10 Recovery Slogans – Why They Work
Updated 1/2/25 Much of my writing is intense (e.g., Family Guide to Understanding Relapse). So, I’m ready to try something a little lighter yet equally informative. For example, a part of the recovery dialogue that I’ve learned over the years is the use of slogans in recovery. At first, I thought they were silly. I […]
A New Look at 10 Addiction Relapse Triggers
You are new to recovery and innocently pushing your cart down the aisle at the local Fresh Market. Let’s say it’s a gloomy Sunday afternoon. You round the corner, and there in front of you is the alcohol aisle. Aisles more like it, all shapes and sizes of beer and wine stacked and displayed artfully. […]
Real Life Recovery: Day Treatment for Addiction
A standard directive in 12-step or addiction recovery meetings is, “Go to 90 meetings in 90 days.” They say this to encourage anyone new to recovery to immerse themselves in recovery in the same way they immersed themselves in their addiction. Recovery is the most important thing a person can do. But what if […]
Shame and the Self-Conscious Emotions
You are walking down a busy street and trip on an uneven sidewalk. Or you are looking at old photographs and unearth one from when you were in active addiction, wearing a party hat that says, KISS ME, I’M IRISH. Or, as an adult, your mother says something about your lack of progress at work, […]
Fear of Detox? “Get Out of the Car,” says Dr. Gilbert Masterson
There is a big parking lot outside the welcoming entrance to Sanford Behavioral Health’s Detox Center. A scenario often takes place when our clients and their families arrive. We can only imagine what is being discussed or the second thoughts being expressed. However, it usually takes time for them to leave the car and […]
Why Does Mommy Need a Nap? Children of Alcoholics Making it All Better
What is Codependency? The definition of codependency is “excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner. Especially one who requires support on account of an illness or addiction”. At Sanford Behavioral Health, our Family Program addresses codependency and other coping mechanisms loved ones of those with substance use disorders employ to make things better. […]
New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work? Implementing Change with GUSTO
Updated 12/30/24 Welcome to 2025! In your social circles, the “buzz” is probably about New Year’s resolutions. Did you make any? I want to share some perspectives on how humans make behavioral changes, such as resolutions or adjustments to our relationships and lives. Resolutions & Change When it comes to a resolution for […]
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 […]
Families Recovering Together Against Addiction
The family program at Sanford Behavioral Health was created to include our patients and their loved ones in the treatment process and beyond. At Sanford Behavioral Health, family involvement is crucial to a healthy, long-term recovery. And during this time, we are offering our family programs on virtual platforms. Our recovering together program is focused […]
Not Your Grandpa’s Detox – One Year of Reflections
Sanford Founder’s Reflections on Advancements in Medical Detox My family has a story we tell about the time my grandfather went to alcohol detox at Deaconess Hospital in Detroit. It was back in the 1970s when the approach was “white knuckle.” He was tied to the bed with straps. While his sons held vigil, he […]
