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Ben Seymour's Page

Ben Seymour
Interventionist and Addictions Therapist
Ben Seymour has over 9 years experience as an addictions therapist and national interventionist. He is most well known for his work helping males with co-occurring disorders and their families recover from the trauma of addiction. Ben is currently the Director of Operations for Intervention 180. A company that he co-founded with his business partner Tom Burruel MSW. Both Ben and Tom are known for their sincere and genuine love for people afflicted with the disease of addiction.
Ben, Tom and all the Intervention 180 staff blend several styles of intervention to tailor fit their services for each family. Through the years they have found that there are no cookie cutter interventions and that each intervention is as unique as the families themselves. Intervention 180 specializes in addiction, alcoholism, gambling, mental health, sex-addiction, eating disorder and troubled teen interventions. “As two young men we wanted to start a company that not only treated an older statistic but was capable of reaching the troubled youth of our country”.
Ben was also featured in The Wall Street Journal for an upcoming book he will be releasing “Packing Lite”. It is an autobiographical account of his own struggles with heroin addiction and how he finally got clean and sober at 19 years of age. “I wanted to give some hope to the chronic relapsers. I went through county detox centers, mental hospitals and treatment center after treatment center. Then came that time I was finally willing to take some direction.” Ben often expresses a deep gratitude for the years he has now been sober and clean.
Ben holds several credentials in the addiction field such as, Certified National Drug and Alcohol Interventionist, Certified Addictions Therapist Level II and a Certified Dual Diagnosis Clinician. The majority of Ben’s practicum and experience was gained in his years as a primary counselor at Michael’s House in Palm Springs California. He is now continuing his mission to help those suffering from addiction with Intervention 180.ss

Q & A

I Am Studying To Become A Drug and Alcohol Counselor

4/13/2009 4:38:00 PM - Permalink

I am studying to be a Drug and Alcohol Counselor and have nearly completed the program which is an ADS Program in Oxnard, CA. My interest is actually more directed at doing the Interventions and dealing with the families. Where do I start and what do I need to do? I am in the middle of getting certified through CADE and then I will be doing a field study hands on - which I have not done yet. What do I need to have to specifically become more involved with doing Interventions? - Linda

Linda,

The answer to this question will vary depending on who you ask. Some people in the field have no professional training and are performing interventions based on what they read in a book or see on television. While I don’t condone this, that is the reality of what is going on out there. I think the answer also varies based on what populations you are looking to work with. At Intervention 180 we utilize several models of intervention, motivational interviewing and various counseling techniques. This is based on the diverse populations we assist. We find that different models and approaches work best for different people. Most of our team worked as counselors and therapists in some type of clinical setting prior to performing interventions.

For me personally I find my years as a primary counselor gave me the confidence to enter a family system and interrupt the addictive cycle. Working as a counselor, with a team allows you to be supervised and learn from co-workers. It also gives you the chance to work in a controlled environment prior to being in high-pressure crisis situations. I would recommend taking a job in some type of treatment setting to get your feet wet. Once you have a feel for that start attending conferences and trainings focused on the intervention field. Consider getting trained in several intervention models to give you a more thorough foundation. The ARISE, Systemic, Storti and Johnson Models of Intervention are all very useful when you are working with a diverse population of clients. Take all the trainings and find your own style.

Lastly I would advise you to find a mentor. This could be a particular interventionist you relate to or admire. Then ask them if you could tag along with them. Most interventionists in the field are willing to help someone out and share their experience. I have learned so much from those who came before me. Good Luck!

When Will My Meth Addiction Symptoms End?

12/15/2008 5:12:00 PM - Permalink

I quit doing meth in December of 2007. I still hear voices and break out in bleeding soars that stain my sheets. My feet and floor feel like they are vibrating 24 hours a day. When is this going to stop? - Nick

Nick,

Depending on your available resources I would recommend seeing a doctor. Preferably an addictionologist if you have access to one. It can take a couple years to stabilize depending on the individual. That being said it would not hurt to go to a medical professional and get a physical to rule out any additional problems.

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Articles

Addiction and Intervention

9/10/2007 - Permalink

As an interventionist and addiction therapist, one of the most common misconceptions I run across is the idea that somehow, addiction is a moral failing or learned behavior. In fact, some doctors, social workers and even counselors are still misinformed about the true causality of addiction. Many of the families that I encounter when performing the intervention process have been taught or still subscribe to this belief. In the beginning of the process they often report feelings of anger, hurt and betrayal. Many expect the intervention process to be one of consequences and punishment. However, this is not the case. Intervention is a process of love and education. Once the group is properly educated about the disease and sees that medical evidence has been discovered, the anger dissipates and a visible sense of compassion and understanding takes over. It is my belief that once the family, friends and co-workers are properly educated about addiction, any intervention is a successful one.

Addiction in the Media

Every time I turn on the TV I hear about which celebrity got a DUI or checked into rehab today. Yet the latest medical findings and addiction research rarely get any exposure. The American Medical Association (AMA) announced that they viewed alcoholism as a disease in 1956. In 1987 they included drug addiction to this category. So why in 2007, 20 years later, are we still debating whether addiction is a disease? What happened? The latest research proves that addiction is a disease of the brain which can be active prior to any substances being introduced to the body. Scientists have discovered specific differences in the genetic make-up of children born to alcoholic and addicted people. We have brain scans which visibly show the phenomena of craving in the brains of addicts when they are not using. The evidence is astounding and clearly points to the conclusion of addiction being a disease.

The fact is that many diseases are linked with unhealthy behavior. Clogged arteries, heart disease and acquired diabetes are usually the results of eating certain foods, lack of exercise and/or other unhealthy choices, yet no one goes to jail for eating potato chips. It is time for America to face the evidence that well over 80% of our prison populations are made up of untreated addicts. Treatment not only saves tax dollars, it saves lives.

The Role of Intervention

As I mentioned before, addiction and intervention are both hot topics in the media today. However, the majority of Americans still don’t understand what addiction and intervention really are. Many people believe that intervention is the ultimate showdown between the addict and the family. Families and spouses begin to adopt a punitive attitude about "making" the addict stop. They believe if they just threaten and punish the addict enough he or she will somehow "straighten up." Addiction Medicine shows us otherwise. Brain scans prove that when an addict is put in a stressful situation the parts of the brain which handle rational decisions are shut down. The more consequences we place on an addict the stronger craving becomes. Once the addicts stress reaches a certain level the addict no longer has the ability to choose "right from wrong" and uses.

The first role of intervention is to educate families about addiction. Families spend years in fear of this unseen boogey man called addiction, feeling more and more powerless with each encounter. Once families understand how addiction influences the brain they better learn how to interact with the addict. The family then needs to learn about enabling and how to start the process of their own recovery programs. Often times I hear a frustrated family member moan "it's not even my problem…why should I go to meetings?" The fact is addiction has been highly problematic for everyone in the family, that's how I got involved to begin with. It is important for family members to understand the need for boundaries, self-care, and ongoing participation in Al-anon, Nar-anon, CODA or Families Anonymous. Intervention is not just about the addict seeking recovery but the entire family. Otherwise the addict returns to an impaired family and is likely to return to his or her #1 coping skill; using.

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me at addicted.com or e-mail me at bseymour@intervention180.com

Cordially,
Ben Seymour BRI II, CNDAI, CAT II
Board Registered Interventionist Level II

Want more information on intervention? Visit www.Intervention180.com

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