"More than a year ago, my family worked with Joyce Sundin to plan and conduct an intervention with my husband of 35 years. He was an active alcoholic who was also abusing prescription drugs. I was caught up in the co-dependency that allows problems to continue without resolution. I had worked with Joyce before and had considered an intervention but felt hopeless that it would be effective. After a crisis situation when I knew changes were necessary, I contacted Joyce and we began the process of an intervention. That evening we had a family meeting in her office, inviting family members in multiple states to join us by telephone conferencing. We developed a plan and two days later, distant relatives arrived and we held the intervention. With Joyce’s assistance we secured immediate admission to an excellent longer-term treatment facility. My husband agreed to enter treatment and was admitted that afternoon. It all worked as smoothly as possible and we credit Joyce’s expertise, professionalism and genuine support and caring for all of our family in making this a successful endeavor.

My husband remained in treatment for six weeks and the ‘love letters’ Joyce invited us to write for the intervention were a part of his treatment program. She was available to help problem solve details related to his return to Seattle and my plan for us to live apart for a while. She led us through a re-entry meeting that again included distant relatives by telephone as well as those of us in the area. We welcomed my husband back and offered our support to him in maintaining his sobriety. We also shared our expectations and our unwillingness to support him in any way if he began to drink again. He told us what he needed from us and how he felt about the entire process. There were tears of hope and joy and we were off to a good start in re-building our lives.

Joyce’s respect for all of us, including my husband, during this entire process was a gift that kept us focused on the hope we had for the future. I knew I could call her about anything – my fears, questions, suggestions – and she would provide support. I appreciated knowing that she was in contact with the treatment facility. Now, more than a year later, my husband remains in recovery, we are living together and recently welcomed our first grandchild into the family. We still take one day at a time but thanks to Joyce’s work with us as a catalyst for change, we are growing and realizing hopes that seemed impossible before."

Theresa