The Brain and Body Healing Effects of a Sober Tropical Vacation
I returned recently from a five-day, sober tropical vacation in Puerto Rico. To put the result into the proper perspective, I missed my connecting flight on the way home. I couldn’t muster enough rancor to be snippy to the customer service representative who rerouted me. What, Me Worry? My originating flight was an […]
You ARE What You Eat – How Nutrition Helps the Therapeutic Process
Working in the field of addiction, it is not uncommon for me to hear people say; “I should be able to indulge in all the sweets, fats and junk food I want.” There is a shared belief that “treating themselves” to processed foods is better than using their drug of choice. This, however, is proving to […]
Blue Monday (Tuesday, Wednesday…) Beating the New Year’s Blues…
This week started with “Blue Monday”. Blue Monday – January 16th. It’s known as the most depressing day of the year. It is when the post-holiday blues set in, when New Year’s resolutions have typically failed, and when the weather is at its worst. But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom, […]
Every Therapy Dog Has His Day – Addiction Treatment
Therapy Dog … I’m not exactly a dog person. In fact Santino, the Sanford therapy dog, and I have an unwritten “hands off” policy. In other words, I don’t pat his belly or give him full body hugs. He doesn’t lick my face. We usually just ignore each other companionably. But last week, Santino […]
Sanford’s Top Self-Care Picks (Holidays are stressful)
Sanford House Art Therapist, Jess Kimmel gives us her top picks for finding some peace and quiet this holiday season…. Jess says, “Amidst the chaos of the holiday season, unwind with three of my favorite Sanford House posts about recharging and refocusing…Written when the weather was much less blustery, I hope Paul Silva’s “Getting Self-Esteem,” […]
Spirited Sober Gifts! Alcohol-Free Cocktails! 100 Fun Ideas! The Best of Excursions Magazine
The holidays are a wonderful time of year to be with family and friends. The holidays are also a time for emotional triggers, pushed buttons and stress. It’s common for those in recovery to find the “most wonderful time of the year” to be challenging. So, when you need a lift, the following articles have ideas for winter sober activities and […]
Stop the Booze, Start to Move: Why Is Rigorous Exercise Important to Your Recovery?
The past few months I’ve learned a lot about addiction, treatment, and recovery. It’s not because I’m an addict myself or that anyone I know (that I’m aware of) is either. I’m a marketing assistant for Sanford House, a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center. It’s my job to research and learn about different social network […]
Fighting Fit – A Recipe for a Healthy Winter…
Winter is on its way. The temperature has dropped; it is getting darker earlier and there is less sunshine. I’m not sure about you, but when I feel winter looming I want to hibernate. A place that is all too familiar. As a person in recovery, I have a propensity to withdraw. I want […]
Radical Self Care – When Life is Taking a Toll on Your Body…
This week I have flown over 20,000 miles to attend my brother’s funeral. It has been heart breaking and I feel like a shell of my former self. I’ll never be the same again. I learned the true nature of my powerlessness and what I am able to control. The buck stops with me, […]
Widening the Path in Recovery
I was having a conversation with David Green the other day – we were discussing the things I might get involved in now that I live in Grand Rapids. He mentioned the symphony and I said, “Perhaps this sounds cretinous, but I hate the symphony.” Then I paused and said, “Wait a minute, maybe […]
