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Discipline and Motivation – Practices in Early Recovery

A discipline is any activity that I can do by direct effort that will eventually enable me to do that which, currently, I cannot do by direct effort.  John Mark Comer   Would you pair the word “discipline” with the words “controlling” or “intense”? I certainly would and have. As a self-identified Type B individual, […]

Importance of Connection in Recovery – Limelight Interview

  The historic home at 540 Cherry Street, Grand Rapids, Michigan, has stood the test of time. Now, as Sanford House at Cherry Street for Women, it exudes strength and safety, serving as a port in the storm during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the importance of human connection is clear.   In-Person Addiction Treatment in […]

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Calling All Alumni – Virtual Groups During COVID-19!

  There has been a spate of articles, webinars and Zoom presentations talking about the negative impact of COVID-19 on those in recovery from addiction. Isolation, limited in-person connection, and uncertainty are just a few of the stressors that affect everyone during a pandemic. But those with substance use disorders have additional challenges. And Sanford […]

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Thinking vs Acting – the First Steps to Recovery

Making changes to your alcohol habits is a massive undertaking. It can take months – years even – to get to the point where you actually stop drinking. And that’s okay, because transformation is a long process and it starts from deep within. Often things can be moving well along in the direction of change […]

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Looking Back at Summer Joy 2019 – The Best of Excursions

  What a difference a year makes. We went back to our articles from last year at this time, when summer was a little simpler to navigate. Interestingly, summer joy and our recovery advice stood the test of time. In 2020, we still seek happiness, connection to nature, and fostering feelings of awe. And in Michigan, […]

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Boundaries in Recovery – The Freedom of Setting Limits

From the presentation “Establishing Healthy Boundaries in Recovery” – Families Against Narcotics (FAN) Washtenaw County Family Forum, May 11, 2020 by Rae Green, JD, LPC, CAADC and Ellen M. Sork, LLMSW.   What are boundaries in recovery? “Boundary” is a word that has found its way into our everyday vocabulary and popular media. The concept […]

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Alcohol Ruins Relationships and Marriages, Even Brad Pitt’s

  In a spate of articles and talk show banter over the past few years, actor Brad Pitt has blamed his alcohol use for the demise of his marriage to Angelina Jolie. It seems there was a defining incident on a private plane when Brad was inappropriately rough with one of his children. I can […]

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Boundaries, New Life, Nutrition Reboot – The Best of Excursions

It’s spring and in Michigan everything is chirping, budding and flowering. It makes you feel alive, awakened after a long sleep …  We’ve been distancing for several weeks, and one of the interesting things that seems to have come from our stay-at-home charge, is determining what is essential.  So, as the world begins to open […]

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Wood TV News – Rae Green on COVID-19 Impact on Addiction

  Thank you to, Dana Whyte, and Wood TV 8 for their excellent reporting on the COVID-19 impact on addiction and recovery. Dana and Sanford Addiction Treatment Centers Founder, Rae Green, discuss the new normal for those who rely on social and therapy groups to address addiction and recovery, and how they are managing while […]

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Sheltering at Home with a Substance Misusing Loved One?

  So, all these weeks of staying at home have answered those nagging questions in the back of your mind about a loved one’s behavior changes. Your spouse, significant other, child, friend has been misusing a substance of some sort and likely has a substance use disorder (SUD).   Substance Misusing Loved One … Everyone […]

sheltering at home substance misusing loved one