
Early Birds Enjoy Improved Mental Health
I will admit to being a card-carrying early bird. I am known for greeting house guests at 5 am with a hearty “good morning” when they stumble to the bathroom or drink water before returning to sleep. Twilight till noon is when I feel most productive and alive. Watching the sunrise on a deserted beach, […]
Mental Health Awareness Month – Join the Community
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the time to bring attention to mental health and its importance to overall health and well-being. At the same time, we are also experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States. In a new Surgeon General’s Advisory, Dr. Murthy raises the alarm about the impact of loneliness […]

Awe Walks for Mental Health
I am a self-described, often awestruck, nature nerd. I have written about the joys of Michigan winter in late February (when most Michiganders are tolerating the dreary days until spring). Other topics I have covered are finding joy during the pandemic, how a $75 blowup kayak can change your life, and the mental health benefit […]

Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus – the Wood TV Interview
Our seasoned team has fully functioned at Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus since January 2022. Our signature addiction treatment centers in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have been operational since 2015; however, Sanford West is still a relatively new facility, with programs rolling out regularly. We want to thank Rachael Ruiz and eightWest Wood TV for their […]

Deadly Combination – DO NOT Mix Alcohol and Cannabis on the Road
Highlights from a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health show an increase in simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use among adults 21+ in the U.S. from 2008 to 2019. Researchers examined data and responses from more than 800,000 participants. They found that simultaneous use was almost twice as prevalent […]

Introducing Michigan’s One-Stop Shop Behavioral Health Campus
One-Stop Shop for Behavioral Health Scroll down to 2-minute video What does it mean when we say Sanford Behavioral Health is a one-stop shop? It means we treat the whole person. Our integrative programs treat addiction, eating disorders, and related mental health conditions at the same time. Sanford’s multi-disciplinary team of experts communicates minute […]

Not Your Grandpa’s Detox – One Year of Reflections
Sanford Founder’s Reflections on Advancements in Medical Detox My family has a story we tell about the time my grandfather went to alcohol detox at Deaconess Hospital in Detroit. It was back in the 1970s when the approach was “white knuckle.” He was tied to the bed with straps. While his sons held vigil, he […]

ARFID – Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is avoidance of food/nutrition. Still, the avoidance is based on fear of choking or vomiting triggered by smells and textures, not anxiety about weight gain. It results in a loss of weight or a failure to gain weight at the rate expected along the developmental trajectory for a […]

Addressing Workplace Mental Health
A recent U.S. Surgeon General’s Report cites Five Essentials as “engines of well-being” in the workplace. The essentials to workplace mental health are a guideline for creating a healthy work environment. The framework for workplace mental health contains the following essentials: 1. Protection from Harm – safety and security 2. Connection and Community – […]

Behavioral Health Professional’s Day – Free CEUs
Join us for a full day of presentations and networking at Sanford Behavioral Health’s Professional’s Day. Behavioral Health Professional’s Day is an in-person event in Midland, Michigan. Five experts will speak on topics such as the common characteristics central to eating and substance use disorders; suicide prevention; the PIES model; and recovery efforts at […]
