By David Gulden, LMHC, LMFT A New Hope Recovery Services | Winter Park, Florida You’ve tried talking to them. You’ve pleaded, reasoned, and probably even begged. But your loved one still won’t accept help for their substance use disorder. You feel helpless, exhausted, and increasingly desperate as you watch someone you love deteriorate—physically, emotionally, and […]
Intervention IS Prevention: October Guide for Families
October is Prevention Month. If your loved one is already addicted, intervention IS your prevention strategy. Learn tertiary prevention from licensed LMHC/LMFT. Call (407) 501-8490.
Clinical Guidance: When and How to Get Professional Help
“We’ve been thinking about intervention for months, but we keep wondering if we really need clinical guidance. Can’t we just do this ourselves?” This question reflects a common family dilemma: understanding when family love and concern require professional expertise to be most effective. After progressing from primary therapist to clinical director in treatment centers, I’ve […]
The Family’s Emotional Preparation Process
“I don’t think I can handle another disappointment.” These words, spoken by a mother whose son had refused three previous treatment attempts, capture the emotional exhaustion that many families experience before considering professional intervention. Intervention preparation requires significant emotional work that families often underestimate. After years of escalating addiction impact, family members arrive at intervention […]
Preparing Your Loved One’s Treatment Options
“We found a treatment center online that looks perfect. Can we do the intervention next week?” This question, while understandable in its urgency, reveals a critical gap in intervention preparation that can undermine success before it even begins. Choosing appropriate treatment options requires much more than website research and availability checking. After progressing from primary […]
Setting Realistic Expectations for Family Intervention and Recovery
“How long will it take for our family to get back to normal?” This question, asked by nearly every family I work with, reveals one of the biggest barriers to intervention success: unrealistic expectations about what intervention can accomplish and how quickly family healing occurs. After years of escalating addiction impact, families often view intervention […]
Creating Your Intervention Support Team
“Who should be involved in our intervention?” This question reveals one of the most critical—and often overlooked—aspects of intervention preparation. After progressing from primary therapist to clinical director in treatment centers, I’ve observed that intervention success depends significantly on the support team assembled during preparation, not just the intervention day participants. Many families approach intervention […]
Why Preparation Determines Intervention Success
When families contact me about intervention services, they often ask the same question: “How quickly can we do this?” I understand the urgency—watching someone you love destroy their life creates an overwhelming need to act immediately. But here’s what I’ve learned through extensive treatment center experience progressing from primary therapist to clinical director: preparation, not […]
The Day of Intervention: A Timeline of What Actually Happens
Reducing anxiety through transparency with David Gulden, LMFT, LMHC When You’ve Made the Decision The decision to move forward with a professional intervention for your loved one is a significant step. While every intervention is unique, understanding what typically happens on the day itself can help ease your anxiety and prepare you for this important […]
The Science Behind Successful Interventions: Evidence-Based Approaches
Clinical insights for treatment professionals from David Gulden, LMFT, LMHC The Challenge: Unregulated Field, Evidence-Based Needs When referring clients to intervention services, treatment professionals need confidence that methodologies are grounded in clinical research rather than anecdotal approaches. The challenge: Intervention remains unregulated—anyone can practice without training or oversight. The solution: Licensed mental health professionals who […]