Healthy Nutrition Can Help Me Stay Sober? DO Tell…
In the musical Oliver, there is a scene where a long line of adorable, strategically smudged orphans imagine they are eating a feast instead of the gruel they are being served. They warble, “Food, glorious food – we’re anxious to try it! 3 banquets a day. Our favourite diet. Just picture a great big steak fried, […]
Early Morning Hikes Fortify Your Rehab/Recovery Experience…
I have started a walking group at Sanford House at Cherry Street. Two mornings each week, rain or shine, I turn up at the treatment center early for “Walks With Mare”. I lead (sometimes follow) a group of women for a four mile hike around the city. We are starting a similar walk for men […]
Sanford House at John Street for Men – Grand Opening
It was an evening for friends, family and business colleagues to gather at Sanford House Addiction Treatment Centers’ newest facility. Located at 221 John Street, Grand Rapids, Michigan, the restored mansion will serve as a residential and non-residential addiction treatment center for men. The Green family hosted a party to officially open the […]
What are My Kids Thinking (About my Sobriety)?
I have so many “how on earth could I be doing this if I was still boozing” moments nowadays, but none more so than when I’m driving my kids around in the evening to their activities. My Three Sons… This happens a lot given I’ve entered that phase of parenting when I seem to […]
How to Be a (Sober) Legend in Your Own Lifetime…
You know the saying ‘The only constant is change’? I know it’s a terrible cliche, but boy is it true. I’ve been noticing this recently with regards to my emotional and physical health. I get in a good rhythm with things and I’m firing on all cylinders being happy and healthy and I […]
9 Extraordinary Health Benefits of a Michigan Spring
Spring sneaks up on you when you live in Michigan. Suddenly, there is a fresher feel to the air – birds are tweeting, warbling and chirping as you amble to your car in the morning. And miraculously, the barren trees are sprouting a riot of flowers. The grass is lush and green. I have to admit, as […]
The Moment of Action – Creating Meaningful Change
How do we know when we are ready for change? How do we enact change in our lives? When we anticipate profound change, we believe the moment will come to us in an equally profound way. We want the moment. We expect it. I’ll change when the moment presents itself to me—someday when it’s right. The moment permits […]
Addiction Treatment Alphabet Soup – What Do All Those Letters MEAN?
I remember using acronyms in grade school to help me recall items for upcoming quizzes and tests. One of my favorites was “HOMES”, the names of the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. When I got to college, I still made up acronyms to help me study and memorize for tests. While […]
When the Booze Soaked World is In Your Face…
Sometimes it’s just in my face a whole lot more. You know… the fact that I live in a booze soaked world. Some days it’s just more evident than at other times. Most days I get to potter about my community, interact with my friends, spend time online, look after my kids, and […]
The Rise of Older Women Seeking Addiction Treatment
As the Clinical Director of Sanford House, one of my duties is to collect data and put it together in an annual Performance Management Report. Age ranges of the persons served are among the statistics collected. I have found it interesting to note the increasing number of older women entering addiction treatment. The Older Woman in […]
