This Brookline Resident Thrives In Occupational Therapy Program

BROOKLINE, MA – In light of April’s designation as Occupational Therapy Month, meet this Brookline resident who has found success through a Brookline-based occupational therapist-driven program, Skills for Life.

Skills for Life is a program within the Ivy Street School, which offers multiple programs aimed at providing the skills for neurodivergent youth to thrive.

Since its establishment more than six years ago, Skills for Life has helped over 60 participants, including 26-year-old Ben Peveril-Conti.

Peveril-Conti grew up in the Boston suburb of Natick, which he found challenging given the lack of public transportation.

“When you live in a suburb without a car, it is very limiting,” Perevil-Conti said.

His biggest dream was to move out of his hometown, but he didn’t know how to make that dream a reality.

It wasn’t until he joined the Skills for Life program that Peveril-Conti made his dream come true.

“I honestly don’t think it would have happened if not for all of the support from them [Skills for Life]. I got help learning about the public transportation system, and some experience balancing my money better,” he said.

He now lives independently in his own apartment in Brookline and enjoys taking public transportation to explore the city.

“Still to this day it feels surreal. As someone who doesn’t have a car and has some challenges with certain skills, this would never have happened without the help,” he said.

Peveril-Conti finds the Skills for Life program particularly helpful as it focuses on the short- and long-term goals clients identify for themselves. He feels that the occupational therapists he works with truly care about him and his goals.

“The OT person makes my goals their priority as well,” he said.

From gaining practice with cooking and cleaning to learning the ropes of public transportation, the occupational therapists from Skills for Life meet Ben where he is each week, and help him to develop the problem-solving skills he needs to succeed in all aspects of his life, including his continued education (he is currently studying digital arts at Bunker Hill Community College).

“I’m so fortunate to have them,” Peveril-Conti said of the Skills for Life occupational therapists.