When Experience is Therapeutic – Limelight Interview

At Sanford Behavioral Health, our client’s treatment is enhanced by the relationship they establish with their primary therapist. Today in the Limelight Interview, we focus on clinical therapist Shellie Cole-Mickens. Shellie is a powerhouse who founded Our House of Blessings, which offers sanctuary and support for women ex-offenders or those with mental health and substance […]

Walking for Lasting Addiction Recovery

A doctor friend of mine has an adage that applies to recovery from physical injury but also relates to addiction recovery. He says, “Use it or lose it.”  In other words, moving your body, even on a slow walk, is good for what ails you.  But do you know how good? Or that walking provides […]

6 Ways Michigan Summer Improves Mental Health & Recovery

  Michigan Summer It’s Memorial Day weekend, and it finally feels like Michigan summertime has begun. Green is the color of life, nature, renewal, and energy. The color green is also associated with fertility, growth, and harmony.  Blue stands for serenity, stability, inspiration, wisdom, and health. So, what better place to explore than Pure Michigan […]

compress reeds lake dock

Early Birds Enjoy Improved Mental Health

I will admit to being a card-carrying early bird. I am known for greeting house guests at 5 am with a hearty “good morning” when they stumble to the bathroom or drink water before returning to sleep. Twilight till noon is when I feel most productive and alive. Watching the sunrise on a deserted beach, […]

Seasonal Allergies and Mental Health

  For those who live in Michigan, spring is a welcome reprieve from a long, dormant winter. Unfortunately, however, the beautiful buds, flowers, and green leaves come with seasonal allergies for millions of Americans. Sneezing, watery eyes, congestion, and itching can bring a dark cloud to spring’s splendor. The physical signs are apparent, but a […]

spring-bird

Mental Health Questions? Sanford Doctors & Therapists Answer

We get mental health questions regularly from individuals who do not know how to navigate a complex behavioral health system. Since it is Mental Health Awareness Month, we would like to answer some of those questions in one place. Sanford Behavioral Health treats addiction, eating disorders, and mental health conditions. Appropriately, we focus on reducing […]

The Three Acts of Art Therapy for Mental Health

Art Therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses art media as its primary form of communication. It allows our clients in addiction, eating disorders, and mental health treatment to express their thoughts and feelings through art making. In so doing, art therapy provides a safe space to process and explore emotions without words. At […]

Loneliness, Isolation a Mental Health Hazard – U.S. Surgeon General

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has released an advisory calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection. It says loneliness fundamentally affects mental, physical, and societal health. The subject is personal to Dr. Murthy, who wrote the bestseller Together: The […]

10 Self-Care Tips for Mental Health

The importance of self-care for mental health cannot be overstated, especially during Mental Health Awareness Month. Taking the time to do things that make you feel good improves your mental health and allows you to enjoy your recovery. If you or a loved one needs help overcoming a mental health disorder, call Sanford Behavioral Health […]

a mother holds her young child on her back and both are smiling while the mother happy to be living sober

Mental Health Awareness Month – Join the Community

  May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the time to bring attention to mental health and its importance to overall health and well-being. At the same time, we are also experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States. In a new Surgeon General’s Advisory, Dr. Murthy raises the alarm about the impact of loneliness […]