New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work? Implementing Change with GUSTO
Updated 12/30/24 Welcome to 2025! In your social circles, the “buzz” is probably about New Year’s resolutions. Did you make any? I want to share some perspectives on how humans make behavioral changes, such as resolutions or adjustments to our relationships and lives. Resolutions & Change When it comes to a resolution for […]
How to Set Boundaries in Addiction Recovery
As the family program facilitator at Sanford Behavioral Health, I spend a lot of time helping loved ones establish boundaries. Establishing healthy boundaries is possible in family recovery. Establishing boundaries is essential to effectively work with a loved one with a substance use disorder (SUD). Healthy boundaries are at the heart of any positive relationship […]
Benefits of Art Therapy for Mental Health
At Sanford Behavioral Health, we are always asking patients to “show me.” Show me where in the image you are feeling a conflict. Show me how you would change that. Of course, when we ask someone to show us something, we ask them to show themselves. In Sanford’s mental health treatment, patients participate in […]
Could Parenting Styles Cause Eating Disorders?
Research has shown that children and youth who diet are much more likely to develop eating disorders. In fact, the earlier that dieting begins, the more likely a significant eating disorder can occur. Body positivity begins at home; parenting styles can help to develop body positivity naturally. It is normal and expected that […]
What is the One Gift Your Family Will Not Return?
The Season of Hope and Family Recovery This is the season of hope, joy, and the giving of gifts to honor that hope and joy. A season of this type applies to all people who practice traditions of their culture or faith. I am the Family Program for Addiction Treatment facilitator at Sanford Behavioral Health. […]
Eating Disorders and the Holiday Feast
Expert Guidance on Navigating the Holidays: Forget About the “Clean Plate Club” Thanks to The Lakeshore West Michigan for their informed interview with Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorder’s Gail Hall, LMSW, DCSW, CEDS-S. During the holidays, those recovering from an eating disorder may find family meals stressful—likewise, the holiday traditions around food. Gail Hall […]
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 […]
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 […]
Letting Go in Family Recovery (Happy Thanksgiving!)
Once again, it’s the holiday season with a tradition of gathering and gift-giving to folks you care about! And Thanksgiving is the time we count our blessings and express gratitude – all part of the recovery process! At Sanford Behavioral Health, we care about our clients and Excursions readers and have a little practical […]
10 Tips for a Sober Holiday
My family has a legend we talk about from my non-sober holidays past. It’s about the time “Mom,” with a bottle of chardonnay coursing through her system, put hot stuffing into a Pyrex bowl. And while the rest of the Thanksgiving meal was sliced, mashed, and dolloped into serving dishes, I attempted to keep […]
