Awe Walks for Mental Health
Updated 2/15/2025 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 […]
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 […]
Seasonal Affective Disorder – It’s Not Just the Winter Blues
Updated 2/11/2026 There are many things to love about living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. But let’s admit it – winter can be a tough season for those of us who live in the Midwest. Unfortunately, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is more than just a case of the “winter blues.” It can cause mood swings, anxiety, […]
How a Winter in Michigan Can Help You
We have had a gloomy start to the year in Michigan. The sun shined for five minutes in the first eight days of January 2023. Since then, it has been all grey skies and puddles threatening to turn to black ice. So why, you ask, is this woman writing an article about the health […]
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 […]
Don’t Call it Gym Class: Recreational Therapy for Eating Disorders
Recreational therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation, is essential to the comprehensive treatment of those with eating disorders at Sanford Behavioral Health. People seeking treatment may feel lost and disconnected from their identity, values, bodies, and leisure interests because of their eating disorder(s). This is where the recreational therapist steps in as part of […]
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 […]
Michigan Autumn is Good for Your Mental Health
I was speaking to a colleague of mine yesterday. She asked if I had any ideas for inspirational thoughts on the monitors at Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus. As the Sanford Marketing Director, my answer to questions of this sort is always, “Yes.” I had been thinking about the mental health benefits of a […]
Focus: First Responders – New Podcast for Sanford
How do first responders manage the stress of the job? In a new podcast, Focus: First Responders, host Matthew VanLiere explores the mental health issues associated with being first on the scene to face challenging, dangerous, and exhausting situations. Matt comes by the subject naturally, as a 29-year veteran of the Ottaway County, Michigan […]
