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The following is an excerpt taken from an interview conducted with John Southworth who operates one of the largest and most extensive interventionist networks in North America. If you are in a tough situation, you really need someone like John as an ally.
Q: What qualities make a good interventionist?
John: Experience, certifications and a capable staff contribute to a good intervention experience. Look for certifications with The Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC), American Interventionist Society (AIS), Board Registered Interventionists (BRI), and International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC), as well as Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) training with Dr. Patrick Carnes. The Southworth Associates staff members hold these credentials.
Q: What intervention styles work best?
John: I feel the only way an intervention works is through the heart and not the brain. The Identified Person (IP) should not suffer shame nor guilt during this process. To me it is just love, love, love. This problem is not the IP’s fault. Nor is it the family’s fault. It is a disease.
Q:As an Interventionist, what special problems do you experience with the sex addict?
John: Shame is so great with the sex addict and family. All major life issues are affected. These include family, friends, finances, health, legal and job. The intervention process with the sex addict is very involved and takes a lot of painstaking time to sort out.
Q: What are the rules of intervention - especially with the sex addict?
John: Gather information and rehearse. Be sure everyone involved in the intervention is on board and realizes what they are going into. Eliminating hidden agendas is key to a successful intervention, as well. The day before the intervention I gather the family to rehearse the issues and allow time for letters to be written to the IP. These letters help the family and friends express feelings about the IP and the issues affecting their relationship. I also assign reading material to those involved in the intervention. I recommend readings of Dr. Patrick Carnes, Dr. Ralph Earle, and Dr. Jennifer Schneider. I also recommend Love First, written by Jeff Jay and Debra Day,for families who are preparing to write letters to the IP.
Q: How does someone reach you?
John: Toll free: (800)386-1695 / Toll free Cell: (866)460-9014 / Web: www.SouthworthAssociates.net
Q: Resources for professionals to read:
John: All of Dr. Carnes’ material is helpful for families involved in an intervention. Additionally, James Fearing’s article in Clinical Management of Sex Addiction covers issues related to the family and the addict, as when he states, “It is important for the clinician working with this type of patient to understand the strong connection between shame and sexually compulsive behaviors. Based on the presence of denial, shame, and isolation, the process of intervention can be very appropriate and successful in ‘helping the sex addict get help’”(24). This book and others by Dr Carnes are available at www.gentlepathpress.com
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