Fear Not the Pink Cloud, My Sober Friends
You can see it up there, can’t you? Right beside the sun, next to the unicorn. It’s hard to miss—a fluffy mass resplendent in its coral color. It has a built-in espresso maker and from its center, rainbows shoot high in the sky and stain the horizon with joy and high-fives. If you’ve […]
Girl Restarted – What It’s Like to be Out of Rehab and Back to College
Apartness is such a common thread in the stories of alcoholics and addicts. It seems to plague us; the feeling of being an utter misfit, of not belonging and having to pump ourselves full of booze just to feel a part of things. I don’t ever remember feeling comfortable anywhere. I was squirmy and […]
Getting Self-Esteem (I’m Not Much, But I’m All I Think About)
Mirrors I used to love looking in mirrors. As a child, I’d frown, make funny faces and would see just how far I could cross my eyes. I inspected myself—the gap in my two front chompers, the length of my hair, the way my eyebrows almost met. As I grew up, I found […]
Why is Positive Thinking So Good For Your Recovery?
Recently, I was with a group of women in recovery, and I asked everyone what they were grateful for – with a caveat. My car had just been towed away, and I felt pessimistic about the potential outcome. I said, “I am grateful for many things, except I’d be more grateful if my car worked.” […]
The Visual Language of Art Therapy…
I have the pleasure and privilege of bringing creative expression to Sanford House as the Art Therapist on staff. Sanford House contacted me after I had relocated to Grand Rapids following my master’s training in Milwaukee. At the time, I had been gracefully masterfully desperately attempting to connect with any and every counseling center […]
Now That We’re in Recovery, Who Else Wants a Puppy?
Updated March 2024 I was minding my own business the other day, and an idea popped up: GET A RECOVERY PUPPY. It occurred with the same kind of punch-in-the-gut suddenness my wine cravings used to materialize, so I should be wary. I know we are not supposed to start a serious relationship, get married, […]
Girl Restarted – The Emotional Thaw
Sanford House alumna S.E.B. was in treatment before she was legally old enough to drink alcohol. She will be guest blogging for Sanford House and taking us along on her recovery journey. She’s learning to “feel”, turning 21 and navigating family and friends in the sober life. So, Wish her luck – she’s Girl Restarted… In […]
What is Recovery? We Asked the Experts – Women in Rehab.
There is no “correct” answer to the question, “What is recovery?”. In fact, the definition of addiction recovery is so subjective, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) uses 10 Guiding Principles of Recovery and a “working definition”. It reminds me of the pirate Barbossa, in The Pirates of the Caribbean. When […]
Run, Paul, Run! The Role of Exercise in Recovery.
I never wanted to run. My father ran for many decades. When I was a kid, he would come home, his face all sweaty, in defiance of his headband, and he would chase my brother and me trying to kiss and hug us while wiping his face on our t-shirts. We squealed in delight […]
Widening the Path in Recovery
I was having a conversation with David Green the other day – we were discussing the things I might get involved in now that I live in Grand Rapids. He mentioned the symphony and I said, “Perhaps this sounds cretinous, but I hate the symphony.” Then I paused and said, “Wait a minute, maybe […]
