Movies have created an image of the typical addiction intervention, with loved ones sitting in a circle and using “I” statements to share feelings.
Although it sounds simple, there’s a lot that goes into planning and executing an effective intervention. And it all begins with choosing the “right” strategy to follow.
Because while the end goal is always to convince someone to get sober, people get there in different ways. Today’s post explores common intervention strategies and approaches.
Table of Contents
5 Intervention Strategies for Substance Use Disorders
It’s hard to say that there’s one right way of holding an intervention for someone suffering from a substance use disorder (SUD). Because patients and their loved ones are different, the structured conversation has to be tailored to each case’s specifics.
That said, there are a few broad strategies to base your intervention on. Here are five of them:
1. The Simple Intervention
Not all interventions include groups of friends and family members. One possible strategy is the simple intervention, where only one person plans and holds the session for a loved one.
In most cases, the person holding the intervention is a close friend or an immediate family member. They can see that addiction is ruining someone’s life and decide to confront them.
Like all intervention models, this one isn’t guaranteed to succeed. Still, it does have its merits. Plus, there are tips to help the process become more productive, such as:
- When possible, aim for an early intervention.
- Educate yourself on SUDs and the stages of recovery first.
- Consult a professional for advice on the needed social skills.
- Hold the intervention in a safe space and let the person know you’re rooting for them.
2. The Johnson Model
The Johnson Model is perhaps the most commonly used strategy for substance abuse interventions.
In fact, it’s almost always what comes to mind when someone mentions intervention. It’s the planned meeting full of concerned friends and family members, all talking in a calm (but assertive) way.
There’s a reason for its popularity, too. Research shows that the Johnson Model can be effective in getting people to accept help, even when compared to other types of interventions.
However, the Johnson Model can be complex, with a lot of strategizing going on behind the scenes. For example, there should be a minimum of two sessions, built around seven core components.
Intervention Structure
The first session is when the mediators (more details about them later) gather to plan for the intervention. During this session, they decide what they want to say and how they need to say it. Mostly, they talk about the damage that substance abuse has brought to their life.
Mediators might need more planning meetings to cover the issues from all angles. But when they’re ready, they schedule the final session. That’s when they surprise the patient and lay out their arguments.
Core Components
Let’s take a look at the main components that build the model.
- Mediators/Caregivers: Unlike simple interventions, two or more people plan and hold the behavior intervention. Usually, it’s a small group of people who are directly involved in the patient’s life. Think friends, partners, and family members.
- Planning: Thorough research and intra-group discussion (and perhaps even consultation) are needed.
- One-Topic Focus: Mediators are not supposed to bring up past issues irrelevant to substance abuse. This should be clear in the group instructions.
- Objectivity: All attendees should prepare their notes in advance, keeping everything objective and factual. There’s no place for anger or blame in this model.
- Care-Centered Approach: Staying supportive, loving, and non-judgmental throughout the process is crucial.
- One Primary Goal: The end goal of the Johnson Model in this case should be recovery from addiction.
- Practical Options: Mediators can’t just suggest treatment and leave it up to the person to research the available options. They have to look into the nearby centers, compare programs, and prepare at least three viable options.
Note that, in the Johnson Model, there’s little attention directed to the caregiver’s well-being. The focus is mostly on the person suffering from addiction. That being said, it’s possible to integrate the mediator/caregiver’s needs into the intervention plan.
If you consult a therapist who specializes in substance abuse before holding the final session, they can tweak things around to make sure the plan addresses everyone’s needs.
3. The ARISE Model
The Albany-Rochester Interventional Sequence for Engagement (ARISE, for short) has a lot in common with the Johnson Model. It’s, after all, a mere functional alternative.
When compared to the Johnson Model, ARISE is overall less confrontative. It takes into account the needs of both the person suffering the SUD and their loved ones.
Researchers tried to gauge the effectiveness of this intervention strategy, and the results were promising. About 83% of patients entered treatment in three weeks, with a total of 96% admitted within 6 months.
On the one-year mark, progress monitoring revealed that a bit over 60% were still sober, and 10% had reduced their drug/alcohol use frequency.
Keep in mind that ARISE is considered a process, rather than an event. Here are its different stages and levels:
ARISE Level 1
The ARISE model begins when someone contacts an interventionist, asking for help convincing a loved one to seek treatment. First, the interventionist has to organize a meeting with all the involved intervention members.
The more members are involved, the better the odds.
ARISE Level 2
Level 2 is the actual intervention meeting. But, according to the ARISE model, there can be more than one intervention meeting with the person suffering from the SUD.
Incremental pressure is applied with each session. All decisions made here have to come from the majority of the intervention network, too.
If the efforts are successful, then we enter the continuing care transitional phase. This period usually lasts 6–12 months, during which the intervention network supports the loved one as they navigate early recovery.
This transitional phase also addresses the family relational improvement as a whole, along with grief resolution and relapse prevention.
ARISE Level 3
If the person refuses to enter treatment in Level 2, loved ones have to present them with serious consequences.
Level 3 is often seen as a last-ditch effort. Thankfully, less than 2% of families on ARISE need to go this far in the intervention program.
4. The CRAFT Program
The CRAFT method is an adapted version of another intervention strategy called the CRA, or the Community Reinforcement Approach.
CRAFT itself stands for Community Reinforcement and Family Training. As the name implies, this program focuses on training the patient’s loved ones instead of confronting patients in an old-school intervention.
The CRAFT program is well-suited for people who refuse to accept help or admit that their substance use has gotten out of control.
It’s also suitable for families who want to avoid the confrontational aspect of Johnson-style interventions. Some people prefer CRAFT because the results don’t rest on one meeting, too.
The goal is still encouraging people to seek treatment, but the process is different from the one used in the Johnson Model. The target audience is also different.
Program Phases
In phase one of the program, close significant others (referred to as CSOs) carry the burden of rewarding and reinforcing positive behavior. There are several reinforcing tactics to consider, but the process requires CSOs to be able to identify whenever their loved one chooses sobriety.
The process usually involves:
- Trigger Identification: This part helps CSO determine if they’re unintentionally triggering the problem behavior (drinking or using drugs).
- Clear Communication: Just because it’s a non-confrontational approach doesn’t mean communication is to be ignored. Working on improving communication is an essential aspect of family training.
- Behavior Support: Being patient and offering continuous positive reinforcement for any step taken towards the target behavior (sobriety) is a core element.
- Self-Care: The CRAFT program recognizes and prioritizes the well-being of CSOs. Attending peer support groups is recommended, too.
Another side of the CSO burden is challenging behaviors related to addiction. They need to step back and allow the consequences of addiction to happen.
Phase two, however, is when the person starts getting help. It can take months before family members reach phase two. So, it’s important not to get discouraged early on.
Some experts view the CRAFT program as a bundle of 10–14 sessions, each about an hour long. In that case, the person suffering from SUDs might not enter treatment until the fifth session is over.
5. The Crisis Intervention
Unlike most strategies, the crisis intervention isn’t pre-planned. It’s also short-term and limited to a single, brief session. The person holding the intervention isn’t necessarily close to the patient, either. It can be a coworker, an acquaintance, or even a crisis hotline volunteer.
People resort to this intervention type for someone who needs immediate mental health care or is in an emergency. Remember that not every case can wait for a scheduled therapy appointment or a multi-level intervention process.
That’s not to say that crisis interventions are easy to hold, though. First and foremost, the person needs to define the problem and establish a connection with the patient. Next, they ensure that they are currently safe (from self-harm, drug overdoses, abuse, etc.).
The intervention holder then provides support and frames the addiction problem, offering possible alternatives. If the person responds well, they can proceed to make plans for entering treatment and getting sober.
Finally, the intervention holder might put the plan in writing and give it to the patient. This way, they can follow through with the steps later.
Intervention Approaches
We’ve seen the different models and behavioral strategies used for addiction interventions. Now, let’s check out the difference between the Tough Love and Love First approaches.
Confrontational/Tough Love
Confrontation is the approach taken in most classic interventions, and it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. For instance, family members using the Johnson Model can confront their loved one about the damage that their drug habit has caused without being judgmental.
Families might call this confrontation meeting a Tough Love intervention when they’ve had enough and want to set some limits.
However, if you opt for a tough love intervention, you need to make the consequences of not complying and committing to treatment clear. The consequences can vary a lot from case to case, but some common examples are:
- Stop financial assistance.
- Remove children from the person’s custody.
- Breakup romantic relationships.
Love First
The Love First approach is a valid alternative to Tough Love.
In Love First interventions, a network of 3–7 loved ones writes letters. Each letter starts with shared memories and highlights to show how much the person values his/her relationship with the patient.
Then, the letter details specific ways that the addiction has impacted the letter writer directly over a set period of time (maybe over the span of the past year). This paves the way for a statement of concern.
The approach isn’t exactly confrontational yet because the statement of concern is supposed to be written non-threateningly.
In some cases, the intervention network adds a bottom line to each letter that takes on a different tone and explains the consequences. This part is only read out if the patient refuses to seek help.
The Role of an Interventionist
Regardless of the intervention model and tone, having a certified addiction interventionist on your side helps.
For one, they educate family members on addiction recovery. They also plan for the meeting itself, ensuring that everyone takes part in the decision-making process and understands their role in the intervention.
Most importantly, they mediate a conversation in a supportive environment with limited disruptions. And if the patient refuses treatment, they help the intervention network cope.
Get Help Planning an Effective Intervention for a Loved One
With so many strategies out there, finding the “right” intervention method for a loved one can be tricky.
If you need help planning an evidence-based intervention, don’t hesitate to contact Long Island Interventions. Our team includes board-certified interventionists with experience in substance abuse treatment specifically.
Written by: The Long Island Interventions Editorial Team
Editor: Isaac Adams-Hands
Medically Reviewed by: MedicallyReviewed.com
Published on: February 1, 2026
Updated on: March 25, 2026
