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 […]

holiday feast cookies

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 […]

no alcohol for the holidays

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 […]

Matt VanLiere

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 […]

girl running

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 […]

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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 […]

Cherry mare

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 […]

Lake Michigan health

Deception as a Defense in Addiction – Third Stage of Change

  This article is the 3rd in our series of 4 articles on the primary defenses of addiction. In this article we will focus on deception as a defense in addiction. Families and loved ones are the brunt of deception by those developing a substance use disorder (SUD). This defense is not only acted out […]

deception

Thinking vs Acting – the First Steps to Recovery

Making changes to your alcohol habits is a massive undertaking. It can take months – years even – to get to the point where you actually stop drinking. And that’s okay, because transformation is a long process and it starts from deep within. Often things can be moving well along in the direction of change […]

first steps to recovery woman thinking