The Consequences of High-Intensity Drinking
In an old Ella Fitzgerald song that has stood the test of time, she sings, “You say either, I say either. You say neither, and I say neither. Either, either, neither, neither, let’s call the whole thing off!” It springs to mind when we talk about a new category of alcohol consumption called “high-intensity” drinking. […]
Spring Fever? 10 Ideas to Inspire Anticipation (and Mental Health)
I am already preparing for the family Easter egg hunt. An extravaganza that attracts new participants each year. It means dragging bins of plastic eggs from the attic, buying candy and trinkets, and planning brunch. Looking forward to the gathering of family and friends, children running on the grass, and the inevitable sighting of the […]

Combating Fear of Detox: Taking the First Steps to Recovery
There is a large parking lot outside the welcoming entrance to Sanford Behavioral Health’s Detox Center. A common scenario unfolds when our clients and their families arrive. We can only imagine the discussions happening in the car and the second thoughts being expressed. Often, it takes time for them to leave the car and approach […]
Meet Chief Executive Officer Tracy Rogers, LMHC
Tracy Rogers was perfectly happy as a healthcare operations consultant until she met Sanford Behavioral Health Founders Rae and David Green through a mutual colleague. As she puts it, “They are the reason I wanted to serve as a Chief Executive Officer again.” Because Sanford is privately owned and small enough to feel manageable, Tracy […]
The “Lady” With the Lamp – Modern-Day Nursing in Mental Health
What would life be like without nurses? Florence Nightingale, the pioneer of modern-day nursing, devoted her life to the service of others. She felt called to help as a young woman and made it her life’s passion. Florence worked deliberately to educate herself in the art and science of nursing at the cost of the […]
Hope for Creating Personal Boundaries in the Addicted Home
Recently, Sanford Behavioral Health Founder Rae Green and I presented an educational in-service for the Mental Health Association of Michigan. Our focus was on boundaries (personal or external) for recovering families. After the presentation, I began thinking deeply about boundaries and recovery. I became even stronger in my belief that families dealing with addiction have […]
Are You Supporting or Enabling Your Addicted Loved One?
Over the many years I have spent working with family members of individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), the number one question I get is, “What can we do to help?” The question leads to a discussion about supporting and enabling behaviors to engage in while attempting to get a loved one to acknowledge a […]
Ask Rae: Is My Recovery at Risk When I Help an Addicted Person?
Dear Rae: I have been in recovery for more than ten years, and I recently had a strange experience that makes me wonder if I have put my recovery at risk. One of the tenets of recovery is to help others, and I am a recovery advocate. Over the years, I have been open about […]
CRAFT and Family Treatment in the Addicted Home
If you have followed my two previous articles, you are aware of how a substance use disorder (SUD), a dangerous disease by itself, becomes a family disease. An SUD negatively impacts the current and future generations of a family. Negative consequences of this disease will impact every relationship and situation in the life of a […]