Episode 449 – Addiction Recovery, Resilience, and an Unstoppable Life with Eric Fisher
The lessons that shape us often come from the places we never planned to go and the challenges we never expected to face.
In this conversation, I speak with Eric Fisher about the experiences that shaped his approach to mental wellness, resilience, grief, and personal growth. Eric shares how martial arts taught him balance, self-control, and perseverance, and how those lessons now help him guide people through addiction recovery, relationship challenges, and life’s hardest moments. We explore the realities of grief, the power of trust, the difference between inpatient and outpatient counseling, and why healing often begins with self-acceptance. Eric also discusses his books, including The Martial Art of Recovery and Buried Alive, revealing how personal experiences and family stories continue to shape his work. If you’ve ever faced loss, adversity, addiction, or the challenge of rebuilding after setbacks, I believe you will find both practical insights and encouragement in Eric’s story.
Highlights:
08:10 – Eric shares lessons learned from his FBI internship experience.
18:43 – A friend’s crisis leads Eric and his wife to move to New Zealand.
23:38 – Martial arts becomes a foundation for recovery and mental wellness.
37:05 – Eric reflects on grief, loss, and the importance of support.
43:12 – Self-acceptance plays a critical role in addiction recovery.
50:26 – Couples learn to face problems together instead of against each other.
About the Guest:
Eric Fisher, a Canadian transplant, is a counselling therapist who resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Originally from Tennessee, he has over 15 years of experience working outpatient and inpatient treatment settings in the US and Canada. He has two books published at this time: The Martial Art of Recovery: Self-Mastery Practices to Subdue Addiction and Achieve Mental Wellness, and Buried Alive: Four Ways to Free Yourself from the Dirt.
Eric is a master practitioner of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and is also trained in EyeMovement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), both of which are evidence-based treatments for trauma. Eric’s private practice, Recovery Arts Counselling, serves individuals, couples, and families both locally and remotely. In the past, Eric has supervised masters-level graduate students and counsellors early in their careers. He has won multiple awards for his screenwriting: The Departure – official finalist in biographical/historical genre – 2014 Beverly Hills Screenplay Contest. Only 16 Miles – Finalist – 2014 Horror Screenplay Contest. Universal Escapade (Finalist – Top 25) – WeScreenplay International Screenplay Competition. Hipster Z (co-written) – best feature screenplay – 2017 Action On Film International Film Festival. Hipster Z – Best horror/comedy Screenplay – 2017 International Horror Hotel Film Fest.
Additionally, Eric has a black belt in two martial arts styles: American Kenpo and Wadō-ryū. One interesting thing about Eric is that he had the opportunity to be an intern with the FBI — twice. Eric enjoys hiking and riding his bike outdoors, music concerts, tasting new food dishes to keep his taste buds guessing, travelling near and far, and meeting people.
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Ways to connect with Eric:
Website: https://www.recoveryartscounselling.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ericfisherauthor
Instagram – @recoveryartscounselling – https://www.instagram.com/recoveryartscounselling/
@ericfisherwriter – https://www.instagram.com/ericfisherwriter
Linkedin – Eric Fisher – www.linkedin.com/in/eric-m-fisher-5b83724a
Facebook – Recovery Arts Counselling – https://www.facebook.com/RecoveryArtsCounselling
About the Host:
Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.
Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards.
https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/
https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/
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Transcription Notes:
