Q & A with Alisa Foreman, MA, MFT – Director of Outpatient Services for OPI Living Programs
Earlier this month, Alisa Foreman, Director of Outpatient Services for OPI Living Programs, took the time to talk with me about the perseverance, confidence and fulfillment of her clients, the value of tool boxes for participants and our Intensive Outpatient Program’s successful Invivo peer group.
Q: What have you learned from the participants, Alisa?
A: I have learned the importance of patience and perseverance. I see many participants who have been through tremendous struggles or trauma; those who are able to remain patient and persevere at their goals are able to work through their issues and move forward with their lives in a healthy and balanced way.
Q: How have you motivated, inspired, and supported our participants?
A: I always try to see each participant as an individual, acknowledging and appreciating their strengths as well as their challenges. I support them by providing empathy and compassion without judgment and meeting them where they are in their process.
Q: Have you been inspired by our participants?
A: I have definitely been inspired by participants who fully embraced the program, utilized their support systems, challenged themselves and acquired the skills to move on with their lives feeling more confident and self-sufficient.
Q: What changes have you seen in participants?
A: The level of transformation varies, based on each participant’s own willingness, motivation and initiative to change. Some of my clients who have started out not believing in themselves or knowing what direction their life is headed, end up feeling confident, self-assured and focused towards a balanced life path that brings them joy and fulfillment.
Q: Have you received any follow-up reports from past participants?
A: As a matter of fact, I just recently heard from a former participant who made wonderful progress while at OPI and continues to grow and evolve. She has been able to re-create the structure that she learned here, translate that to her life and continue to experience the balance and fulfillment that she developed as a participant.
Q: Please discuss the concept of tool boxes—what do participants receive (e.g., life skills education, career development, etc.)?
A: Most participants come in with repeated experiences of failure related to an absence of healthy coping skills for managing emotions and handling day-to-day living. At OPI, we give participants a variety of essential tools that they learn to utilize so they can live independently and cope with the ups and downs of life.
Q: Share with me your thoughts about the development of the Invivo peer group within our OPI Living Programs.
A: We developed Invivo to provide a playful, non-judgmental learning space for participants to discuss social topics and practice social skills in a safe, fun environment. Through education and experiential exercises, they learn how to interact with others in an appropriate, effective manner, as well as how to manage issues around social anxiety. One of the strongest benefits of our Invivo group is the process of peer modeling and mentoring—with participants who have varying degrees of social skill levels and experiences, all participants are able to learn from each other.