Welcome to NPI

The NPI is a highly-specialist centre for the treatment of people with personality disorders. Personality disorders do not develop overnight. It is often a process of years, during which a pattern develops about how a person thinks and acts and feels. In our treatments, we focus heavily on the background of the complaints and problems that people experience. This makes it possible to identify new ways of dealing with those problems. The aim is to bring about a tangible and permanent improvement in an individual’s functioning.

You can receive treatment at the NPI if you experience problems relating to the way in which your personality has developed. You may experience a permanent feeling of dissatisfaction with yourself, or repeatedly experience the same problems in relationships with others, or perhaps you have difficulty completing your education or retaining a job. This is often expressed in such problems as depression, anxiety or recurring traumatic memories. These problems continue to recur despite previous forms of treatment and/or medication.

Closely involved persons

Are you a partner, parent, family member or friend of a person with a personality problem? The family and people surrounding a client can also contact the NPI, for advice.

Dealing with a person with a personality disorder can be complex, fascinating and also demanding for people in that person’s immediate vicinity. As a person closely involved with someone with a personality disorder, you may be faced with conflicts, tension, a lack of understanding from others and other difficult situations. Family and friends may find it difficult if a person often withdraws into him or herself, always sets high standards for him- or herself and for others, or responds with unexpected emotional outbursts or impulsive behaviour. It is difficult to deal with these situations, and friendships and relationships may come under considerable pressure.

Tips

As a rule, it helps to:

Be well informed about the personality disorder;
Set and monitor your own boundaries. Reach clear agreements;
See negative behaviour in isolation from the individual;
Express your appreciation for things that do go well;
Take a step back;
Continue your own activities and maintain your own social contacts;
Be clear and realistic about what is expected of you if you recognise or offer support in crisis situations.

I you are interested in treatment from the NPI, first discuss the situation with your GP or current treatment provider. They can refer you to the NPI. It is not possible to plan an intake interview directly. We are happy to explain the referral procedure to the NPI. If you have any questions about referral, please contact the Central Registration via telephone on 020 590 5555.

Registration via your GP

You can ask your GP or your current treatment provider for a referral letter.

Information about intake

As soon as we receive a referral letter from your GP or current treatment provider, based on the information in the referral letter and information about any previous treatment, Arkin’s Central Registration (CAA) will determine whether treatment at the NPI is appropriate. We may need to ask further questions. One of the practitioners at CAA will then contact you and/or your GP/referring physician. If the screening reveals that treatment at the NPI is not appropriate for your particular problems, we will inform you and the referring physician accordingly. If treatment at the NPI is appropriate, you will be called to make an appointment. Depending on our waiting lists, this may take some time. The intake interview will be confirmed by letter addressed to you and your referring physician and you will also receive an email containing login details for your own digital account where you can obtain more information to prepare for your intake interview. In the letter in which we confirm your intake interview, you will also be asked to bring the following documents with you (or to have copies made during the intake):

copy of a valid ID document (passport or driving licence);
Citizens Services Number (social security number);
copy of your health insurance card.

Telephone surgery hour for clients

For questions you can contact Central Registration at Arkin, or call us during the weekly client surgery hour: every Wednesday from 12:00 to 13:00 hours on telephone number 020 590 4700.

Costs

For people with insurance in the Netherlands, treatment at the NPI is covered by the Healthcare Insurance Act. In certain cases, your insurer may inform you that they have no contract with the NPI. However, the NPI is part of the Arkin organisation and all Dutch health insurers have a contract with Arkin. Treatment by the NPI will be covered via this contract.