Licensed to Protect: Why My Clients Have Legal Rights Most Families Don’t Know About

In a world where anyone with a lanyard and a weekend certification can call themselves a “professional interventionist,” real accountability has become a rare commodity—especially in the addiction recovery industry.

That’s why I operate differently. And that difference isn’t just philosophy. It’s legal.

I’m licensed as a Private Investigator in California, New York, Florida, and Texas. That’s not a marketing line—it’s a legal designation with teeth. If I screw over a client, I don’t just lose credibility—I lose my license. And that means real consequences: lawsuits, financial penalties, investigations, and the full weight of state law on my back.

Holding active Private Investigator licenses in multiple states gives me legal access and operational authority that most interventionists simply do not—and by law, cannot. I’m able to conduct surveillance (not “stalking”—there’s a legal difference), access protected records, and operate under exemptions to privacy laws that don’t apply to the unlicensed. I can legally monitor, locate, and engage individuals in crisis in ways that others can’t without crossing legal lines. In many states, I’m also authorized to provide protective services so long as they’re incidental to the investigation, meaning I can legally ensure physical safety during high-risk interventions. No guesswork, no legal gray area—just state-backed authority, real-world application, and built-in accountability.

That same license also gives my clients something almost no one else in this space can legally offer: statutory confidentiality.

It’s not just a handshake agreement. It’s built into the law. My clients—both families and the individuals struggling—are protected by privacy standards on par with attorney-client privilege. Try getting that from a “certified recovery coach” or an IOP with a clipboard.

Most interventionists aren’t licensed. Why? Because there’s no formal state license for intervention. There are certifications from private associations that look official and sound regulatory, but at the end of the day? No legal backing. No enforcement. No consequence.

And most of the industry? They’re comfortable in that gray zone. They like it vague. They like calling themselves “clinical” while distributing meds from a sober living house with no medical staff. They like throwing around the word “ethical” until it gets in the way of a business decision.

Me? I like clarity.

I like accountability.

I like knowing that the families who trust me have legal protections, not just marketing copy.

So when I say I raise the bottom, I don’t just mean emotionally. I mean legally, logistically, and ethically. I run a tight ship. Because when you’re dealing with life and death, anything less is malpractice—whether the industry wants to admit that or not.

If you’re a family in crisis, here’s what you need to ask the next person you call:

• Are you licensed or just certified?

• If something goes wrong, who holds you accountable?

• Can I sue you if you break confidentiality or cause harm?

• Are you offering protection, or just advice?

If they can’t answer those questions, they’re not protecting you—they’re protecting themselves.

And if that feels harsh, good. Because addiction doesn’t care about your credentials. It only responds to action, truth, and people willing to put skin in the game.

I do this differently. Not just because it works. But because it protects the people I serve—on every level.