About Us

Our Vision

To be able to say “Acadiana has proven that a community can eliminate harm to children associated with parental conflict.”

Our Mission

To eliminate harm to Acadiana’s children associated with parental conflict.

Our Goal

Make Acadiana an inhospitable place for high conflict parents, with effective legal and mental health responses to Parental Alienation, Domestic Violence, and Child Abuse.

Better Options Initiative’s Ongoing Efforts

  • Hosting free public seminars about the effects of parental conflict on children
  • Sponsoring family and parenting intervention programs for the Acadiana community
  • Improving coordination among professionals involved with family conflict including judges, attorneys, mental health workers, and the clergy
  • Organizing local professional workshops with CEU credits
  • Funding community education programs with organizations such as ULL and The Family Tree
  • Facilitating research with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s psychology program
  • Coordinating with the Department of Children and Family Services

Our Team

Eric Green, Ph.D., serves as the executive director at Better Options Initiative. He is also a part-time faculty associate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education in Baltimore, MD, where he teaches and conducts research in child psychotherapy with complexly traumatized youth.

Eric Green, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Mr. Kleiner graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration majoring in Finance. He studied Civil Engineering and Geology at Louisiana State University.

Art A. Kleiner

VP Administration

As Officer Manager for Drs. Luke Elliott and Renee Gaudet for eighteen years, Mrs. Bryant’s responsibilities included Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, client intakes, scheduling appointments, purchasing, reporting, payroll, and taxes.

Mrs. Brenda Bryant

Executive Assistant

Rachel L. Stephens, LMSW, is a former grief counselor at The Kemmons Wilson Center for Good Grief in Collierville, TN, and currently serves as a research associate at Better Options Initiative Inc, where she conducts research on parental alienation to help eliminate harm to children.

Rachel L. Stephens

Assistant to the Executive Director

After graduating from high school, Julie worked in the banking industry in various positions for over 36 years with more than 22 of those years serving as Human Resources Manager. She also worked as the Executive Assistant to the Chairman, President & CEO of a publicly traded bank.

Julie Freyou-Romero

Bookkeeper

Our Advisors

Rev. Jude A. Halphen is Director of the Office of Marriage and Family Life of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette.

Rev. Dr. Jude Halphen, Ph.D

Don O’Day is a business graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington with majors in economics, management, and accounting.

Mr. Don O’Day, CPA

Dr. Elliott received his undergraduate degree at L.S.U. then earned his Ph.D. in Psychology at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis).

Luke Elliott, Jr., Ph.D.

Irv Esters is Professor and Department Head of Counselor Education at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he leads a team of faculty in educating Mental Health Counselors and School Counselors.

Irv Esters, Ph.D

Lauren B. Mouton is a graduate student pursuing a Master of Arts in Counseling from the accredited Colorado Christian University program.

Lauren B. Mouton

Ken Bouillion is a native of New Iberia, La. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree from St. Benedict’s College in Atchison, Kansas, and his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Texas Tech University.

Ken Bouillion, Ph.D.

A native of Lafayette and graduate of Cathedral High School, Nick is credited with establishing the first microwave loop in the Gulf of Mexico just two years after his graduation from USL (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette).

Nick Pugh

Sarah is a recent graduate from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. While at UL, she assisted with the research and experimentation of misinformation and its effects on eye witnesses’ memory.

Sarah Sanner

UL Psychology Interns

Maddison has gotten involved with research particularly brain functions and early brain development with a goal of one day being able to work directly with children as a certified therapist. Aside from her studies, Maddison’s other interests are running, playing music, and reading.

Maddison Knott

Her few years of working in a research lab and befriending people in need have fostered a passion for serving the most vulnerable and neglected populations. After she graduates this December, Ashley plans to earn her Master’s in social work to empower those in need, to uphold human dignity, and to promote human well-being.

Ashley Hughes

Our Partners

ULL Department of Psychology

BOI funds ULL grants for family research and education.

Family Transitions: Programs that Work, LLC

BOI sponsors the New Beginnings Program of parenting education for the Acadiana community. The New Beginnings Program is administered by Family Transitions: Programs that Work, LLC headquartered in Mesa, Arizona. Additional information may be found at the following link: www.familytransitions-ptw.com

Donna Aucoin & Associates

The New Beginnings Program is hosted by Donna Aucoin & Associates, a Lafayette based multi-disciplinary organization providing an array of family focused education training modalities. Information about Donna Aucoin & Associates may be found at the following link: http://aucoin-assoc.com

ULL Department of Psychology

BOI funds ULL grants for family research and education.

Family Transitions: Programs that Work, LLC

BOI sponsors the New Beginnings Program of parenting education for the Acadiana community. The New Beginnings Program is administered by Family Transitions: Programs that Work, LLC headquartered in Mesa, Arizona. Additional information may be found at the following link: www.familytransitions-ptw.com

Donna Aucoin & Associates

The New Beginnings Program is hosted by Donna Aucoin & Associates, a Lafayette based multi-disciplinary organization providing an array of family focused education training modalities. Information about Donna Aucoin & Associates may be found at the following link: http://aucoin-assoc.com

The Family Tree

BOI works with The Family Tree to strengthen families to build a stronger Acadiana community. Learn about The Family Tree at: https://www.acadianafamilytree.org/

The Avenue

The focus of Better Options Initiative Inc. (BOI) is primarily preventative in nature. BOI recognizes that the mental health discipline alone is insufficient to change a societal attitude about parental alienation. Social justice perspectives from the sociological, spiritual, political, and legal disciplines ideally should be integrated as well. Rachel Stephens, the assistant to the Executive Director, and Pastor Robert Johnson at the Louisiana Avenue Methodist Church, had collaborated to help spread the word about a relatively unknown psychological phenomenon at a community event. Link at : https://louisianaavenueumc.com/

The Family Tree

BOI works with The Family Tree to strengthen families to build a stronger Acadiana community. Learn about The Family Tree at: https://www.acadianafamilytree.org/

The Avenue

The focus of Better Options Initiative Inc. (BOI) is primarily preventative in nature. BOI recognizes that the mental health discipline alone is insufficient to change a societal attitude about parental alienation. Social justice perspectives from the sociological, spiritual, political, and legal disciplines ideally should be integrated as well. Rachel Stephens, the assistant to the Executive Director, and Pastor Robert Johnson at the Louisiana Avenue Methodist Church, had collaborated to help spread the word about a relatively unknown psychological phenomenon at a community event. Link at : https://louisianaavenueumc.com/

Contact Us

Phone: (337) 534-0325

 

Fax: (337) 534-0427

 

219 W. Brentwood Blvd. Lafayette, LA 70506

 

facebook.com/betteroptionsinitiative

To eliminate harm to Acadiana's children due to parental conflict.