Trauma and Eating Disorders with Dr. Anna Flores

  How are trauma and eating disorders related, and how does trauma-informed care integrate into eating disorder treatment? Dr. Anna Flores sat down with Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders (SCTED) clinical manager Justyne Ortquist to discuss this in a new episode of The Recovery Tea podcast. The 55-minute podcast covers topics such as:   […]

Psychiatrist-Led Mental Health Treatment with Dr. Gilbert Masterson

The internet is full of addiction and other mental health treatment websites that tout having a psychiatrist on staff. This is important information to challenge when seeking treatment, as there is a growing psychiatrist shortage in the U.S. “Psychiatrist on staff” may mean psychiatrist on call or shared with other treatment facilities and available infrequently […]

When the Milieu Matters – Limelight Interview

What happens behind the scenes at Sanford Behavioral Health to “seamlessly” create a milieu conducive to clients and staff? Today in the Limelight Interview, we turn to the Program Director of Sanford’s substance use disorder units, Shelby Kendrick, to give us the inside information.   Milieu Matters with Program Director, Shelby Kendrick Limelight Interview   […]

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 […]

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.ย  Blue stands for serenity, stability, inspiration, wisdom, and health. So, what better place to explore than Pure Michigan […]

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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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

Dear Rae: How Do I Talk to My Spouse About Their Drinking?

Updated 1/2/25 Dear Rae: Iโ€™ll get right to the point. Lately, my husband has been using alcohol as a crutch. In other words, he drinks to reduce his stress, but it adds to the stress in our home. He drinks every evening (sometimes starting at lunchtime). It definitely impacts our relationship because when he drinks, […]

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Myth Busting – Non-Drinkers Are Not BORING

Updated 12/6/2025 On a recent long road trip, I listened to the podcast Smartless for 17 hours. The podcast was my only entertainment, aside from noting the decor in rest area bathrooms and the displays in roadside gas stations (which morphed from Slim Jims and antifreeze to oranges and baby alligator heads). Smartless is hosted […]