What “Safe Spaces” Means in Mental Health Treatment for Veterans & First Responders
The phrase “safe spaces” seems overused and perhaps even triggering in mental health treatment for Veterans and first responders. After all, if you are dealing with trauma, depression, or other mental health diagnoses, there are no safe spaces. As someone in recovery and a Resident Support Specialist at J.O.H.N. (Just One Hero Needed), I’d like […]
What I Wish More People Understood About Mental Health: A Clinical Director’s Perspective
I have spent more than a decade working in behavioral health across inpatient psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment centers, and outpatient levels of care. Throughout my years, I have sat with individuals and families during some of the most painful and vulnerable moments of their lives. But for me, this work has never been purely professional. […]
Young Men and Mental Health: The Cost of Suffering in Silence
Some of the strongest people I have ever known were also the most silent about their pain, especially the young men. I’m 35 years old, and our society has come such a long way in how we view mental health in the last 20 years. I distinctly remember being 16 years old and struggling with […]
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 […]
Finding Joy – Treating Depression with Dr. Samarth Bhandari
The atmosphere at Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus is welcoming and non-institutional. We designed it that way on purpose. The hallmarks of Sanford, such as original artwork, custom furniture, and an abundance of light, are apparent at Sanford West. Although it is a big, sprawling campus, program areas are strategically divided into more intimate spaces. […]
Healthcare Decisions and Moms’ Leading Role
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women make about 80 percent of family healthcare decisions in the United States. They decide which doctor to see, which insurance to choose, and which treatments to pursue. Women still take on the primary role of caregiver in families, even if they also hold a prominent position […]
Announcing 24/7 Easy Admissions – Because Crises Do Not Happen 9 to 5
Mental health crises often happen at night for several reasons. Factors may include intoxication, nighttime anxiety or depression, secretive eating or purging, lack of daytime distractions, circadian rhythm disturbances, lack of empathy or argumentativeness from family members, or even the need to urinate (alcohol is a diuretic). Nocturnal anxiety makes everything seem more problematic. Likewise, […]
Spring Fever? 10 Ideas to Inspire Anticipation (and Mental Health)
I am already preparing for the family Easter egg hunt. An extravaganza that attracts new participants each year. It means dragging bins of plastic eggs from the attic, buying candy and trinkets, and planning brunch. Looking forward to the gathering of family and friends, children running on the grass, and the inevitable sighting of the […]
12 Hopeful Ideas to Improve Your Mental Health 2025
In January and February each year, Sanford Behavioral Health creates an article series that looks at hopeful ways to improve your mental health. As a behavioral health organization, we know that treatment and medication management are important elements of improving and maintaining mental health. However, science has shown that community, passionate interests, and even limiting […]
It’s Hard to Photograph Awe – When to Leave the Phone at Home
My family had an incredible experience recently. We were on a boat in Tampa Bay, and we saw the familiar dorsal fin and sleek flank of a dolphin in the near distance. We slowed the boat, and suddenly, a pod of dolphins surrounded us. A mother and calf performed in tandem; they leaped from the […]
