Participants Return from Turkey And Greece
WOODLAND HILLS, CA—-OPI participants described their recent two-week adventure in Turkey and Greece as “Incredible” and “A once-in-a-lifetime experience”. OPI Program Director Katie Mikolyski accompanied them aboard the 65-foot traditional Turkish boat that afforded the Young Adults the opportunity to tour ancient ruins and visit local villages. This private trip was organized for OPI by…
Read MoreOPI Offers Internships
WOODLAND HILLS, CA: The Optimum Performance Institute has teamed with the Addiction Studies Program Pierce College to offer internships for students who are working to be certified addiction specialists there. Under the clinical supervision of Martin Cisneros, CAC, RAS, OPI’s Director of Chemical Dependency Services, and Jeff Kestenbaum, LCSW, Director of Counseling Services, the students…
Read MoreOPI Hosts Film Maker
A 28-year-old film-maker, Aaron Rockett, discussed his newest documentary “The Fixer: Afghanistan Behind the Scenes” after showing it to OPI staff and participants, recently. The 45-minute film is about the 3 months Rockett spent in Kabul trailing a BBC journalist and a local assistant they called “The Fixer” because he did everything from keeping them…
Read MoreOPI Bowlers Feted
WOODLAND HILLS, CA—-Five OPI Participants who had formed an OPI Bowling League were treated to breakfast at the International House of Pancakes to celebrate the end of a great 10-week competitive season. Other Participants are members of OPI’s Basketball League. The Optimum Performance Institute is a highly individualized therapeutic and educational residential program for young…
Read MoreYoung Adults with Bipolar Disorder
Psychiatry has gained much knowledge of some of the biochemical mechanisms that account for Bipolar Disorder. Today, many symptoms are treated utilizing a complex mix of psychotropic medications. However, at the Optimum Performance Institute, we believe this is only the beginning. DESCRIBING YOUNG ADULTS WITH B.D. For years, Young Adults with B.D. do their best…
Read MoreOPI Increases Self Esteem and Independence
Woodland Hills, CA – Participants at the Optimum Performance Institute experience a significant increase in their self esteem and levels of independence after six months at the Institute according to a recent statistical survey. When those surveyed arrived at OPI their average level of self esteem was 2.4 out of 4.0 and level of independence…
Read MoreProgram Director at Menninger OCD Meeting
WOODLAND HILLS, CA – The Optimum Performance Institute was represented by Katie Mikolyski, Program Director, at a recent conference on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder held at the Menninger Clinic in Houston, Tex. Ms. Mikolyski attended weekend workshops about OCD and studied with John Hart, Senior Behavioral Therapist at Menninger’s.
Read MoreOPI Announces New Program Director
Woodland Hills, CA – The Optimum Performance Institute is proud to announce that Katie Mikolyski is our new Program Director. Ms. Mikolyski has worked at OPI almost since its inception serving first as an Administrative Assistant and then as Director of Milieu Supervision and Staff Development. She will continue to organize special activities including teaching…
Read MoreOPI Attends APA Convention
Woodland Hills, CA – For the first time since opening, executives of the Optimum Performance Institute participated in the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Assn. (APA). The 160th convention in San Diego was attended by more than 20,000 professionals. Dr. Robert Fischer, M.D, OPI’s Executive Director and co-founder, is a long-time member of APA…
Read MoreOPI Participants Attend Lecture at the Kavli Institute
A few weeks ago some young adults piled into one of our vans to take the 1 ½ hour drive up the California coast to University of California, Santa Barbara, and hear a lecture about how the quantum spin of electrons can be used to convey information and help create the most powerful computers ever…
Read MoreOPI Re-conceptualizes Volunteering Program
Because we recently re-conceptualized our Volunteering Program at OPI, Participants as well as staff have been seen serving food at the Midnight Mission, wrapping presents at the Boys and Girls Club and exchanging goodies as part of our “Do a Good Deed Month”. Volunteering has always been part of OPI. But until recently it was…
Read MoreOPI Announces New Volunteer and Career Coordinator
Woodland Hills, CA – Altesah Hatcher is the new Volunteer and Career Coordinator at OPI, helping residents volunteer at a variety of organizations in the Los Angeles area. Altesah also is organizing monthly volunteer opportunities that the entire OPI milieu participates in. Our first outing took place in November at Los Angeles’ Midnight Mission. The…
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