Bringing Hope
A qualified professional interventionist should have an advanced degree in a behavioral science discipline or counseling field and be licensed. In addition, they should have experience in the area of substance abuse and addictions including a strong knowledge of various change models. A strong background in facilitating counseling with individuals and families is also recommended. Lastly, they should be a Certified Intervention Professional or CIP. The field of intervention, unfortunately remains highly unregulated and some people with little or no qualifications call themselves Interventionists. The CIP is currently the most recognized and sought after credentials for Interventionists nationally.
Lori Leonard, LCSW, CIP is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Intervention Professional. Lori received her Bachelor degree in Psychology and Social Work from Texas Christian University in 1998. Upon earning her degree she worked for the Fort Worth Independent School District in the area of substance abuse prevention and intervention. In 2003, Lori earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work specializing in the area of substance abuse. She worked at the University of New Mexico Health Science Centers leading their Substance Abuse Consult Team and conducting substance abuse research including “Motivational Interviewing and its effectiveness in treatment outcomes with resistant addicts.” Additionally, Lori has worked in several treatment settings and residential treatment centers for both substance abuse and primary psychiatric patients and has experience with engaging individuals and families in therapy across various age spans. Lori has over 19 years experience working in the field of mental health and substance abuse. She has received training in several types of intervention styles and believes each intervention should be tailored to meet the individual needs of the client and their family. Lori is passionate about helping families impacted by addictions through the intervention process. Lori saw firsthand the power of interventions to elicit change when her own mother agreed to go to treatment after an effective intervention. Lori serves on the board of Network of Independent Interventionis (NII) a professional organization which is committed to promoting ethical standards within the field of interventions and substance abuse.
Hope Interventions has a network of other interventionists they employ on occasion to assist with unique cases when Lori may not be the best fit for the situation. This may include having 2 interventionists present or bringing in a male interventionist.