
Ask Rae: Alcohol-Free Holidays? That’s Not Fair
Dear Rae: I just got an email from my aunt saying our cousin (we’ll call him Bill) is in early recovery from addiction. She is imposing an alcohol-free holiday season starting with Halloween to support him. She is not allowing any alcohol in her house for the holidays. I have to admit it makes me […]
Recovery Awareness Month 2023 – No One is Alone in Recovery
September is Recovery Awareness Month, and at Sanford Behavioral Health, recovery is a word that is near and dear to our hearts. One of the tenets of our mission is to support and educate those in recovery, their families, and communities, but what does recovery awareness mean? The dictionary defines recovery as a return to a […]

Sobriety Makes You Pretty – It’s Better than Botox!
I work for Sanford Behavioral Health in Greater Grand Rapids. Michigan, my job gives me a bird’s eye overview of our patients in recovery. Everyone knows that addictive substance use can wreak havoc on our physical health. However, I’d like to address what it does to our physical appearance as well. I don’t see […]

Eating Disorders and the Holiday Feast
Expert Guidance on Navigating the Holidays: Forget About the “Clean Plate Club” Thanks to The Lakeshore West Michigan for their informed interview with Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorder’s Gail Hall, LMSW, DCSW, CEDS-S. During the holidays, those recovering from an eating disorder may find family meals stressful—likewise, the holiday traditions around food. Gail Hall […]

Dear Rae: No Alcohol for the Holidays? I’m Mad!
Dear Rae: I just got an email from my aunt saying our cousin (we’ll call him Bill) is in early recovery from addiction, and to support him, she is not allowing any alcohol in her house for the holidays. I have to admit it makes me mad! My aunt is always the center of our […]

The Safety Team are Sanford Ambassadors – Limelight Interview
Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus is the newest treatment facility under the Sanford Behavioral Health umbrella. After a yearlong renovation, Sanford West is open for business! Located 12 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids, in Marne, Michigan, and situated on 18 acres, Sanford West enhances and compliments the existing services at Sanford Behavioral Health. The […]

Can Exercise and Healthy Eating Go Too Far?
Today on the podcast we talk to Sanford Behavioral Health’s Gail Hall, LMSW, DCSW, CEDS-S about orthorexia and other eating disorders. Gail, who has been treating eating disorders for over 30 years, says exercise and healthy eating can present a problem when the individual becomes obsessed with eating clean. Also, the compulsion to exercise […]

Announcing Sanford Detox Treatment!
As part of our full continuum of care, Sanford Behavioral Health is opening Sanford Detox Treatment. Our detox treatment facility is located at the Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus, 12 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids in Marne, Michigan. Beds are available November 15, 2021. Detox Opening November 15, 2021! What is Detox […]

Remembering Early Recovery in an Empty House
I had what will probably be a once in a lifetime experience this summer. Sanford House at Cherry Street for Women in Grand Rapids, Michigan was closed for a short time for restoration. This is something that happens rarely in the 24/7 world of residential addiction treatment. The 170-year-old floors were restored, and everything […]

8 Reasons Lake Michigan is Good for your Health
Why do we gravitate toward water? Why is it so hypnotic to watch the waves? There is a reason every stretch of waterfront is laden with houses and parks – it’s where we want to be. Those who live near the ocean swear by the healing powers of the salty sea. And there is […]
