Excursions in Rehab – 12-Step, Alum, GLAD & Outdoor Group Meetings
Since 2016, Sanford Behavioral Health has prioritized excursions into the community as a vital part of addiction treatment and recovery. Today, at Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus, recreational therapy, art therapy, and recovery outings provide residents with an opportunity to participate in real-life scenarios in the safety of treatment. Coupled with other evidence-based practices, excursions […]
ALL THINGS ALCOHOL – The Sanford Library
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and we have searched Excursions Magazine for interesting articles on alcohol. Over the years, we have interviewed people in recovery from alcohol addiction, posted current stats, and analyzed the reasons alcohol is normalized in social activities. We have opined on hangovers, detox, the joys of sober vacations, 12-step methodology, Superbowl […]
Michigan Recovery – Looking Forward to Summer
Our winter was long, and spring in the Midwest always brings a mixed message of warmer days and sleet. But part of Michigan’s charm is that blaze of blue sky after a stretch of gray days—the contrast of technicolor after sepia. And now that it’s unlikely we will get another snowstorm, we can look forward […]
Glimmers – the Antidote to Triggers
I had a friend say to me this weekend, “Everything is hard.” We were talking about technology (the ever-changing virtual landscape triggers her anxiety), but it could apply to almost any subject in the year 2024. There is a reason why 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness. As a person in […]
Women and Alcohol – the Newest Stats
Since 2016, Sanford Behavioral Health has been writing articles about the health hazards associated with women and alcohol. We have warned women that they can’t “drink like men.” We have also listed the biological reasons why women are more susceptible to the ill effects of alcohol. However, new data from the CDC still show that […]
Virtual Programs for Eating Disorders & Mental Health Primary
Sanford Behavioral Health has offered virtual addiction treatment options since before the pandemic. Virtual treatment or telehealth is designed for those who need help with a mental health condition but have real-life obligations like work, school, or childcare. If in-person treatment is inconvenient or impossible because of a remote location or physical restrictions, virtual options […]
Binge Drinking and Your Liver
Recently, we wrote an article on alcohol-related liver disease being on the rise. It didn’t seem like a particularly exciting piece. It listed stats from the CDC and a description of the stages of liver disease. Interestingly, the article garnered a large readership and an abundance of comments on Facebook. Everything from wisecracks to political […]
Is Alcohol Ruining My Marriage?
In 2017, I wrote an article about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce and the role alcohol played in their relationship’s demise. Brangelina was secondary to the theme of the article, but it has gone on to garner more than 150,000 views over the years. I have updated it many times, and it remains […]
Therapy Dog Apollonia Inspires Patients at Sanford Behavioral Health
At Sanford Behavioral Health, therapy dog Apollonia (Apol) is a celebrity of sorts. When she trots through the halls with Sanford Founder Rae Green, both patients and team members brighten. She has inspired artwork in art therapy, love letters from patients leaving treatment, and even a set of personalized note cards. Apol also holds the […]
Opioid Epidemic Rages On – Stats and Medication-Assisted Treatment
After the daily conversation about the opioid epidemic during the pandemic, the fewness of media features in recent months might lead one to believe the problem has lessened. However, overdose deaths spiked 30% between 2019 and 2020, rose another 15% between 2021 and 2022 and continue to rise. There were 111,355 overdose deaths in the […]
