What is a Clinical Eating Disorders Interventionist?

As a skilled clinical interventionist, I was originally trained as a Licensed Professional Counselor & worked diligently to become the first LPC in the state of Louisiana to obtain the Certified Eating Disorders Specialist-Consultant credential. I have worked in treatment settings specific to both eating disorders & substance abuse. I am a former Program Director for two eating disorder treatment facilities & have experience in the treatment process from admission through discharge, including comprehensive after-care planning. Having a large professional network, I keep up to date on which facilities are doing the best work. As a Clinical Interventionist, I was trained by Jeff and Debra Jay utilizing the the Love First Intervention model which has specific professional standards for admission and certification. Because of my clinical experience & professional training, I am equipped to not only to help your loved one accept treatment, but to find the right facility for their specific needs. I help families navigate this process & what to expect each step of the way.

There is a damaging myth that you can only help someone if they want to be helped. After having been in the field for a while now, I know this is not true. I have personally worked with countless individuals who didn’t want or think they needed help and left treatment with a brand-new outlook on life and gained sustained recovery. The truth of the matter is, if more families felt confident and prepared to use their love & influence to encourage their loved one to go to treatment, families may be able to prevent what can be years of pain. However, families were not taught how to artfully and skillfully utilize this leverage of love. Interventions are not about blame, judgement, or anger - that’s the last way to get someone to accept help. Interventions are about families taking action and using new strategies with the guidance of a professional to see you through the process.

My loved one doesn’t want treatment.

How are you supposed to help?

This underestimates the power an eating disorder has to fuel your thoughts (the family and the loved one) with negativity that things could never change. Families only want their loved one to get better, yet don’t realize they have also been tricked by the eating disorder with these types of thoughts. Eating disorders are chronic illnesses. They have no cure, but we can live happy, healthy, functioning lives if we follow a comprehensive treatment plan. If your child’s cancer came back after being in remission, we wouldn’t say, “Well what’s the point of doing chemo again?” Sometimes, it takes multiple treatments, and it always takes a number of years for those in recovery from an eating disorder (and their family) to find stability. My intervention services provide new hope and understanding that life can be very different once we get out from under the eating disorder’s grasp. A person has a much better prognosis of sustained ED recovery when their family continues to hold onto hope even through the most difficult times. And let me be clear: eating disorders are insidious and impact the entire family system. In preparing for the intervention, I provide comprehensive education on eating disorders, provide resources, and discuss the commitments to recovery required by the family to help prevent relapse.

My loved one has been to treatment before & won't go again.

Treatment didn't work the first time (or several). What’s the point?

What are the next steps?

Informational Call

Tell me about your specific situation and loved one. There is no charge for this brief consultation call.

504-388-3143

ebmcauliffecounseling@gmail.com

Initial Strategy Session

This phone or Zoom call is best kept to one or two family members. From here, the intervention process can move as quickly or as slowly as you’d like. Typically, a family will take a week or two to plan. However, if necessary, I will do my best to coordinate an immediate time-frame to move into the Intervention Process. It is after this call I will begin to look into treatment placement including any facilities you might already have in mind.

The sooner you can purchase the Love First book and begin to read, the better!

Please refer this book to members of your family and support team. Can be found at your local library.

Intervention Process

This includes a number of steps which are discussed in more detail during the Initial Strategy Session. Briefly:

  • Zoom call with all members of the intervention team (all members must be present for this). This can take several hours and includes in-depth education, strategy, planning, and information gathering.

  • Coordinating time and place for the intervention rehearsal and the intervention itself.

  • Establishing all guidelines and needs for the intervention and treatment placement.