Choosing an interventionist is one of the hardest decisions a family will make. Look for someone with real training and honest experience, straight talk about what they can and can’t promise, and no financial stake in where your loved one ends up. Ask how they’ll prepare your family, and ask what happens if your loved one says no. The right fit with your family matters more than any set of letters after a name.
What an interventionist actually does
An interventionist helps your family plan and hold a structured conversation with someone you love who’s struggling. I guide the preparation, keep the conversation steady when emotions run high, and help map the next step toward real support.
I want to be clear about what I’m not, because it helps you judge who’s a good fit. I’m not a therapist providing ongoing treatment, and I’m not a treatment facility. I help your family get to the right help and coordinate with the people who provide it.
What I’d tell you to look for
A few things separate someone who’s good at this from someone who isn’t. If you only remember one list from this page, make it this one.
- Real training and experience. Trained specifically in intervention work, with time spent in situations like yours, not just a general counseling background.
- Honest communication. Explains the process plainly and doesn’t promise you outcomes nobody can control.
- No financial stake in placement. Doesn’t earn a fee for steering your loved one to a particular treatment center.
- A focus on the whole family. Prepares and supports everyone, not only the person in crisis.
- Flexibility. Adjusts to your family instead of forcing one method onto every situation.
The questions I’d ask before hiring anyone
A short conversation tells you a lot. If I were the family, here’s what I’d ask.
- What training and experience do you have with situations like ours?
- Which approach do you use, and how do you decide?
- How do you prepare the family beforehand?
- Do you earn anything from referring us to a treatment center?
- How do you support our family during and after the conversation?
- What happens if our loved one says no?
That last one matters more than it looks. How someone answers it tells you whether they’ve planned for every outcome or only the one they’re hoping for.
Red flags I’d walk away from
Some warning signs are worth taking seriously before you commit to anyone.
- Pressure to decide fast, or to use one specific treatment center.
- Vagueness about what their support actually includes.
- A guarantee of a specific outcome. No honest professional can promise that.
- A one-size-fits-all script that ignores what makes your family and your loved one unique.
- Reluctance to involve the wider family.
The one question that matters most
Of everything on that list, this is the one I’d care about most: does the person earn a fee for placing your loved one at a particular center?
When a service gets paid for sending clients somewhere specific, its advice can quietly drift toward what pays rather than what fits. That’s not always dishonest. It’s just human. But it’s your loved one’s recovery on the line, so you deserve advice that isn’t shaped by anyone’s referral arrangement.
I don’t take referral fees. When I suggest a placement, it’s because it fits your loved one, not because it pays me.
The two approaches, and why neither is “better”
Ask whether the interventionist can work across approaches instead of forcing one. The two most established are the Johnson Model and the Invitational Model.
| Approach | How it works | Often considered when |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson Model | A direct, structured group meeting your loved one may not expect. | Your family wants a clear, prepared moment of shared concern. |
| Invitational Model | Your loved one is invited to take part from the start. | A surprise could feel like an ambush, or trust is already fragile. |
Neither one is better in the abstract. In my experience, the right choice depends entirely on your loved one and how your family works. Anyone who insists there’s only one correct method hasn’t sat with enough families. If you want a fuller comparison, our guide to intervention models walks through each in detail.
What an interventionist can’t do
I can help you prepare, choose an approach, steady the conversation, and line up the next step. What I can’t do is guarantee your loved one will say yes. Nobody can, and anyone who tells you otherwise is overpromising.
I’d rather you hear that from me honestly than be sold a certainty that doesn’t exist. What I can tell you is that families who are properly prepared usually have more options, and more calm, than they expected walking in.
If you’re choosing someone in Los Angeles
If you’re looking locally, find someone who actually understands the treatment options in your area and can coordinate the next step without scrambling. Most of the families I work with are here in Los Angeles, and I offer a dedicated Los Angeles interventionist service, though I travel nationally when a family needs me to.
Discretion matters at every stage. For a lot of the families I sit with, knowing that no one outside the family needs to hear about this is the thing that lets them take the first step at all.
How I work with families
I help you prepare, choose an approach that fits, guide the conversation itself, and map what comes next. I’m an advisory service, not a treatment facility, so when clinical care is the right step, I coordinate with licensed providers rather than handing you off and disappearing. Ongoing family support services stay in place afterward for as long as your family needs them.
If you’re not sure what your next step should be, it doesn’t have to be a big one. It can just be a quiet, confidential conversation about what’s happening and what your options are.
And if you’re reading this late at night because something already feels wrong, you can call me. Crises don’t keep business hours, and neither do I. Reach me at 866-826-0985 or info@lifestyleinterventions.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose the right interventionist?
Look for relevant training, honest communication, no financial stake in placement, and a flexible approach. The right fit with your family matters more than any title.
What should I look for?
Training and experience with situations like yours, transparency about how they work, a focus on the whole family, and no referral fees.
What questions should I ask before hiring one?
Ask about their training, which approach they use, how they prepare the family, whether they earn referral fees, and what happens if your loved one says no.
What credentials should an interventionist have?
Look for a counseling credential such as a CADC and an intervention credential such as a CCMI or a CIP, along with real experience in behavioral health.
Should I choose someone tied to one treatment center?
Be careful. Ask whether they earn a fee for referrals, because that can shape their advice rather than serving your loved one’s best fit.
What’s the difference between the Johnson and Invitational models?
The Johnson Model is a direct, structured meeting. The Invitational Model brings your loved one into the conversation from the start. The right fit depends on your family.
Do you take referral fees?
No. I recommend a placement based on fit, not on any financial arrangement with a treatment center.
About the author: Chris Howard is the founder of Lifestyle Interventions, a Los Angeles intervention and behavioral health advisory service supporting families across the United States. He’s a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC-III) and Certified Clinical Intervention Mentor (CCMI-M), holds a CIP registered in the State of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Psychology from UCLA, and has more than 16 years of experience in behavioral health.