If you’re reading this right now, life is probably a bit hard. Maybe a lot hard. And maybe you don’t even know where to start on this search. I looked at all the places. I did my research. We were desperate, but if a residential placement had to happen, I wanted it to be excellent so we would never have to do it again. The first thing which made BNI stand out was that they hired doctoral level therapists to work with the students and their families. I’m in the counseling field myself and knew we would need someone very experienced and knowledgable due to the complicated nature of my daughter’s situation. The second thing that made BNI stand out was Doug who was in charge through the entire admissions process. Of all the places I called, Doug was the only one who didn’t just tell me the (astronomical) price of their program. He immediately asked for my insurance info, called my insurance company, and then came back with a shockingly affordable proposal. BNI is not just out to make a buck. It was clear every step of the way that their true desire was to help these hurting kids and their families. Thirdly, through our time at BNI I came to realize what a difference it made to be in a program owned by adolescent psychiatrists. The doctors were so invested! And not just in figuring out the right meds (which they did superbly). In my daughter’s first week there Dr. O was taking the girls out on an early morning hike to look at plants. This would not happen in any other treatment program! Dr Schwartz was our therapist and she was simply amazing. Able to connect with each member of the family, guide us through hard conversations while validating each of our experiences, and seeing the best in us. We learned new ways to work through the hard parts of life together. She was priceless. This program focuses on teaching the students how to live and cope once they are back home. A skills based approach that really works. My daughter has been home for about 7 months and I will be forever grateful for the changes she went through at BNI. She says, with all seriousness, that she would probably be dead if it weren’t for BNI. While that is hard to hear, it only increases my gratitude for this program. Are things perfect? Of course not! They didn’t send back a robot. But I do have the best version of my daughter back and there is nothing more for which I could ask.