Family Gatherings with an Eating Disorder – Tips from Dr. Flores

Family gatherings can be challenging for those in eating disorder recovery, especially during the holidays. We sat down with Dr. Anna Flores,  Doctor of Clinical Nutrition on staff at Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders (Sanford CTED). She gives us valuable tips on managing eating disorder recovery during the holidays, into the New Year, or […]

SAD, Sunday Scaries, & Seasonal Anxiety – Best of Excursions

It is that time of year when the air cools, and the invitations to feast, drink, and be merry begin to arrive. Obligations at work, parties, lunch with friends, and family get-togethers are all part of navigating real-life recovery from addiction, eating disorders, and mental health conditions during the holidays. For those new to recovery, […]

Should Treatment for Eating Disorders Be FUN?

The recreational therapy team at Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders (SCTED) is always an inspiring group to interview. They take on many roles, so you might find them running process groups, leading a light yoga session, driving a van on an excursion to a restaurant, or in a huddle with the interdisciplinary team. Whatever […]

What Real-Life Recovery Means to Me

(first published in The Sanford – internal newsletter) Years ago, when Sanford Behavioral Health was a 10-bed women’s facility, we had an alumni event. These days, we have robust alumni programs for eating disorders and addiction, but in 2017, it was the first time our clients had the opportunity to return to the place where […]

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 […]

Family Health Matters – Eating Disorders

Thanks to Shelley Irwin and WGVU’s Family Health Matters for including us in their panel of experts to discuss eating disorders. Joining Shelly were Sanford Behavioral Health clinical liaison Dr. Anna Flores, Kathy Robinson, parent, and Gail Hall, executive director of Michigan Eating Disorder Alliance. Some of the questions the panel answered: What is an eating […]

Insatiable Hunger – Eating + Substance Use Disorders

According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), up to 50% of those with eating disorders also use drugs or alcohol. This is a rate five times higher than the general public. For those with an alcohol or drug dependency, up to 35% also have an eating disorder, a rate 11 times greater than the […]

Preventing Eating Disorders – A Parent’s Guide

At Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders (Sanford CTED), we work directly with pediatricians to individualize care for our clients under 18. If our young clients have not visited their pediatrician, we refer them for an assessment and recommendation. We do this to complete their lab work and request an EKG and a full physical. […]

Eating Disorders Summer Reading – Best of Excursions

  One of the joys of summer (after a walk in the woods or a paddle in the pool) is to settle in with a cold glass of lemonade and a good book. For those in recovery from eating disorders, reading can be a distraction, an escape, and even an anxiety reliever. Reading a good […]

Do I Have Binge Eating Disorder? Signs, Symptoms & Treatment

Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder in the U.S., affecting about 3% of the population at some time in their lives. Of people with eating disorders, 47% have binge eating disorder. BED is characterized by recurrent binge eating without compensatory measures to counteract the binge, such as purging, laxative overuse, and […]