On a good day, if you ask Vincent Casolaro, Inter-Care’s Vice President, how he is doing he will tell you, “Never been better.” On a bad day, he’ll tell you the same. Maybe that’s because he considers the work
he does, group and individual counseling, as well as conducting interventions, tremendously healing. How many people can say that about their jobs?
Recently he flew out to San Francisco to perform a family intervention. One minute a family is at each other’s throats, the next minute a father is embracing his daughter while the entire family breaks down.
“Now is it going to stay like that? I’d like to think so,” Vincent remarks. “Is it always going to be that way? No, not unless you work on this. But what I saw them do is come together. The father showed up for his daughter. But beyond that, if he doesn’t go to Al-Anon, if she doesn’t go to AA, if you don’t come through with your own therapy, it’s not going to get better.”
Back in 1973, when Vincent got his start working for a union-based program that helped “troubled” employees, the most popular intervention model was the Johnson Model, otherwise known as a “surprise party”. The Johnson Model is what most people picture when they think about an intervention. “Throw them in a bag, and drag them to treatment,” Vincent explains, “And even though he’s kicking and screaming, you know that’s HIS problem. They’ll straighten him out in treatment.”
Vincent met Robert Smith at his next place of employment, a Pennsylvania based inpatient program. Smith, who shared similar views and values, was working at an employee assistance program. Vincent immediately sensed that their meeting would result in a life changing partnership.
About nine months after that fateful meeting, Smith invited Vincent and his wife, Joanne, out for dinner. He asked Vincent to be his partner in an outpatient program, known today as Inter-Care.
Inter-Care has earned a reputation for developing a more “inclusive” invitational model of intervention. This model is an offshoot of the Systemic Invitational Model, which has been around for well over 25 years. Unlike the Johnson Model, where a client is straight-jacketed and thrown into treatment, this new “invitational” approach allows a person the dignity of choosing for themselves.
“Bob and I altered the model to fit what we thought was appropriate for Inter-Care,” Vincent explains. “The process is dynamic, because you have to gain credibility and trust in a short period of time. You have to establish yourself. You have to be consistent and convincing, and provide protection, potency, and permission.”
When asked what their biggest obstacle is in treating the family, Vincent doesn’t hesitate: “Resistance, the fear of a stranger coming in and learning about them. Their fear about being exposed and seen as impostors or failures. Shame is a major piece that we address in the intervention process.”
One of Vincent’s greatest challenges is helping families see that it isn’t just their loved one that needs to get help. “Joe may have the drinking problem, but his drinking has affected all of them in adverse ways. If they can buy into that, it’s impossible for this thing not to work. I will do anything I can to help Joe, but first I have to help them. I don’t know if I will ever get to speak with Joe, but I know that I’m speaking with them. If they’re motivated to come in for an informational session, then we will build on that.”
Vincent, along with his partners, Robert Smith and Nicholas Lessa, believes this is a family disease and the chemically dependent person is only one part of the equation. He takes
a piece of paper and a pen and writes a simple equation:
“1 + 1 = 2. Enabling + Chemical Dependency = FAMILY Illness.”
He tells me about an intervention he conducted a few years back, with a gentleman who broke down while looking at his family genogram which shows alcoholism, depression and suicide in the color red. “He felt that it was almost as if the board was bleeding,” Vincent explains. “There was so much red colored in; he just broke down and started crying. His family embraced him, and he agreed to go for help. Since then, every single member of his family got into therapy. His three sisters, his son, and his wife went back into Al-Anon.”
Vincent pauses a moment, affected by the memory. “It’s so intense,” he admits. “Just to go back there and think of what we have to deal with. It’s hard to hang in there” He reaches for a tissue. “Can I tell you something? I will let myself get like this if it’s devastating. These are tears of joy for him, because now, years later, his life has completely changed.”
As we are wrapping up the interview, Vincent hands me a copy of a thank you letter from a woman whose family he recently worked with.
“Life in its pure essence is present for me right now,“ she writes. “How hard it all was these last few months, and how easy it all seems right now. You kept saying how it
would be for us too. I didn’t get it. Or perhaps was scared by it. It’s two days later, and
I feel so light.”
“You have taught my family so much. What a gift you are. I know there may be tough times ahead, including the daily challenges for each of us to stay in recovery. But I have the moments from the weekend to guide me.”
While I finish reading, Vincent sits, staring off into space. I ask him what he was thinking.
“I just really hope that, based on the concerted effort that we’re putting forward, that more people will be able to feel more hope, and get more direction, because it can be done.”


I-C Alumni Association
A Gratitude Recovery Party

The Alumni Association celebrated Inter-Care’s 15th Anniversary by throwing a well-attended Gratitude Recovery Party on Thursday evening, July 29, 2004. The festivities began with Ken C. chairing the Gratitude Meeting and introducing the two speakers, long-time alumni, Bill and Christen. They spoke enthusiastically about their recoveries, and how Inter-Care was such an important part of their regaining productive lives. Inter-Care, along with the Alumni Association, has helped over 15,000 people (addicts and their families) achieve sober and vital lives.
Toward the close of the meeting, Yvette D., an alumna, spoke about the importance of the Buddy System initiated by the Alumni Association. As part of this initiative, several of the alumni have spoken to various clinical groups attending Inter-Care. They explained how helpful they could be in guiding new clients to more calmly understand all the recovery aspects. They take clients to appropriate 12-step meetings; they help others get out of their isolation and learn sober socializing. The alumni say that this “giving back” as part of the Buddy System is a valuable part of their own recovery.
Good food, fellowship, and a raffle followed the Gratitude Meeting. The raffle prizes were generously donated by Choices Recovery Bookstore. The Alumni Association can be proud of providing a sober, social experience that so clearly exemplifies the recovery message of helping each other by giving back what has so generously been given to them one day at a time.


I-C - Children’s Program
Helping Parents and children together

On March 6, 2004, Inter-Care launched the Children’s Program, an innovative program which is modeled after the Betty Ford Center Children’s Program. Eight children participated in the first six-week cycle. Activities included the “bag of rocks”, and the “share letter”. These activities encourage children to consider their parent’s struggle with addiction and to share their own struggle as a family member. The children were all wonderful and courageous. Each child sat across from their parent and read their letter to addiction. Some kids told addiction to leave their parent alone and never come back into their lives. Other kids shared that they would not let addiction get them, and that they would confront addiction if it tried to grab them like it had done to their parents.
In addition, the children’s parents participated in a parent support group, which was designed to help parents understand the struggles their children were experiencing as result of their addiction. Parents participated in activities that explored hidden feelings and attitudes about addiction and its impact on their children.
Overall, the children rated the program as “Fun and helpful”. When asked, “What was the most important thing you learned about addiction?”, the children said, “You can be strong and not give in to addiction”, ”It is hard to say no”, and “It is hard to stop”.