The Consequences of High-Intensity Drinking
In an old Ella Fitzgerald song that has stood the test of time, she sings, “You say either, I say either. You say neither, and I say neither. Either, either, neither, neither, let’s call the whole thing off!” It springs to mind when we talk about a new category of alcohol consumption called “high-intensity” drinking. […]
Wake Up Call – When a CEO Takes the Night Shift
As a CEO, it’s easy to get disconnected from your organization’s front lines. But what happens when a CEO takes a step back into the trenches, answering the call for help in the dead of night? For this CEO, taking overnight admissions calls at Sanford Behavioral Health became a transformative experience that changed the way […]
Why Do Mental Health Treatment Centers Collaborate?
At Sanford Behavioral Health, we take pride in providing access to care for individuals with addiction, eating disorders, and mental health conditions, whether Sanford is the right place for them or not. Likewise, we partner with trusted organizations that offer additional pieces to the mental health treatment puzzle. In so doing, we create a more […]
Michigan Cannabis (Marijuana) Update: Stats, Recreational Use & Addiction
In 2008, Michiganders voted to legalize medical cannabis. Ten years later, they voted “yes” for its recreational use and were first allowed to buy adult-use cannabis from a storefront in 2019. Since then, Michigan retailers have sold more than $11.5 billion in adult-use and medical cannabis products, making it one of the top four […]
Why Not Try Dry January?
An interesting thing happened to me this holiday season. I had a late-night Target pickup, and as I exited the parking lot and headed to the highway, I made an honest driving mistake. My Target has one of those go-right-to-go-left situations where you must cross four lanes of fast-moving traffic to get to a U-turn […]
Excuses? Our Admissions Team Has Heard Them All
It’s that time of year when families gather. Pageants at spiritual centers and schools and an array of events herald holidays and the coming of the new year. The admissions specialists at Sanford Behavioral Health have probably heard every excuse for putting off the inevitable treatment for addiction, especially this time of year. We have […]
Hope for Creating Personal Boundaries in the Addicted Home
Recently, Sanford Behavioral Health Founder Rae Green and I presented an educational in-service for the Mental Health Association of Michigan. Our focus was on boundaries (personal or external) for recovering families. After the presentation, I began thinking deeply about boundaries and recovery. I became even stronger in my belief that families dealing with addiction have […]
Mocktail Recipes to Toast the Holidays
It’s party time, and the good news for those who are in early recovery or alcohol-free is the trend toward the damp/dry lifestyle and the growth of sober bars and mocktails on the menu. In Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan, many establishments serve non-alcoholic drinks, and Chartreuse Sisters serves homemade sweet treats and mocktails with enticing […]
Worried About a Loved One’s Drinking During the Holidays?
At Sanford Behavioral Health, we get feedback from the loved ones of previous clients this time of year. They tell us about the difference between holidays in recovery versus the years prior when their loved ones were in active addiction. We hear, “It is such a relief. I used to get so anxious about holiday […]
Are You Supporting or Enabling Your Addicted Loved One?
Over the many years I have spent working with family members of individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), the number one question I get is, “What can we do to help?” The question leads to a discussion about supporting and enabling behaviors to engage in while attempting to get a loved one to acknowledge a […]
