Watery Me – Crying in Recovery
At the start of the pandemic I cried for two weeks. Not all day, every day, but very regularly. The enormity of the crisis, the fear about the virus, the concerns about lock down – it was a lot to deal with and get my head around. Every time an email came through from […]
Art Therapy for Women – Limelight Interview
Art therapy for women (and men) has always been a part of Sanford programming. And according to Art Therapist Jess Kimmel, the first thing she says to a group is, “show me”. Of course, when she asks someone to “show” her something, she’s actually asking them to show themselves. Sanford embraces art therapy as […]
Living Michigan Recovery – Best of Excursions
During the past six months, it has been a boon to live in Michigan. Especially for those in recovery from substance use disorders. With 103 state parks and recreation areas covering 306,000 acres, and lots of wide open spaces, those who were feeling cabin-bound were able to explore safely. And we all know that exercise […]
Justification of Addiction – The Second Stage of Change
This is the second article in our series on the defenses of addictive disease. There has been an unintended distance between our first article and this one, so please go back and review the article Denial of Addiction – the First Step of Acceptance to refresh your thoughts. This will put your head in […]
Denial of Addiction – the First Stage of Acceptance
In our last article, we reviewed what it feels like to be a person developing a substance use disorder (SUD). We are now beginning a series discussing the dynamics and defenses used by people as they develop an SUD. The primary defenses used as addictive disease progresses are denial, justification, deception, and manipulation. Denial, […]
Power of Pets in Virtual Addiction Treatment
Updated March 2024 Floofer. Doggo. Pupper. Good Boy. These are some of the most cringe-worthy but intensely heartfelt phrases I find flying out of my mouth whenever I see a dog. It can get very embarrassing for those around me whenever I fail to regulate my reaction to pets. All of a sudden, my […]
A Commitment to Recovery – The Limelight Interview
A commitment to recovery in the time of COVID-19 means maintaining your group therapy and connection through virtual platforms. And the usual hustle and bustle of the in-person Sanford Outpatient Center has been subdued during the past three months. As we are all adjusting to the protocols and safety regulations, substance use disorders (SUD) […]
Alcohol Ruins Relationships and Marriages, Even Brad Pitt’s
In a spate of articles and talk show banter over the past few years, actor Brad Pitt has blamed his alcohol use for the demise of his marriage to Angelina Jolie. It seems there was a defining incident on a private plane when Brad was inappropriately rough with one of his children. I can […]
Boundaries, New Life, Nutrition Reboot – The Best of Excursions
It’s spring and in Michigan everything is chirping, budding and flowering. It makes you feel alive, awakened after a long sleep … We’ve been distancing for several weeks, and one of the interesting things that seems to have come from our stay-at-home charge, is determining what is essential. So, as the world begins to open […]
Addicted Michigan: COVID-19 Impact Rae Green Interview
Alexis Berdine has done some excellent reporting on Addicted Michigan for WWMT Channel 3 News. And recently, she talked to Sanford Founder, Rae Green, about the COVID-19 impact on addiction treatment. Also prompting this interview, was the increase in requests for help with substance use disorders (SUDs) recently. Green says that job loss, uncertainty, financial […]
