Should Treatment for Eating Disorders Be FUN?
The recreational therapy team at Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders (SCTED) is always an inspiring group to interview. They take on many roles, so you might find them running process groups, leading a light yoga session, driving a van on an excursion to a restaurant, or in a huddle with the interdisciplinary team. Whatever […]
Ask Rae: Alcohol-Free Holidays? That’s Not Fair
Dear Rae: I just got an email from my aunt saying our cousin (we’ll call him Bill) is in early recovery from addiction. She is imposing an alcohol-free holiday season starting with Halloween to support him. She is not allowing any alcohol in her house for the holidays. I have to admit it makes me […]
26 Sober Activities to Celebrate Autumn!
Ah, Michigan autumn is upon us with all its splendor. When a dappled sun shines through a tunnel of yellow oaks, it is hard to feel blue. And looking at beautiful things can reduce cortisol levels (the primary indicator of stress). We have all experienced heightened levels of anxiety during the post-pandemic years, but a […]
What Real-Life Recovery Means to Me
(first published in The Sanford – internal newsletter) Years ago, when Sanford Behavioral Health was a 10-bed women’s facility, we had an alumni event. These days, we have robust alumni programs for eating disorders and addiction, but in 2017, it was the first time our clients had the opportunity to return to the place where […]
What is Outpatient Eating Disorder Treatment?
Sanford Behavioral Health offers comprehensive outpatient eating disorder treatment in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our telehealth programs, which encompass treatment, family, and alumni support, serve all of Michigan and beyond. Our team of highly trained professionals is dedicated to helping individuals learn healthy coping mechanisms and develop a positive relationship with food and their bodies. […]
Do I Drink Too Much?
I used to live in The Bahamas, where drinking in the morning is called (somewhat facetiously) “Bahamian breakfast.” It was not shocking to see someone walking on the Government Dock at 7:00 a.m. with a beer in one hand and a power tool in the other. No one looked askance when a tipsy tourist slurred, […]
Sleep-Friendly Environments & Mental Health
One of the hallmarks of active addiction and other mental health conditions is insomnia. When you wake at 3 a.m. (blood sugar dropping) and rise like a vampire for a glass of cold water, it might be the worst time of day to be wide-eyed. Every problem seems insurmountable, rehashing regrettable behavior on an endless […]
Real-Life Recovery with Outpatient Clinical Manager, Ali Kitchin, LMSW
Outpatient addiction treatment at Sanford Behavioral Health gives individuals the support they need while maintaining work, childcare, school, and other responsibilities and routines. Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus Outpatient Center offers individualized addiction recovery programs that work with “real-life” situations. When entering Sanford addiction treatment, each person is assessed to determine their appropriate placement; our […]
Recovery Awareness Month 2023 – No One is Alone in Recovery
September is Recovery Awareness Month, and at Sanford Behavioral Health, recovery is a word that is near and dear to our hearts. One of the tenets of our mission is to support and educate those in recovery, their families, and communities, but what does recovery awareness mean? The dictionary defines recovery as a return to a […]
Suicide Prevention – Resources for Loved Ones & Professionals
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and we sat down with Sanford Clinical Liaison Lisa (Murphy) Rector, MA-LPC, NCC, for the Limelight Interview. Lisa has worked in the mental health field since 1997. She is the Co-chair of the Macomb County Suicide Prevention Coalition. Lisa’s career began on the Wayne County Crisis Line, answering crisis/suicide […]
