9 Extraordinary Health Benefits of a Michigan Spring
Spring sneaks up on you when you live in Michigan. Suddenly, there is a fresher feel to the air – birds are tweeting, warbling and chirping as you amble to your car in the morning. And miraculously, the barren trees are sprouting a riot of flowers. The grass is lush and green. I have to admit, as […]
Addiction Treatment Alphabet Soup – What Do All Those Letters MEAN?
I remember using acronyms in grade school to help me recall items for upcoming quizzes and tests. One of my favorites was “HOMES”, the names of the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. When I got to college, I still made up acronyms to help me study and memorize for tests. While […]
Why Is Group Therapy an Important Part of Addiction Treatment?
Why is group therapy so prevalent in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs)? As demonstrated by self-help groups, and particularly as stated in 12 Step groups, members “share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problems and help others to recover.” Groups allow those in treatment opportunity to […]
Who Do You Trust? The Passion and Power of the Mental Health Profession
On Monday, I was at a dinner with a cool dozen mental health professionals. I am still reeling from the wealth of talent, housed in our private dining room. The dinner was sponsored by our friends at Alta Mira Recovery Programs and Bridges to Recovery and their Clinical Outreach Representative Carla Chludzinski. Egos and diets were […]
Fear Not the Pink Cloud, My Sober Friends
You can see it up there, can’t you? Right beside the sun, next to the unicorn. It’s hard to miss—a fluffy mass resplendent in its coral color. It has a built-in espresso maker and from its center, rainbows shoot high in the sky and stain the horizon with joy and high-fives. If you’ve […]
How Do I Know My Therapy is Working?
I come from two separate worlds. I am an artist, first and foremost. Art helps me frame my experiences and communicate my ideas. Art makes me feel happy, comfortable, and excited. I’m also a mental health professional. Mental health professionals do not use art to frame their experiences. They use facts to communicate their […]
Doodling to Distract – The “Art” of Visual Journaling
In my blog post last week, I discussed the benefits of creating art in an art therapy context. This week, I want to talk a little bit about the benefits of creating art on your own. I started keeping a visual journal in college. It was assigned to me by my favorite professor, and […]
Why is Positive Thinking So Good For Your Recovery?
Recently, I was with a group of women in recovery, and I asked everyone what they were grateful for – with a caveat. My car had just been towed away, and I felt pessimistic about the potential outcome. I said, “I am grateful for many things, except I’d be more grateful if my car worked.” […]
Therapy Dog Santino’s Official Portrait Unveiling
At the unveiling of Sanford therapy dog, Santino’s, official portrait, Founder David Green gave the following presentation: “It is a great honor for me to be officiating at the unveiling of the official portrait of Santino Green, to be known henceforth as the “Lord Santino Portrait”. Santino, while still a young man, has […]
Crying in Rehab – The Emotional Thaw
It’s springtime in Michigan. Early yet – the trees are budding, but there is still snow on the ground in places where the sun doesn’t reach. We all tiptoe around, hoping it isn’t a false spring, but knowing there will probably be at least one more “surprise” snow storm between the Ides of March and […]
