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 is a Calgary-based counselling therapist, author, and mental health professional with extensive experience supporting individuals, couples, and families. A Canadian transplant who has lived in Tennessee, Mississippi, New Zealand, and Canada, he combines his clinical expertise with personal insights on addiction recovery, mental wellness, and self-mastery. Eric is the author of The Martial Art of Recovery and Buried Alive, and holds advanced training in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), EMDR, and Eye Movement Integration. Beyond his counselling work, he is an award-winning screenwriter, martial artist with black belts in American Kenpo and Wadō-ryū, and an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, music, travel, and discovering new experiences. Ways to connect with Eric: Website: https://www.recoveryartscounselling.com Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ericfisherauthor Instagram - @recoveryartscounselling -   / recoveryartscounselling   @ericfisherwriter -   / ericfisherwriter   Linkedin - Eric Fisher - www.linkedin.com/in/eric-m-fisher-5b83724a Facebook - Recovery Arts Counselling -   / 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://michaelhingson.com   / michael.hingson.author.speaker     / mhingson      / mhingson     / michaelhingson   Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstopp... .