
When Experience is Therapeutic – Limelight Interview
At Sanford Behavioral Health, our client’s treatment is enhanced by the relationship they establish with their primary therapist. Today in the Limelight Interview, we focus on clinical therapist Shellie Cole-Mickens. Shellie is a powerhouse who founded Our House of Blessings, which offers sanctuary and support for women ex-offenders or those with mental health and substance […]
Walking for Lasting Addiction Recovery
A doctor friend of mine has an adage that applies to recovery from physical injury but also relates to addiction recovery. He says, “Use it or lose it.”ย In other words, moving your body, even on a slow walk, is good for what ails you.ย But do you know how good? Or that walking provides […]
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 Questions? Sanford Doctors & Therapists Answer
We get mental health questions regularly from individuals who do not know how to navigate a complex behavioral health system. Since it is Mental Health Awareness Month, we would like to answer some of those questions in one place. Sanford Behavioral Health treats addiction, eating disorders, and mental health conditions. Appropriately, we focus on reducing […]
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 […]
Dear Rae: How Do I Talk to My Spouse About Their Drinking?
Updated 1/2/25 Dear Rae: Iโll get right to the point. Lately, my husband has been using alcohol as a crutch. In other words, he drinks to reduce his stress, but it adds to the stress in our home. He drinks every evening (sometimes starting at lunchtime). It definitely impacts our relationship because when he drinks, […]
Happiness in Recovery – Reset Your Day!
It has been a long winter, and some of us may be feeling a bit down lately. To be sure, thereโs nothing wrong with feeling down. Happiness is not a prerequisite of recovery for our clients at Sanford Behavioral Health. However, we do teachย coping skills to help our clients move through the rough patches: […]
10 Recovery Slogans – Why They Work
Updated 1/2/25 Much of my writing is intense (e.g., Family Guide to Understanding Relapse). So, I’m ready to try something a little lighter yet equally informative. For example, a part of the recovery dialogue that I’ve learned over the years is the use of slogans in recovery. At first, I thought they were silly. I […]
Women’s Binge Drinking Outpaces Men’s After Pandemic
During the pandemic in 2020, binge drinking among college-age students declined. The decline was attributed to the lack of gatherings and the isolation as classes went online. However, in the wake of the pandemic, overall drinking for young adults is on the rise. And in a Washington Examiner interview with Dr. George F. Koob, director […]
Eating Disorders – What We Treat
Eating disorders can occur in individuals of all ages, genders, and body types. Sanford Behavioral Health Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders (Sanford CTED) treats adolescents and adults in half-day and whole-day outpatient programs. Our residential treatment programs treat female gendered individuals 18 and older. Our continuum of care allows the individuals we treat to enter […]