out-of-area family, the complexity of the situation, and how much preparation the family needs. For urgent situations, we move faster. Who pays for the intervention services?+The family that engages us pays the consulting fee directly. Treatment itself is separate, paid by the family or covered by insurance to the treatment facility. We do not accept referral fees from treatment centers. Is Lifestyle Interventions a treatment center?+No. Lifestyle Interventions is a crisis intervention, advisory, and recovery support service based in Los Angeles. We coordinate treatment with established providers but do not provide direct treatment ourselves. Will my information be kept confidential?+Yes. Discretion is non-negotiable for every family we work with. We do not discuss cases, we do not share names, and our clients’ privacy is protected at every stage of the engagement. |
Before placement, families benefit from a simple framework for evaluating providers. Free guide: 7 questions to ask before choosing a treatment center.