Who Says Mental Health Treatment Has to Feel Like a Hospital?
We are proud of the work we’ve done to prepare JOHN (Just One Hero Needed) for its opening this week. While staff members put the final touches on preparing guest spaces, we realized once again that JOHN is a beautiful place to be. From the stained glass windows in the dining room to the leather […]
COVID-19, the D.C. Sniper, and Self-Care: Meet Ana Freed
Getting to know Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Ana Freed is a wild ride. After all, she was in the thick of emergent care during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also provided Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) to multiple locations and members of the community during the Washington D.C. sniper shootings in 2002. As part of […]
Toxic Masculinity, Trauma and the Elusive Emotions of Men
Toxic masculinity refers to masculine norms emphasizing toughness and discouraging vulnerable emotions in boys and men. It is correlated with increased mental health conditions (e.g., substance use disorders, depression, and stress). The residential programs at Sanford House at John Street for Men address these conditions in an atmosphere of camaraderie and trust. Clinicians specialize in […]
Addressing Trauma with Alternative Therapy
Trauma is an event or circumstance that results in emotional, physical, and life threatening harm. It is important to note that trauma is highly individualized. This means, we all respond to events differently. How we respond is largely based on prior experience. For this reason, one person may demonstrate resilience after an event while another […]
Marriage & Family Therapy in Rehab – Limelight Interview
Clinical Director, Lynnel Brewster has a lot of initials after her name. And with 24 years of experience, she has worked in hospital and home settings, residential addiction treatment centers and private practice. Lynnel is a registered nurse and a licensed professional counselor. She also has her limited license in marriage and family therapy, […]
Neuro-Reflexive Therapy – Dry Needling for Addiction Aftercare
I am lying on a wide padded table breathing in through a “hole in my head”. I am breathing out through my hands and feet. There are neuro-reflexive needles in my face, hands, ankles, hips, and the top of my head. And behind my eyes I see cobalt blue squares. When I tell the […]
Toxic Masculinity – The Hidden Trauma in Men’s Lives
Updated 4/29/2024 Human suffering is all around us.  We learn of untold, hidden trauma—sexual abuse, bullying, domestic violence, early and sudden deaths of loved ones, exposure to combat, life-altering injuries, etc. It makes us wonder how men and women survive and move on to live life after traumatic experiences. Heroic stories of survival and […]
