Dry January – What are the Lessons We Learn?
During the holidays, I was extolling (as one does when loved ones gather) about the relative ease of my recovery from an acute alcohol use disorder. I am nine years sober, and at this stage of the game, not drinking has become as much of an affectation as my omnipresent wine glass used to be. […]
Deadly Combination – DO NOT Mix Alcohol and Cannabis on the Road
Highlights from a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health show an increase in simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use among adults 21+ in the U.S. from 2008 to 2019. Researchers examined data and responses from more than 800,000 participants. They found that simultaneous use was almost twice as prevalent […]
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. […]
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 […]
Disney World Can Wait – All Inclusive Ticket to Family Wellness
Book Now: All Inclusive Ticket to Family Education & Wellness! The Family Program at Sanford Behavioral Health has been seven years in the making. Programs designed for our clients’ loved ones were created (and improved year-by-year) to include loved ones during treatment and beyond. Family wellness and involvement are essential components of a healthy […]
These 10 Excuses are the Enemy to Your Recovery. Do Any Apply to You?
It’s the holidays—the time for pageants at church and school, office parties, and family responsibilities. As a person in recovery, I can remember this time of year while in active addiction. On top of the crushing TO DO list of everyday holiday tasks, there was the exhausting schedule of drinking, planning to drink, and […]
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 […]
Art Therapy: It’s Not What You Think
Art therapy has always been a part of Sanford Behavioral Health’s programming. One of the tenets of art therapists is to ask a group to “show me.” Of course, when asking someone to “show” something, they are asking them to show themselves. Sanford embraces creative expression as a viable and effective framework for treatment. Because […]
Dear Rae: No Alcohol for the Holidays? I’m Mad!
Dear Rae: I just got an email from my aunt saying our cousin (we’ll call him Bill) is in early recovery from addiction, and to support him, she is not allowing any alcohol in her house for the holidays. I have to admit it makes me mad! My aunt is always the center of our […]
Choose Alcohol over Family?
One of the most challenging questions for those recovering from an alcohol use disorder is, “Why did you choose alcohol over me?” No matter how often you tell the family of a person in active addiction their loved one has a chronic, progressive brain disease, someone will stand up and say, “Yes, but they […]
