Understanding the HELPS Model

25 Apr Understanding the HELPS Model

It’s an all-too-common myth of recovery that a person struggling with a substance misuse disorder must reach a tipping point before they will be willing to consider choosing the path of sobriety over the path of addiction. However, the reality is that the idea of “rock bottom” is a dangerous misconception.

If you have a loved one who is struggling with addiction, waiting for them to experience a disruptive, life-changing event like getting arrested for drug possession can put their lives at greater risk. Instead, you should view your role as someone who can help raise the bottom, guide your addicted family member or friend toward healing and rediscover a renewed hope for the future.

What Is the HELPS Model?

The life of an addict creates a significant amount of dysfunction for those around them. Addiction specialist Ken Seeley’s HELPS model is an approach that leads people with addicts in their lives to learn how to set healthy boundaries, develop coping mechanisms and avoid enabling behaviors, such as paying an addicted person’s bills after their drinking or drug problem causes them to lose their job and have trouble finding another one.

The Intervention 911 team relies on the HELPS model in the multiple successful specialized substance abuse and mental health interventions we manage each year. Though we can tailor our intervention approach to the specific needs of your family and loved one, we recommend the HELPS method because it is broadly applicable to a variety of situations.

HELPS is an acronym that stands for Health, Environmental, Legal, Personal Finances and Spirituality. During our intervention process, we focus on each of these five aspects and the role they play in your life and the life of your addicted loved one.

Why Does Your Family Need a Professional Interventionist?

The help of a trained, accredited intervention specialist can be vital for your family and the addicted person you are trying to save from their downward spiral. You may feel intimidated about starting the conversation about drug and alcohol addiction therapy with your loved one, for fear that they will react with anger or continue to deny the extent of their problem. Or, you may have tried and failed to conduct an at-home intervention in the past because you became overwhelmed with emotion, or didn’t know how to steer the conversation in the right direction.

A professional interventionist has all the tools necessary to ensure the conversation about seeking recovery remains productive and focused. As a neutral third party, they can defuse tension from the situation and help you and your family members phrase statements in a way that is informative, but not insulting or inflammatory. If the conversation begins to devolve into an unproductive argument, our team can step in and pick up the pieces.

Specialized Interventions to Rebuild Your Relationships

At Intervention 911, we understand how challenging addictions can be for every member of your family, and we are here with our compassionate approach to manage tense relationships and allow you to process and express your feelings in the healthiest possible way. Don’t wait any longer to guide your addicted loved one to make a fresh start. Contact us today and let us help you create an ideal plan for your family intervention.