Interventionists measure their success rate by the number of people they get to go into treatment. But that doesn’t mean that your family member (or you) stays in treatment. Even if they leave the day after they arrived, the interventionist counts it as a success. Most interventionists have financial relationships with a few favored treatment [...]
“Two things will be believed about any man whatsoever, and one is that he has taken to drink.” -Booth Tarkington It isn’t unusual for people to seek treatment for their alcohol abuse problems when divorce is looming on the horizon. Indeed, probably two thirds of our clients come to us with crumbling marriages. What is [...]
It is common for people who have remained sober for a year or two, to begin to wonder why they are continuing to attend various groups and meetings. It’s a good question. While some people may need, or prefer, to continue their participation, others can safely occupy themselves with other activities. The question is, which [...]
The “Bucket of Crabs” is one of our favorite analogies. Pulling crabs out of traps on Kodiak Island, we’d just toss them into a big bucket – no need to put a lid on the bucket. Why not? Because as soon as one crab would start to climb out, the other crabs would drag him, [...]
By Dr. Ed Wilson and Dr. Mary Ellen Barnes Most Of Us, Understandably, Deny Our Alcohol Problems People generally avoid looking too closely at their alcohol use. Over the long haul this can lead to problems, both real and mythical, that early and productive awareness might have helped avoid. The problem here is the mythology [...]
By Dr. Ed Wilson and Dr. Mary Ellen Barnes Adult Children Who Drag Their Parents Down With Them Nothing is sadder than the “over-age families” we see. These “children” are in their 30s, 40s, 50’s and sometimes 60s; their parents in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond. “Children” who won’t stop drinking or using, and [...]
We work with clients very intensively – four or more hours a day for five to seven days – and with a well defined presenting problem – alcohol abuse. Following this initial treatment phase, during the ninety days of follow-up, we frequently see family members sabotage progress once clients return home. Undermining progress is rarely [...]