From Addiction to Accountability: Jonathan Schwartz on Trauma, Recovery & Redemption
Mon Feb 02 2026
In this deeply honest episode of ๐๐ฏ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ต๐ฉ, Dr Ron Ehrlich is joined by ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐, a former Hollywood business manager whose life unraveled due to gambling and substance addiction, leading to federal prison. Now nearly a decade sober, Jonathan shares his journey through trauma, accountability, the 12-step program, prison reflection, and profound personal transformation.
This conversation explores addiction beyond substances, uncovering its roots in unresolved trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and disconnection. Jonathan also discusses recovery tools such as EMDR therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, spiritual surrender, and the power of community and service.
A raw, compassionate, and hopeful discussion about resilience, responsibility, and the possibility of genuine change.
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ:
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), soon to be a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), based in California. Formerly a high-profile Hollywood business manager, Jonathan rebuilt his life after addiction, incarceration, and nearly a decade of recovery.
He now works in addiction and trauma treatment, specialising in dual diagnosis, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), gambling addiction, and recovery accountability. Jonathan is actively involved in the Gamblers Anonymous community and is passionate about helping others find courage, connection, and authenticity.
๐๐ถ๐ป๐ธ๐
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฅ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ: Associate Marriage & Family Therapist (AMFT) ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐: Addiction recovery, trauma, EMDR, 12-step recovery, accountability ๐๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐: Gamblers Anonymous (Los Angeles) โ ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐โ๐น๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ
โ๏ธWhy addiction is rooted in trauma and disconnection
โ๏ธHow gambling addiction differs from substance addiction
โ๏ธThe real purpose of the 12-step program
โ๏ธWhy accountability is essential for recovery
โ๏ธHow prison became a space for reflection and growth
โ๏ธWhat EMDR therapy is and how it helps resolve trauma
โ๏ธHow unresolved childhood trauma affects mental and physical health
โ๏ธThe role of boundaries, service, and self-awareness in long-term recovery
ย
โย ย ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ง๐ผ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ
โGambling addiction and behavioural addiction
โTrauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
โPrison, reflection, and personal responsibility
โThe 12-step recovery framework
โEMDR therapy and trauma healing
โCognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
โAccountability vs shame
โRecovery, redemption, and resilience
โMental fitness and emotional awareness
ย
โ๏ธ ๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ & ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐
Explore More Health & Wellness Solutions:
Visit Dr. Ron Ehrlichโs Website: https://drronehrlich.com/ Podcast Archives, Q&As, and Expert Resources ย
๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฟ๏ฝก ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต
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๐ง Listen, reflect, and share this episode with someone who may be struggling.
Join the Unstress Health Community: ๐ต๐๐๐ฝ๐://๐ฏ๐ถ๐.๐น๐/๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐พ๐ฌ๐ด๐ด
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๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ: This podcast provides general information and discussion about medicine, health and related subjects. This content is not intended and should not be construed as medical advice or as a substitute for care by a qualified medical practitioner. If you or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately qualified medical practitioner. Guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, experiences and conclusions.ย
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#UnstressHealth #AddictionRecovery #TraumaHealing #MentalFitness #GamblingAddiction#12StepRecovery #EMDR #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #Accountability
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In this deeply honest episode of ๐๐ฏ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ต๐ฉ, Dr Ron Ehrlich is joined by ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐, a former Hollywood business manager whose life unraveled due to gambling and substance addiction, leading to federal prison. Now nearly a decade sober, Jonathan shares his journey through trauma, accountability, the 12-step program, prison reflection, and profound personal transformation. This conversation explores addiction beyond substances, uncovering its roots in unresolved trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and disconnection. Jonathan also discusses recovery tools such as EMDR therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, spiritual surrender, and the power of community and service. A raw, compassionate, and hopeful discussion about resilience, responsibility, and the possibility of genuine change. ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ: ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), soon to be a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), based in California. Formerly a high-profile Hollywood business manager, Jonathan rebuilt his life after addiction, incarceration, and nearly a decade of recovery. He now works in addiction and trauma treatment, specialising in dual diagnosis, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), gambling addiction, and recovery accountability. Jonathan is actively involved in the Gamblers Anonymous community and is passionate about helping others find courage, connection, and authenticity. ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ธ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฅ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ: Associate Marriage & Family Therapist (AMFT) ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐: Addiction recovery, trauma, EMDR, 12-step recovery, accountability ๐๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐: Gamblers Anonymous (Los Angeles) โ ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐โ๐น๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ โ๏ธWhy addiction is rooted in trauma and disconnection โ๏ธHow gambling addiction differs from substance addiction โ๏ธThe real purpose of the 12-step program โ๏ธWhy accountability is essential for recovery โ๏ธHow prison became a space for reflection and growth โ๏ธWhat EMDR therapy is and how it helps resolve trauma โ๏ธHow unresolved childhood trauma affects mental and physical health โ๏ธThe role of boundaries, service, and self-awareness in long-term recovery ย โย ย ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ง๐ผ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ โGambling addiction and behavioural addiction โTrauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) โPrison, reflection, and personal responsibility โThe 12-step recovery framework โEMDR therapy and trauma healing โCognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) โAccountability vs shame โRecovery, redemption, and resilience โMental fitness and emotional awareness ย โ๏ธ ๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ & ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ Explore More Health & Wellness Solutions: Visit Dr. Ron Ehrlichโs Website: https://drronehrlich.com/ Podcast Archives, Q&As, and Expert Resources ย ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฟ๏ฝก ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ย ย ย ย ย ๐ Website: (drronehrlich.com) ย ย ย ย ย ๐ Facebook: (facebook.com/Doctor.Ron.Ehrlich) ย ย ย ย ย ๐ธ Instagram: (@drronehrlich) ย ย ย ย ย ๐ฆ Twitter: (/doctor.ron.ehrlich) ย ย ย ย ย ๐ถ LinkedIn: (/dr-ron-ehrlich/) ย ย ย ย ย โถ๏ธ YouTube: (@doctorronehrlich) ย ย ย ย ย ๐ฅ TikTok: (@drronehrlich) ย ย ย ย ย ๐ง Spotify: (https://shorturl.at/JqK9h) ย ย ย ย ย ๐ฝ Omny: (https://omny.fm/shows/unstress-with-dr-ron-ehrlich) ย ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ: ๐ ๐๐ช๐ง๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐๐ต๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ โ Australia (https://amzn.to/3Ug4iCK) โ US (https://amzn.to/3Nlx3vR) โ UK (https://amzn.to/3WgPUMx) ย ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐จ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ โ Join Here (https://bit.ly/3epjFcO) โ More Info (https://bit.ly/3RIubcN) ย ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐น๐น ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐: โ Apple Podcasts: (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/unstress-with-dr-ron-ehrlich/id13337959190) โ All Episodes: ( https://drronehrlich.com/podcasts/) ย ๐ Join the ๐๐ฏ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ต๐ฉ community and transform stress into strength. Access expert-led courses, curated podcasts, live Q&As, and more. Visit unstresshealth.com to start your journey today.ย ๐ง Listen, reflect, and share this episode with someone who may be struggling. Join the Unstress Health Community: ๐ต๐๐๐ฝ๐://๐ฏ๐ถ๐.๐น๐/๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐พ๐ฌ๐ด๐ด ย ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ: This podcast provides general information and discussion about medicine, health and related subjects. This content is not intended and should not be construed as medical advice or as a substitute for care by a qualified medical practitioner. If you or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately qualified medical practitioner. Guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, experiences and conclusions.ย ย #UnstressHealth #AddictionRecovery #TraumaHealing #MentalFitness #GamblingAddiction#12StepRecovery #EMDR #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #Accountability See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.