Bright Sunshine in the Rat Park with Dr. Carl Erik FisherBright Sunshine in the Rat Park with Dr. Carl Erik Fisher
Emotional Sobriety: The Next Step in Recovery
Allen, Thom, and Patrick welcome addiction psychiatrist Carl Erik Fisher of Columbia University to discuss emotional sobriety. In the pursuit of “making sense of what happened to him” after his addiction hit a point of critical mass and he decided to seek help, Dr. Fisher wrote The Urge: Our History of Addiction and began regular episodes of the Flourishing After Addiction podcast to look for answers. How did we get here, how are we recovering, and how can we carry a message of education and hope? Our relationship to community, to Self, and to our own self-esteem are dynamics which must evolve for us to find that “quiet place in bright sunshine” Bill mentions in his 1958 letter. Learn more about Dr. Fisher on his website: https://www.carlerikfisher.com His podcast, Flourishing After Addiction: https://pod.link/1581713114 Allen and Patrick will be in Dublin for the Recovery Reimagined conference next week, which can be attended virtually or in person: https://friendlycircleberlin.org/recovery-reimagined-2025 Learn more about Joe C., Secular AA and Rebellion Dogs here: https://rebelliondogspublishing.com/ Follow us on social media. Podcast Twitter: @EmSobrietyPod Instagram: thomrutledge2 Joe C. Twitter: @Rebellion_Dogs Friendly Circle Berlin Workshop Group meets every Monday @ 7:30pm (Berlin), 6:30pm (Ireland & UK), 1:30pm EST, 10:30am PST Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5505019905 Allen’s book, 12 Essential Insights for Emotional Sobriety: https://www.amazon.com/12-Essential-Insights-Emotional-Sobriety/dp/1955415129/ Join Allen & Thom at our Thursday night, 7pm PST Zoom meeting on Emotional Sobriety and the Steps (login information below): https://zoom.us/j/330149513 Password: 375986 For our ongoing workshop video series on Emotional Sobriety and the 12 Steps, visit our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHEM2-kqLkfp3I4c0jy-X-g Also, please join our “Emotional Sobriety and Recovery” FB Group at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/120450976662519 We’d love to stay in touch in between meetings. We appreciate feedback! Contact Patrick, our producer, at pndirective4@gmail.com for any questions or comments.
48:54•17 May 2025
Exploring Emotional Sobriety with Dr. Carl Erik Fisher
Episode Overview
- Emotional sobriety involves achieving deeper self-support.
- Isolation exacerbates addiction; connection aids recovery.
- Understanding historical perspectives can inform personal recovery.
- Self-actualisation is key to overcoming emotional dependency.
- Community and personal stories enrich the recovery process.
“"Isolation is the killer in addiction; it's harder to isolate when we create space with each other."”
In this engaging episode of Emotional Sobriety: The Next Step in Recovery, Dr. Allen Berger and Thom Rutledge invite Dr. Carl Erik Fisher, an addiction psychiatrist from Columbia University, to discuss the concept of emotional sobriety. Dr. Fisher shares his own tumultuous journey with addiction, recounting how he went from a high-achieving medical student to experiencing a dramatic intervention that changed his life.
His story is a vivid reminder of the complexities of addiction and recovery, blending personal experience with professional insight. Dr. Fisher's book, The Urge: Our History of Addiction, and his podcast, Flourishing After Addiction, aim to make sense of addiction's impact on individuals and society. He explores the importance of community, self-esteem, and the dynamics of recovery through historical and philosophical lenses.
The discussion touches on how addiction can isolate individuals, but also highlights the power of connection and understanding in healing. The episode delves into the idea that emotional sobriety goes beyond simply abstaining from substances; it's about achieving a deeper level of self-support and understanding. Dr. Fisher and the hosts explore how unhealthy dependencies can lead to emotional disturbances and how cultivating emotional sobriety can bring freedom and self-actualisation.
Listeners will find themselves drawn to the honest reflections on recovery, the exploration of historical perspectives, and the engaging anecdotes shared by Dr. Fisher. If you're curious about what emotional sobriety means and how it can be achieved, this episode offers thought-provoking insights that may resonate deeply with anyone on their own journey to recovery.
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