JOHN is Turning One, and You’re Invited
JOHN First Responders and Veterans Treatment Center is turning one! We’re celebrating a year of providing residential and outpatient treatment for Veterans and First Responders in a restored historic home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and we’d love you to join us. Community and referral partners and friends of JOHN are invited to connect with our […]
Admissions Without Barriers: A Client-First Approach to Behavioral Health Treatment
In behavioral health, we talk a lot about being client-centered, but that commitment must start at the very first touchpoint: admissions. Too often, admissions departments look for the “ideal” client. The right diagnosis, acuity, or insurance. A perfect fit on paper for the treatment center. But people don’t come to us because they are ideal. […]
Excuses Veterans and First Responders Use to Avoid Treatment, Debunked
At JOHN (Just One Hero Needed), we are used to getting the excuses Veterans and first responders give to avoid treatment. As an exclusive treatment center for Veterans and first responders, we receive calls after incidents occur and when individuals feel suicidal or fear the loss of their careers or relationships. Interestingly, we may talk […]
The Gripe Session Continues: Mental Health Working Moms, Episode 2
The gripe gals are back in Episode 2 of the Mental Health Working Moms’ Gripe Session Podcast. The podcast is a candid, funny, and compassionate space created by moms for moms. Our host is Sanford Behavioral Health CEO Tracy Rogers, LPC, LMHC, NCC. Significantly, Tracy is the mother of an 11-year-old boy who spent much of […]
Creating Space for Connection: LGBTQ+ Focused Programming Coming to Sanford
During Pride Month, Sanford Behavioral Health is reflecting on the importance of creating spaces where all individuals feel seen, respected, and supported. As part of our ongoing commitment to inclusive, affirming care, we are developing LGBTQ+ focused programming. An optional group will be available to individuals participating in residential treatment. Mental health, substance use disorder, […]
The Role of Nurses in Mental Health Treatment: 5 Questions for Kate Hanna, BSN, RN
National Nurses Week is in May, but the impact nurses make is felt every day of the year. We sat down with Sanford Behavioral Health’s Director of Nursing, Kate Hanna, to ask her 5 questions about nurses’ roles in mental health care. Nurses are often the steady, compassionate presence clients see in moments of crisis, […]
After the Watch Podcast: Real Conversations on Mental Health for Veterans and First Responders
We are excited to introduce our new podcast, After the Watch, for Veterans and first responders. Here, we can be open and honest about the realities of the job as we discuss leadership culture, trauma, PTSD, substance use, and mental health. We have created the podcast to provide a safe space to break down the […]
Mental Health Benefits of Art Therapy
Art therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses art media as its primary form of communication. It allows our clients with addiction, eating disorders, and mental health conditions to express their thoughts and feelings through art making. In so doing, art therapy provides a safe space to process and explore emotions without words. At […]
Introducing Hero: A New Therapy Dog at JOHN Veterans and First Responders Program
When Matt VanLiere became Executive Director of the JOHN Veterans and First Responders program at Sanford Behavioral Health, he knew there was one thing missing. As a former police officer and person in recovery, Matt understands the unique needs of those who have served. He has seen what the specialized programming at JOHN can do […]
Connecting Communities to Mental Health Care: 4 Questions with Jacob Passerman
In the behavioral health field, the word “sales” can make people uncomfortable. It sounds transactional in a field built on compassion and trust. But the reality is this: If people do not know we exist, they cannot access the care that could change or save their lives. At Sanford Behavioral Health, we are unapologetic about […]
