5 Questions for Sanford Founder Rae Green on Body Acceptance
Body acceptance, body neutrality, body positivity – these phrases are often interchanged but mean different things. Body positivity means loving your body as it is; body neutrality focuses on what the body can do. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), “body acceptance includes body positivity, body neutrality, and body liberation—for all.” Today, we […]
What are the 5 Most Common Eating Disorders?
First, eating disorders are complex conditions that can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or body types. They are marked by a range of unhealthy eating behaviors and attitudes, often stemming from a combination of genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors. Sanford Behavioral Health Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders (Sanford CTED) provides dedicated […]
What Motivates Someone to Choose a Helping Profession? Limelight Interview
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), helping professions are “jobs or positions that offer health and education services to individuals and the community.” Helping jobs are often motivated by a desire to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Today in the Limelight Interview, we discuss the role of helping others with Sanford […]
Does Virtual Treatment for Mental Health Conditions Work?
Recently, Sanford Behavioral Health opened its virtual intensive outpatient program for primary mental health conditions. This means individuals with anxiety and depression, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and other mental health conditions learn coping skills in the privacy of home. Programs are trauma-focused, and we utilize the primary therapeutic intervention for these […]
How Do I Talk To My Loved One About Their Drinking?
Updated 7/7/2025 One of the questions I get as an addiction counselor with an advice column (Ask Rae) is, “How do I talk to my partner, loved one, or friend about their drinking?” In fact, some of Sanford Behavioral Health’s most viral articles are about the subject of alcohol ruining relationships. It is one of […]
Do Men and Women Crave Alcohol Differently?
There has long been a complicated relationship between alcohol drinking and stress. On the one hand, alcohol has anxiety-reducing properties and can actually relieve stress. However, alcohol also acts as a stressor, activating the sympathetic (stress response) nervous system. Stress is also associated with poor outcomes or relapse for those in treatment and recovery, […]
Best of Excursions – Plan and Enjoy a Sober Vacation
If you’re in recovery, the thought of planning and enjoying a vacation without alcohol might seem intimidating. However, with a little planning, you can ensure that your trip is enjoyable and safe. In fact, getaways are geared toward the sober traveler. You will be early to bed, early to rise, clear-headed, and energetic for all […]
5 Summertime Tips for Long-Term Recovery
Like the line from Coleridge’s poem, water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink, summer feels like alcohol, alcohol everywhere. It seems unfair to those in long-term recovery, but summer vacation and boating equal drinking and partying for many. Additionally, Michigan summer fun is fleeting, so there is a sense of urgency. Many of the […]
The Health Benefits of a Michigan Summer
In Michigan, Memorial Day weekend symbolizes the beginning of summer and the end of a tough winter and often disappointingly dreary spring. Docks are fully installed, boats are out of dry dock, and winter coats are confidently stowed in closets. Summer is cherished here because we know it is fleeting – a time to grab […]
Dear Rae, Now That I’m Sober, Can I Get a Puppy?
Dear Rae, After many years of starting and stopping drinking alcohol, I have been sober for six months! I am thinking about getting a puppy to celebrate. Do you have any advice as to whether that is a good idea or not? SJV Dear SJV: Congratulations on six months of sobriety; that is a benchmark […]
