Part One: Q and A with Anne LaRiviere, Director of Admissions at OPI Living Programs
Anne LaRivere, Director of Admissions at the Optimum Performance Institute
As Director of Admissions for all OPI Living Programs, I’ve decided to introduce a new blog post series to share commonly asked questions we receive from parents and referring therapists.
Question: In the past you did not accept young adults with Borderline Traits or Personality Disorder but now you do. Why?
Answer: OPI Living opened a separate, highly individualized and intensive program to help young men and women with Borderline Traits, Borderline Personality Disorder and co-occurring conditions move rapidly into the real world (see the OPI Intensive website for more information and details). OPI Intensive has a strong Dialectical Behavior Therapy (also known as DBT) foundation while integrating the multitude of services that OPI has developed over the past decade to help Participants quickly mobilize, discover personal goals and find a life worth living. We are told OPI Intensive is the only program in the country treating young men with BPD. OPI Intensive is also the only program specializing in Borderline Personality Disorder named BEST IN TREATMENT by Psychology Today magazine.
Question: My son still needs to graduate from high school. Can he do that at OPI?
Answer: We always have some participants working with our Department of Education Services on their high school diploma. After getting their transcripts, we work directly with his/her high school or the young adult can get a diploma directly from the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Question: I want my daughter to go to OPI but she is balking. How can I get her interested?
Answer: Three steps: (1) If there are two parents involved, both parents must absolutely believe that this is the only viable option that they will agree to. (2) Provide as much information and choices for the Young adult so he/she can exercise some autonomy in selecting the program. (3) He/she needs to know there “really is a light at the end of the tunnel.” I can send a personalized letter and information to your child that you can give to him/her when you feel it is appropriate. Also, allow us to communicate with your child as well as referring therapists or professionals so we work as a team in supporting a favorable outcome.
For more info, visit our webpage dedicated to the OPI Living Admission Process.
If you would like further information or have questions that you’d like me to answer, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or email me directly at Anne(at)OPILiving(dot)com. You may also fill out our contact form below with your inquiry. We’re here to help!