An invitational intervention tells your loved one about the process from the very beginning and invites them to take part. ARISE, the best-known invitational model, starts with a simple invitation to a family meeting and adds more structured steps only if earlier ones do not lead to treatment. There are no secret meetings.
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The idea behind invitational models
Invitational approaches were developed partly in response to the surprise meeting. Their starting point is that secrecy can backfire: a person who feels tricked may dig in, and the family carries the weight of planning behind someone’s back. In an invitational model, the person is told that the family is worried and is meeting with a professional, and they are asked to join. If they come, they are part of the conversation from the first day. If they do not, the family meets anyway and the invitation stays open.
How ARISE works
ARISE stands for A Relational Sequence for Engagement. It was developed by Judith Landau, James Garrett and colleagues and tested with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. It moves through three levels, and a family only goes further if the previous level has not worked.
- Level 1: the first call and the invitation. A concerned family member contacts the professional, who coaches them by phone on how to invite the person and other key family members to a first meeting.
- Level 2: family meetings. If the person has not yet agreed to treatment, the wider network of family and friends meets a small number of times, with or without the person. The group agrees on a plan and consistent messages.
- Level 3: a formal intervention. Only if earlier steps fail, the network holds a more structured meeting, similar to a traditional intervention, with clear consequences agreed in advance. Because the person has been told all along that this could happen, it is not a surprise.
Throughout, the emphasis is on the strength of relationships. The more people who stay involved, the more support the person and the family have.
What the research says
The main published study of ARISE appeared in 2004 in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse (Landau and colleagues, volume 30, issue 4). It followed 110 consecutive calls from concerned family members to two outpatient clinics in upstate New York. The authors reported that 83 percent of the people of concern entered treatment or self-help, more than half of them at the first level, with a median of about a week from the first call. They also found that cases with more family members and friends involved tended to do better.
Two limits matter. The study had no comparison group, so it cannot show how ARISE compares with other methods head to head. It was also run by the model’s developers in a research setting. The results are encouraging, but they describe one study, not a prediction for any family.
Strengths
- Honesty from day one, which protects trust if the person says no.
- Many families never need the formal meeting, which saves time and strain.
- It draws in a wide circle of support, including people the family might not think to ask.
- It suits people who would react badly to a surprise, including some with anxiety or trauma histories.
Concerns and when to be careful
- Time to dodge. Knowing a meeting is coming gives some people time to disappear, use more heavily or turn family members against each other. Planning should account for that.
- A thin network. If only one or two people are willing to take part, the model loses some of its strength, and a skills-based approach such as CRAFT may suit the family better.
- Safety first. Invitation does not replace a safety plan. If there is violence, suicide risk or a medical emergency, call 911 or 988 and treat it as a crisis.
- Withdrawal. Heavy daily drinking and benzodiazepine use can cause dangerous withdrawal, so treatment plans should include medically supervised detox when needed.
How it fits with other approaches
Many professionals now use invitational principles even when they do not follow ARISE step by step: telling the person a family meeting is planned, inviting them to help choose treatment, and keeping a more structured meeting in reserve. Our intervention team does not use one branded method. We tailor the approach to each family, and an invitational first step is often part of the plan we discuss. Compare this with the Johnson model and systemic family intervention on our methods page, or read what happens after an intervention.
Frequently asked questions
What is an invitational intervention?
It is an intervention in which the person is told about the process from the start and invited to take part. There are no secret planning meetings, and more structured steps are added only if needed.
What does ARISE stand for?
ARISE stands for A Relational Sequence for Engagement. It is an invitational model that moves through three levels, from a coached invitation to family meetings to a formal intervention only if earlier levels do not work.
Is ARISE better than a surprise intervention?
It is different rather than proven better. A 2004 study reported that most people entered treatment or self-help, but it had no comparison group. The right choice depends on your family and on safety.
What if our loved one refuses the invitation?
The family meets anyway and keeps the invitation open. Many families continue with further meetings, and some move to a more structured intervention that the person has already been told could happen.
Talk with our intervention team
If an open, invitational approach sounds right for your family, we can talk through how it would work in your situation.