A professional intervention is a deliberate and carefully planned process by which change is initiated. Through this process a person who has been engaging in self-destructive behavior is confronted in a loving, respectful, direct but nonthreatening way about how his actions are affecting his life and those around him. The impact of those close to the person coming together in a cohesive group to lovingly and gently confront him is often profound. The immediate objective of an intervention is for the person of concern to listen and to accept help. At the end of an intervention, a specific option for treatment or help is presented, and the individual usually begins treatment immediately following the intervention.
