Why Eating Disorder Awareness Is Important
An eating disorder can be difficult to spot but can profoundly affect a person’s physical and mental health. Knowing the types of eating disorders, getting help for yourself or someone you love, and being aware of available resources are essential for ensuring that those affected receive the proper treatment. At Sanford Behavioral Health, […]
5 Signs of an Eating Disorder
An eating disorder is a serious mental health condition affecting millions of people in the United States and worldwide. Understanding the signs of an eating disorder is essential to help yourself or a loved one and access appropriate outpatient treatment options. Sanford Behavioral Health offers comprehensive outpatient treatment programs for eating disorders and can help […]
Could Parenting Styles Cause Eating Disorders?
Research has shown that children and youth who diet are much more likely to develop eating disorders. In fact, the earlier that dieting begins, the more likely a significant eating disorder can occur. Body positivity begins at home; parenting styles can help to develop body positivity naturally. It is normal and expected that […]
8 Positive Affirmations for Eating Disorder Recovery
An eating disorder can be debilitating, making it difficult to recover and maintain healthy eating habits. If you are struggling with an eating disorder, some affirmations can help you on your journey to recovery. With affirmations for eating disorder recovery, you can focus on staying positive, maintaining a healthy mindset, and taking steps toward healing. […]
Don’t Call it Gym Class: Recreational Therapy for Eating Disorders
Recreational therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation, is essential to the comprehensive treatment of those with eating disorders at Sanford Behavioral Health. People seeking treatment may feel lost and disconnected from their identity, values, bodies, and leisure interests because of their eating disorder(s). This is where the recreational therapist steps in as part of […]
Art Therapy: It’s Not What You Think
Art therapy has always been a part of Sanford Behavioral Health’s programming. One of the tenants of art therapists is to ask a group to “show me.” Of course, when asking someone to “show” something, they are asking them to show themselves. Sanford embraces creative expression as a viable and effective framework for treatment. Because […]
ARFID – Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is avoidance of food/nutrition. Still, the avoidance is based on fear of choking or vomiting triggered by smells and textures, not anxiety about weight gain. It results in a loss of weight or a failure to gain weight at the rate expected along the developmental trajectory for a […]
Avoiding the Whack-a-Mole Eating Disorder Game
I’ve never liked the carnival game whack-a-mole. Bashing heads with a cartoon hammer while an endless succession of new rodents appears. It is too stressful and unpredictable. But I could relate when a friend in recovery said they thought eating disorders, popping up during addiction treatment, reminded them of playing whack-a-mole. Because just when […]
Rae Green Interview: Embracing Body Acceptance – West MI Women
Thank yous to West Michigan Magazine for the informed interview with Sanford Behavioral Health Founder, Rae Green. In honor of Body Acceptance Week, a new initiative from the National Eating Disorders Association, Rae gave her perspective on body acceptance as the holiday season approaches. Click the link below for the full article. “Sanford […]
Anorexia in Larger Bodies? Busting Misdiagnosis and Stigma
When you think of anorexia, what is the mental picture you have? Images of an emaciated individual come to mind: a whisp of a young woman, clothes hanging off a skeletal frame. In reality, serious eating disorders can occur in individuals of all body sizes, any gender, and most ethnic groups. Only 7% of […]
