Ron Fischer has come across the threshold of Butte SPIRIT Homes as a Licensed Addictions Counselor. He is a life-long learner—beginning with Montana Tech and an Associates Degree, a Bachelors in English from Western Montana College, a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the U of M, and a Doctor of Arts from Idaho State, all of which led him first to teaching at Butte Central back in the 80’s and then being a professor of English for the last 38 years. Recovery brought him into the classroom again as a student to get a Bachelors in Addiction Studies from Minot State in North Dakota and to jump careers. Ron is a writer and some people may remember his play A Dance on Crumbling Earth or his book of short stories Journeys into Open Country. Creative writing does have an intense therapeutic effect, so he’s hosted Recovery Writer groups and Open Mic nights when he provided counseling at WATCh. Words, like tears or laughter, bring healing and open the gates of wonder and imagination. Online counseling for Prairie Recovery in North Dakota, clinicals at both Trinity Hospital’s Chemical Dependency Unit and North Central Human Services in Minot as well as his most recent service at WATCh have brought him the joy of working with recovery groups as well as the heart-to-heart experience of supporting individuals in their journey to reinventing themselves. Their expeditions have enriched Ron’ own quest for finding meaning and a higher purpose in life. Ron feels such gratitude for the openness and warmth of those whom he has and will trek alongside.