Love First: A Family’’s Guide to Intervention

This revised and expanded third edition of the gold-standard for intervention provides clear steps for harnessing the power of family, friends, and professionals to create a better future with loved ones suffering from addiction.

Over the course of the last twenty years, Love First has become the go-to intervention guide for tens of thousands of families. This trailblazing book empowers and equips families and friends to use the power of love and honesty to give their addicted loved ones a chance to reach for help. Updated with the latest addiction science as well as insights gained from decades of front-line experience in family interventions, this revised and expanded edition contains practical tools for taking the next step together: transforming the intervention team into an ongoing community of loving support, lasting accountability, and lifelong recovery.

Jeff Jay, CIP, is a professional interventionist, educator, and author. He has been working full time in the substance abuse treatment field since 1986, including work for the Hazelden Foundation. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and is a Certified Intervention Professional. He has appeared as an expert on CNN, PBS, and The Jane Pauley Show. Jeff has served as president of the Terry McGovern Foundation in Washington, DC, and on the boards of directors for several professional organizations. He and Debra Jay head a national private practice that provides intervention and crisis management services. He is a former clinician with Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center.

Jeff specializes in complex interventions for impaired professionals. He is also skilled in working with baby boomers, older adults, and younger adults. His expertise is sought after for cases which are complicated by psychological issues, such as anxiety disorders, bipolar disease and trauma. He also conducts interventions for eating disorders, gambling addiction, sex addiction, and other issues. His personal recovery from addiction dates from October 4, 1981. ＂I believe in intervention for a very simple reason,＂ says Jeff. ＂Intervention saved my life.＂

Debra Jay is a noted author, speaker, and trainer for addiction professionals. She was a guest lecturer for Wayne State University graduate studies on addiction for fourteen years. She has been writing a newspaper advice column on families and addiction since 1996. She has served as board member for Brighton Hospital, St. John Providence Health System, and Dawn Farm. She is a recipient of the 2012 Letitia M. Close B.V.M Award in recognition of a significant ministry in helping women with the disease of addiction.

Debra was the addiction expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show for 3 seasons and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University and the Hazelden Addiction Professionals Training Program.