Eric Fisher

 

Areas of Expertise

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• Substance use issues and concerns

• Grief

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Trauma 

• Relationship Concerns

• ADHD 

• Anger management 

 

Therapeutic Modalities

 

• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy - Informed (DBT)

• Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) - Master Practitioner 

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR)

• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

• Motivational Interviewing 

• MBTI - Myers-Briggs Type Indicator - Certified Practitioner 

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Qualifications

• BS in Psychology from Freed-Hardeman University.

• MS in Clinical Mental Health Counselling from Freed-Hardeman University. 

• A published author of "The Martial Art of Recovery" (published in 2024)

• Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) in good standing through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.

• Registered member with The Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (ACTA) holding the title permit of Counselling Therapist. 

• Over 13 years experience in the counselling profession working in inpatient and outpatient environments. 

• A master-level practitioner in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Certified EMDR training,  Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), trained in mindfulness practices and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

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My Counselling Journey:

My journey as a counsellor began back in Mississippi, USA, where I worked as a counsellor in an outpatient mental health clinic serving men and women. During that time I would also work as a mobile therapist, visiting people in their homes and working together with families to provide therapy. I organised and facilitated powerful and dynamic anger management groups. I also performed psychiatric evaluations at a local hospital to assess whether a patient required long-term inpatient support. During my time there, I provided therapy for residents of a nursing home and worked with men and women involved in an acute partial hospitalization program.

 

At one point I transitioned to working in an inpatient treatment centre for a variety of mental health-related concerns. During this time I got married and had an opportunity to travel to New Zealand with my wife for an extended holiday…. a joyous time unlike any other!

 

I have served in the past as a Clinical Counsellor and Supervisor for new clinicians in a private therapy centre in Calgary.  I've witnessed the strength and resiliency that arises when people discover their true selves. It is my privilege to now be a part of the team at Safe Haven Counselling (since 2021) and walk alongside clients seeking their own healing journey.

 

I live in South Calgary with my wife and enjoy biking on the Fish Creek Park pathways. There are so many uncharted paths to discover on the trails just like life itself. 

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My Counselling Approach

I have advanced training and experience in ART - Accelerated Resolution Therapy. I also draw from many different treatment approaches including Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), EMDR, Mindfulness, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Rogerian Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, motivational interviewing, and expressive arts. I aim to be collaborative with my clients in constructing treatment goals that will best meet their needs for therapy.

 

I believe that a client-centred approach is important as it provides the client a voice that deserves to be heard in the treatment process.  A client-centered approach reminds me of what Jon Kabat-Zinn, known as the founder of MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), stated in regarding having a beginner’s mind: “In the mind of the expert they say there are very few possibilities, but in the beginner’s mind there are infinite possibilities because we come to it fresh.” ​​

 

My aim is to join into therapy with my clients in a fresh, creative, inviting, and empathic way.

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The Therapeutic Journey:

I was given the following metaphor by a fellow colleague and I found it insightful. I’ve changed it some, but the core remains intact:

 

“Learning more about ourselves is like two people being in different parts of a house. One person sees the living room for what it is while the other stays in the kitchen and sees that area for what it is. A person will have to move to encounter the opposite room.”

 

Counselling is a tool that can open up blind spots about certain ‘rooms’ we don’t know much about or perhaps didn’t even know were there in the first place. What was once blind is now open. What was once secret is now laid out and explored. In counselling this takes active engagement, vulnerability, perseverance, and being gentle with yourself. 

 

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me a little better. Let me know how I can help you in your own journey of self-discovery.​​​​

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