shame

Shame and the Self-Conscious Emotions

You are walking down a busy street and trip on an uneven sidewalk. Or you are looking at old photographs and unearth one from when you were in active addiction, wearing a party hat that says, KISS ME, I’M IRISH. Or, as an adult, your mother says something about your lack of progress at work, […]

Sanford Library of Virtual Recovery Resources

Sanford Behavioral Health’s use of telehealth to continue providing virtual treatment services and recovery resources receives favorable reviews from many clients, even in the aftermath of the pandemic. Individuals who choose virtual connection express gratitude for the groups and individual services we provide. In addition, our clients say they look forward to telehealth sessions to […]

virtual recovery resources library

Sobriety Makes You Pretty – It’s Better than Botox!

  I work for Sanford Behavioral Health in Greater Grand Rapids. Michigan, my job gives me a bird’s eye overview of our patients in recovery. Everyone knows that addictive substance use can wreak havoc on our physical health. However, I’d like to address what it does to our physical appearance as well. I don’t see […]

Why Does Mommy Need a Nap? Children of Alcoholics Making it All Better

  What is Codependency? The definition of codependency is “excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner. Especially one who requires support on account of an illness or addiction”.  At Sanford Behavioral Health, our Family Program addresses codependency and other coping mechanisms loved ones of those with substance use disorders employ to make things better. […]

Dieting? A Healthy Approach to Your New Year’s Resolution

  Thank you to Susan Shaw and Wood TV 8 for including Sanford Behavioral Health in their “New Me in 2023” series. Susan’s conversation with Lori Kehoe, Program Director at Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders, about dieting the “eat healthier resolution” was perfectly timed. A couple of weeks into the New Year, folks already […]

Supportive Living – When It’s Not Safe to Go Home

Around recovery meetings, folks always say you need to change people, places, and things to manage an addiction. But what happens if you don’t have the option to change your current situation? If you live at home with parents or siblings who use, for example. It makes long-term recovery look daunting and can keep an […]

supportive living group together

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. […]

Family Guide to Understanding Addiction Relapse

  For family recovery to become a reality, each household member must have an accurate perspective on addiction relapse and their recovery plan. Any situation that stimulates old addictive pathways can lead to relapse in the person with an addictive condition, likewise, to family members. The most important thing is what the individual with a substance […]

You’re Stressed? Women Feel the Holiday Hassles More than Men

My mother used to do this predictable thing whenever I would indicate frailty, especially during the holidays. If I said, “I’m tired,” she said, “You’re tired. I slept three hours last night worrying about how I would seat everyone at dinner tonight.” I could not top her ever-escalating descriptions of exhaustion, aches and pains, and […]

A Toast to Brain Health – 10 Strategies to Embrace the Holiday Season

  If you or a loved one are experiencing your first sober holiday season, I’ll bet I can predict the questions you are noodling. I can also assure you (nine years after my first dry yuletide) that most of your concerns are unfounded. I quit drinking in July, so I had time to get used […]