Private Intervention

The Cotter Model of
Intervention & Treatment

The goal of an intervention should be to motivate the impaired person (IP) to WANT help for their addiction problem, not just accept help.

Why interventions fail?

Effective with patients ages 18-86, The Cotter Model, unlike the Johnson confrontation, blends the drug addiction intervention or alcoholism intervention smoothly into the entire treatment and recovery process. It is not treated as an isolated event. As a recovering alcoholic, Cotter’s private and confidential, one-on-one meeting with the IP is conducted with open dialogue, not as a threat and demand filled lecture. In this compassionate atmosphere, treated with dignity and respect, the IP is at ease to discuss their feelings about their addiction, alcohol, prescription, or other drug, and getting drug abuse help or alcoholism help . This is a major step toward entering treatment with a positive attitude and enhances the prognosis for a positive outcome. In a sense, the idea of getting help for their alcoholism becomes their idea. When combined with The Cotter Model’s Year Long Continuing Care Program, the stage is set for a long-lasting program of recovery. For many obvious reasons, it is critical for the intervention to be performed by a recovering alcoholic. It is also important to differentiate between the Johnson Model, where the family and/or friends do the intervention, while the "interventionist" assists and The Cotter Model where Bruce Cotter actually conducts the intervention.

By design, the Johnson Model, or family/group intervention is usually a confrontational, demeaning, embarrassing "surprise-attack" on the IP. Consequently, the IP’s existing feelings of anger, guilt, shame and paranoia are exacerbated. This atmosphere, combined with the negative emotions of those doing the intervening, can doom the addiction intervention before it even starts. Even if the IP agrees to enter a treatment facility for help, they usually comply just to shut everyone up and to get the group off their back. They feel they have been verbally bludgeoned into submission. Patients entering treatment following such a confrontation, may be so angry, it might be several days, or weeks before the counselors "break through" the anger and begin the education necessary to address recovery. In some cases, the anger lasts for years. Too often, the IP will leave treatment before completion and once home, will continue to drink as before. Now, the people who tried to provide drug addiction help, by investing considerable emotion, time and money, are angry and disappointed. This makes the next offer of help, if there is one, even less likely to succeed.
 

CASE NOTES " The Daughter-In-Law"
(When They Won't Quit, page 33)

This case was set in motion by the parents of a using son. Their son's wife had become the breadwinner and may have felt more important when her husband used. She told me that my intervention wasn't necessary--her husband just concluded a big deal three months ago. Upon investigation, it turned out to be three years ago. Now, I explained to the wife that the advantage comes to the interventionist when he catches the patient off guard--by surprise--so that they don't have time to build their defenses. I called her on her cell phone to determine the best time for me to come to the home. However, when I reached her, she nonchalantly called her husband (the user) over to the phone and said, "Honey, there's someone here who wants to speak with you!" That faux pas resulted in an additional two months of agony for her husband before I could get him into treatment.

CASE NOTES "The Hotel Room"
(When They Won't Quit, page 74)

One intervention was to take place in a luxury New York hotel room. The father, a small, quiet man, was to take me up to the room and introduce me to his son, who was addicted to heroin, and leave us. When he opened the door, the father exploded. He saw his son using and "involved" with two prostitutes, who were also using. The old man exploded, shrieked and lunged for his son's throat. It was a terrible fight. I finally got them apart. The hotel security came. I dismissed the cast of characters and finally had the young man alone in the room where I did the intervention. It took two more months on the phone to get him into treatment. He did go to treatment and remains clean and sober.