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Who is Jeff VanVonderen, Interventionist

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Jeff VanVonderen is a licensed interventionist, addiction specialist, and spiritual counselor.

In his work with addicts and their families on the A&E reality television series Intervention, Jeff VanVonderen projects self-assurance and a quiet authority that comes from his twenty-five years of experience in the field of addiction and recovery. VanVonderen's communication style is straightforward and direct. His unflappable calm and steady focus on the primary goal of persuading the chemically dependent person to accept treatment seems to have been especially effective with some of the more aggressive and hostile addicts we've seen on the show. A recovering addict himself, Jeff VanVonderen relapsed with alcohol in late 2008. He took a leave from Intervention and returned in June 2009.

Quit hating on Jeff VanVonderen!

He's the Nick Nolte of interventionists.

In forum discussions and blog comment threads about Jeff VanVonderen, there's always somebody talking trash about his character or questioning his credibility as a qualified professional. I can see where they're coming from, but I don't agree; I think the guy is misunderstood.
Compared to fellow interventionists Candy Finnigan and Ken Seeley, VanVonderen's approach to crisis counseling is less openly empathic and more task-oriented. Perhaps some viewers are turned off by VanVonderen's repeated use of the same rehearsed speech, quoted on the t-shirt design here, to explain the intervention process to clients (the speech has been a popular target for parodies, some of which are freaking hilarious). And then there's the relapse. I can't blame anyone for having wondered if Jeff VanVonderen just couldn't hack the sober life, but I believe he is sincere in his commitment to recovery.

Poll for Intervention Fans

Do you dig Jeff VanVonderen, or are you so sick of that speech you might suddenly develop a crack habit just to distract yourself from it? And, does anyone get what I mean about Jeff and Nick Nolte? Oh, wait... a poll can't have more than one question, can it. Never mind about Nick, then.

Update: Ken Seely is no longer on Intervention, but I'm keeping him in the poll to show my respect. You go, Ken!

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Books by Jeff VanVonderen

If you like Jeff on Intervention, check out his books. He's got some interesting things to say. A wise man, that VanVonderen is.
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My Intervention

It wasn't much like the tv series at all.

Ok, here's the Cliffs Notes version of my so-called intervention: Teen girl raised in Boston goes to college in Ohio, where there is nothing but cornfields and lots of rich kids from New York who do expensive drugs. Girl does expensive drugs with NY rich kids, since they let her have them for free. Discovers she likes cocaine a great deal. Six months later: coke all gone, money all gone, 20 lbs thinner, no real friends. Campus security guys break the lock on the door to her dorm room and drag her outside where an ambulance takes her to a mental hospital. For some reason the staff makes her surrender her street clothes and then she never gets them back.
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Sound off on the Jeffster and Intervention.

Share your stories, thoughts, rants, raves... and if you have any comments on Nick Nolte, you're welcome to submit those as well.

  • Kim Apr 13, 2012 @ 11:29 pm | delete
    Jeff saved my brother-in-law's and my sister's life-- way before he was "famous"-- it was around the year 2000. I called Betty Ford--they gave me his name. I called. He answered. We flew him in from CA to TX the next day. Jeff was awesome! It was a serious intervention. Jeff 's number is still in my contacts on my iPhone. In fact, I just texted him. Give the man a break-- relapse is a part of recovery!
  • whosobernow Mar 19, 2012 @ 11:12 pm | delete
    Maybe Ronnie Dio has an attitude because he needs to sober up and just "Can't handle the Truth."
  • Ronnie Dio Jan 19, 2011 @ 3:02 pm | delete
    I agree Billy. Does anybody really even like this condescending prick?
  • cjsysreform Jan 20, 2011 @ 6:23 am | delete
    The poll results above suggest that lots of people do like Jeff VanVonderen. If you don't, fine -- but there's really no need to throw insults around.
  • whosobernow Mar 19, 2012 @ 11:08 pm | delete
    bughead
  • jmwe29 Dec 21, 2010 @ 1:38 pm | delete
    After coming out of a church that was questionable at best, I found the book The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse and found all I needed to know about spiritual abuse, how it works and how deceptive it can be. Jeff is co-author of the book, and to me it's the ultimate handbook on the subject. It answered all my questions and explained all the wonderings I'd had for years about what was going on in there. Really opened my eyes- this man has a very valuable understanding of the operation of this kind of thing and is very plain and easy to understand in his writing. Never seen the show, just know that book turned my life around. Thank you, Jeff.
  • cjsysreform Jan 20, 2011 @ 6:35 am | delete
    Interesting! Thanks for your comments about this book. I was raised agnostic and have never experienced spiritual abuse, so I couldn't quite "get it" on a gut level. But I had the sense that the book could be very helpful to people like yourself.
  • JP Samara Apr 25, 2012 @ 6:45 pm | delete
    Are you talking about Church of the Open Door? I am why you would characterize it as questionable? Not trying to bait you .... I know words can get lost when written. I am seriously interested if it is Open Door you are talking about and what you see as questionable?
  • Debbi Moulds Jun 10, 2010 @ 8:21 am | delete
    I've know Jeff for over 25 years and am thankful for his compassion. Jeff was my first therapist and I was blessed to learn from him for the first 5 years of my own recovery. I see Jeff as a man that has given a lot to the needy and since he isn't God he has permission to relapse and pray that, in that experience, comes out stronger and wiser. And Nolte doesn't hold a candle to Jeff's looks and character.
  • cjsysreform Jul 7, 2010 @ 7:56 pm | delete
    Thanks Debbi for the insightful comment. Jeff's humility does come through quite clearly in his work on Intervention.
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cjsysreform

Hi, I'm Amanda Sage (aka cjsysreform). Please feel free to follow me on Twitter or visit Pop! Goes the Culture, my arts and entertainment blog. more »

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