“The difference between having a job and having a vocation is that a job is some unpleasant work you do in order to make money, with the sole purpose of making money,” Alan Watts once rightfully pointed out. Eric Paskin, founder and general manager of Restore Health + Wellness Center, is the living proof of having a vocation rather than a job—one acquired through personal experience and years of turmoil. The center helps people rid themselves of addictions, be it alcohol, drugs, or other habit-forming pernicious substances, while he finds great satisfaction in helping people regain their freedom, and return to normal addiction-free life.

Eric’s journey was long and painful: he fought with his demons for more than a decade. He eventually won to become a successful, healthy individual with a purpose in life. “ I struggled most of my life with addiction and even experienced homelessness for a few years,” Eric reminisces on his long way to recovery, and the path he walked to get to his present occupation. He rose above his weakness having realized that there was no other way left to go from the point he was at. By sheer chance, Eric met a sponsor who suggested he get into marketing and sales for rehabilitation facilities. He turned out to be a natural fit. “I believe it chose me. For most of my life I didn’t consider myself a ‘helper.’ But once it happened and I saw how much good I was providing, it got very easy. It’s the passion for helping people that keeps me going because it’s a tough industry. There’s great joy in seeing someone who didn’t have hope, take their life back,” Eric says of his passion.

The premier rehabilitation facility Eric founded and manages offers treatment programs that account for the subtle specifics of each patient’s condition. The Center focuses on customized treatment because, “some people have a longer detoxification process, some shorter because of the type of substances they’ve used, and some don’t require detoxing at all. Each client has a very thorough biopsychosocial assessment, and treatment is tailored to their individual needs based on the assessment,” elaborates Eric.

Awareness and acceptance of a problem is just the beginning of recovery. The next step is to move past the stigma that stands in the way of so many people seeking help. Once this step is taken, Eric’s Restore Health + Wellness Center is there to help. “I think that people struggling with addiction shouldn’t give up no matter how hard stopping seems, it’s possible to stop and change the quality and the conditions of their lives. I’m living proof that it’s possible and there are millions of others who have managed to create incredible lives that once seemed like fairy tales,” Eric shares. To get more information about the center, visit  Restore Health + Wellness Center.

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