Sanford House at John Street for Men – Grand Opening
It was an evening for friends, family and business colleagues to gather at Sanford House Addiction Treatment Centers’ newest facility. Located at 221 John Street, Grand Rapids, Michigan, the restored mansion will serve as a residential and non-residential addiction treatment center for men. The Green family hosted a party to officially open the […]
Addiction Treatment Alphabet Soup – What Do All Those Letters MEAN?
I remember using acronyms in grade school to help me recall items for upcoming quizzes and tests. One of my favorites was “HOMES”, the names of the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. When I got to college, I still made up acronyms to help me study and memorize for tests. While […]
You ARE What You Eat – How Nutrition Helps the Therapeutic Process
Working in the field of addiction, it is not uncommon for me to hear people say; “I should be able to indulge in all the sweets, fats and junk food I want.” There is a shared belief that “treating themselves” to processed foods is better than using their drug of choice. This, however, is proving to […]
The Rise of Older Women Seeking Addiction Treatment
As the Clinical Director of Sanford House, one of my duties is to collect data and put it together in an annual Performance Management Report. Age ranges of the persons served are among the statistics collected. I have found it interesting to note the increasing number of older women entering addiction treatment. The Older Woman in […]
Powerful Allies in Recovery – Educating the Family About Addiction
Why is it important to include family in recovery? At Sanford, we believe family involvement is one of the most important components for a healthy, long term recovery. Family members can be powerful allies in the recovery process. And while a person is in treatment, it is the perfect time to involve family members. […]
Every Therapy Dog Has His Day – Addiction Treatment
Therapy Dog … I’m not exactly a dog person. In fact Santino, the Sanford therapy dog, and I have an unwritten “hands off” policy. In other words, I don’t pat his belly or give him full body hugs. He doesn’t lick my face. We usually just ignore each other companionably. But last week, Santino […]
Girl Restarted – What It’s Like to be Out of Rehab and Back to College
Apartness is such a common thread in the stories of alcoholics and addicts. It seems to plague us; the feeling of being an utter misfit, of not belonging and having to pump ourselves full of booze just to feel a part of things. I don’t ever remember feeling comfortable anywhere. I was squirmy and […]
Doodling to Distract – The “Art” of Visual Journaling
In my blog post last week, I discussed the benefits of creating art in an art therapy context. This week, I want to talk a little bit about the benefits of creating art on your own. I started keeping a visual journal in college. It was assigned to me by my favorite professor, and […]
Why is Positive Thinking So Good For Your Recovery?
Recently, I was with a group of women in recovery, and I asked everyone what they were grateful for – with a caveat. My car had just been towed away, and I felt pessimistic about the potential outcome. I said, “I am grateful for many things, except I’d be more grateful if my car worked.” […]
The Visual Language of Art Therapy…
I have the pleasure and privilege of bringing creative expression to Sanford House as the Art Therapist on staff. Sanford House contacted me after I had relocated to Grand Rapids following my master’s training in Milwaukee. At the time, I had been gracefully masterfully desperately attempting to connect with any and every counseling center […]
