Letting Go in Family Recovery (Happy Thanksgiving!)

  Once again, it’s the holiday season with a tradition of gathering and gift-giving to folks you care about! And Thanksgiving is the time we count our blessings and express gratitude – all part of the recovery process! At Sanford Behavioral Health, we care about our clients and  Excursions readers and have a little practical […]

10 Tips for a Sober Holiday

  My family has a legend we talk about from my non-sober holidays past. It’s about the time “Mom,” with a bottle of chardonnay coursing through her system, put hot stuffing into a Pyrex bowl. And while the rest of the Thanksgiving meal was sliced, mashed, and dolloped into serving dishes, I attempted to keep […]

a woman hands a gift to her friend while spending the sober holidays with a group of her friends

Alcohol-Free for One Month – Health Benefits

  We are winding down the 4th of July weekend with parties and firework displays and alcohol in every cooler. For those in recovery, weathering another holiday rife with temptation is par for the course. For those waking with another hangover or who just feel like they’ve over indulged, we’d like to offer a challenge. […]

alcohol-free man with sparkler

Stigma Busting! Education is Key in Family Recovery

  In December of 2021, Sanford Founder, Rae Green and I delivered a presentation to Washtenaw Families Against Narcotics (WFAN). One element of that presentation was a discussion related to relapse. We introduced the concept of calling it a recurrence instead of relapse as part of our section on stigma busting addiction and co-occurring disorders […]

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Mindfulness in Recovery – I’m a Believer!

  Mindfulness seems to be “the latest and the greatest” self-help tool in the mental health toolbox. I am reminded of my past take on exercise and physical health. When both concepts, exercise and mindfulness, were first introduced as recovery tools, I was skeptical! Now, I’m a huge believer in the strength of both these […]

mindfulness recovery man on dock at sunset

Who Do You Trust? Rebuilding Connection in Family Recovery

Our last articles focused on the dynamics impacting early recovery for the family. I thought this might be a good time to look at the role of trust and the impact of mistrust in the family recovery process. When a family loses trust, the sense of connection as a family is also lost. And for […]

Family Addiction Education – It Takes a Lifetime!

  We ended our last article with a comment on learning. We said, “The more you learn, the more you want to know and understand.”  That’s a great lead into our next element of discussion for your recovery plan – family education.  The requirements for family recovery all go together. They include EDUCATION, SUPPORT and […]

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Self-Care and Support: The Family Recovery Plan

  In a recent article, we looked at the Dynamics Impacting Families in early recovery. In this article, we will look at what these dynamics mean to your recovery plan. We will address the family’s “stages of change” and focus on the “preparation” and “action” stages.    Self-Care and Support Simply stated, we will focus […]

self-care and support people walking under big tree

Dynamics of Early Recovery – Family Education Series

“Ahh, finally they agreed to some treatment. What a relief! We’re finally going to end this chaos and disruption our family has been living through…”   Not so fast, my friends. Yes, treatment works and opens the path to recovery for those with substance use disorders (SUD) by establishing a foundation, or plan, to follow. […]

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Ongoing Recovery Support for Family & Friends!

  Sanford’s Family Education Program has just completed its first year of virtual service to the family and friends of our clients! Ongoing Recovery Support – A Look Back… At Sanford Addiction Treatment Centers, we have always acknowledged the significant role family and friends can play in the treatment of and recovery from addiction. Family […]

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