A Toast to Brain Health – 10 Strategies to Embrace the Holiday Season
If you or a loved one are experiencing your first sober holiday season, I’ll bet I can predict the questions you are noodling. I can also assure you (nine years after my first dry yuletide) that most of your concerns are unfounded. I quit drinking in July, so I had time to get used […]
What is the One Gift Your Family Will Not Return?
The Season of Hope and Family Recovery This is the season of hope, joy, and the giving of gifts to honor that hope and joy. A season of this type applies to all people who practice traditions of their culture or faith. I am the Family Program for Addiction Treatment facilitator at Sanford Behavioral Health. […]
Disney World Can Wait – All Inclusive Ticket to Family Wellness
Book Now: All Inclusive Ticket to Family Education & Wellness! The Family Program at Sanford Behavioral Health has been seven years in the making. Programs designed for our clients’ loved ones were created (and improved year-by-year) to include loved ones during treatment and beyond. Family wellness and involvement are essential components of a healthy […]
Letting Go in Family Recovery (Happy Thanksgiving!)
Once again, it’s the holiday season with a tradition of gathering and gift-giving to folks you care about! And Thanksgiving is the time we count our blessings and express gratitude – all part of the recovery process! At Sanford Behavioral Health, we care about our clients and Excursions readers and have a little practical […]
What’s the Connection of ADHD and Substance Use?
Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to use substances as a way to cope with their symptoms, such as impulsivity and hyperactivity. There is also some evidence that ADHD medications may reduce the risk of developing problematic substance use behaviors, making ADHD treatment a critical part of preventing or managing substance use in […]
The Effects of Alcohol on the Whole Body
Whenever I think of the ill effects of alcohol and drugs on the body, I think of the 1980s Partnership for a Drug-Free America campaign with the egg. This is your brain (hold up a pristine egg). This is drugs (grease bubbling in a frying pan). And this is your brain on drugs (crack […]
Clinical Therapist Advice – Work With a Team Before Going Solo
I started my career as a therapist in the Intern Program at Sanford Behavioral Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was called “Sanford House” in early 2018, and we were managing outpatient addiction treatment in the carriage house at Sanford House at Cherry Street for Women. I was fortunate enough to shadow an amazing […]
What is Recovery Awareness?
September is Recovery Awareness Month, and at Sanford Behavioral Health, recovery is a word we hear all the time. One of the tenets of our mission is to support and educate those who are in recovery, their families and communities, but what does recovery awareness mean? The dictionary defines recovery as a return to a […]
Together 4 Mental Health – KIPU Health Interview
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is #together4mentalhealth. It’s a great theme for us, because at Sanford we value our business relationships. We also value the mental health of our patients and staff. And we know that one of the key components in mental wellness is community involvement. Together […]
Understanding Relapse: Virtual FAN Forum
Understanding Relapse: A New Perspective and Guide Monday, December 13, 2021 7PM (EST) FAN Virtual Forum ZOOM Webinar Like any other chronic condition, substance use disorder (SUD) or addiction, is a relapsing disease. Just as those with diabetes may have a relapse of their symptoms, people in recovery may also return to using drugs […]
