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 […]
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 […]
Craftsmen & Artists – Restoring Men’s Addiction Treatment
What does it take to realize a big vision? When the vision includes restoring historic homes to serve as addiction treatment centers? For Sanford House founders, Rae and David Green, it takes a small army of craftsmen and artists (and a bit of patience). Following the success of their Cherry Street location for women, the couple are building […]
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 […]
Blue Monday (Tuesday, Wednesday…) Beating the New Year’s Blues…
This week started with “Blue Monday”. Blue Monday – January 16th. It’s known as the most depressing day of the year. It is when the post-holiday blues set in, when New Year’s resolutions have typically failed, and when the weather is at its worst. But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom, […]
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 […]
Screening and Assessment in Addiction Treatment
There are two familiar terms in the addiction treatment field – “screening” and “assessment”. But do most people seeking treatment know the differences between these two processes? Or why screening and assessment are so important to the diagnosis and development of specific treatment recommendations? Screening, and assessment can also enhance positive recovery outcomes. […]
