Saturday Programming, Addiction Treatment – Limelight Interview
Sanford House at John Street for Men is quiet on a Saturday. After a long week, the men in residential treatment embrace the weekend and Saturday programming with a more casual vibe. This is not to say we set aside the evidence-based practices we employ during the week, but the work is more relaxed […]
Dear Rae: Should We Delay Treatment for Our Son?
Dear Rae: Should we delay treatment for our son? Since March, our 21-year old son has been showing signs of alcohol and marijuana addiction. He is always sneaking off in our back yard, and there have been many times when he has been staggeringly drunk or high. I guess we are seeing it now that […]
Deception as a Defense in Addiction – Third Stage of Change
This article is the 3rd in our series of 4 articles on the primary defenses of addiction. In this article we will focus on deception as a defense in addiction. Families and loved ones are the brunt of deception by those developing a substance use disorder (SUD). This defense is not only acted out […]
Isolation and Addiction – 3 BIG Reasons Folks With SUDs Isolate
I have a friend who tells a story about the final days of his isolation and active addiction. He says he was smoking then, and he was not allowed to light up in the house. So, he would take a bottle of Jack Daniels to the unheated garage behind his house, sit on a […]
Watery Me – Crying in Recovery
At the start of the pandemic I cried for two weeks. Not all day, every day, but very regularly. The enormity of the crisis, the fear about the virus, the concerns about lock down – it was a lot to deal with and get my head around. Every time an email came through from […]
Art Therapy for Women – Limelight Interview
Art therapy for women (and men) has always been a part of Sanford programming. And according to Art Therapist Jess Kimmel, the first thing she says to a group is, “show me”. Of course, when she asks someone to “show” her something, she’s actually asking them to show themselves. Sanford embraces art therapy as […]
Living Michigan Recovery – Best of Excursions
During the past six months, it has been a boon to live in Michigan. Especially for those in recovery from substance use disorders. With 103 state parks and recreation areas covering 306,000 acres, and lots of wide open spaces, those who were feeling cabin-bound were able to explore safely. And we all know that exercise […]
Discipline and Motivation – Practices in Early Recovery
A discipline is any activity that I can do by direct effort that will eventually enable me to do that which, currently, I cannot do by direct effort. John Mark Comer Would you pair the word “discipline” with the words “controlling” or “intense”? I certainly would and have. As a self-identified Type B individual, […]
Recovery Adventures Outdoors – 5 Favorites in Michigan
In April of 2020, Michigan had a spring snowstorm. I had been physically distancing since February, and somehow the surprise storm seemed like the last straw (icicle, snowdrift, chilblain?). Of course, there was more to come with COVID-19, but at the time I felt trapped. No adventures, working from home, and far from family […]
Importance of Connection in Recovery – Limelight Interview
The historic home at 540 Cherry Street, Grand Rapids, Michigan, has stood the test of time. Now, as Sanford House at Cherry Street for Women, it exudes strength and safety, serving as a port in the storm during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the importance of human connection is clear. In-Person Addiction Treatment in […]
