An optimistic former news anchor says he has experienced “tremendous personal growth” during the last year as he maneuvered his way through legal problems and the loss of his Manhattan job after his marital problems made international headlines.

Rob Morrison, former anchor for WCBS News, appeared in Stamford Court on Thursday is what he described as “the end of this long journey.”

“It’s something that started off incredibly negative 14 months ago and actually turned into something quite positive,” Morrison told The Darien Times after his court appearance. “It was a time for me to kind of reflect and prioritize what’s important and what’s not important.”

Morrison, of Hollow Tree Ridge Road, was originally charged with threatening and choking his wife, then-CBS Money Watch anchor Ashley Morrison. The charges were reduced after Morrison completed a family re-entry program offered by the court.

The couple has been reconciled since last summer, Morrison said. He’s also been able to spend time with his son and coach his baseball team.

“I’m home, my family is intact, things are good,” he said.

Frank Discala, Morrison’s attorney, told the Times that Morrison today “stands guilty of nothing.”

“He exceeded and did more than what he had to do,” Discala said, adding that Morrison spent a lot of time volunteering. “He was very generous with his time and energy.”

Discala also noted how the last year has been a source of growth for Morrison and his family.

“It has actually strengthened his life and made him better and he’s moving forward,” Discala said.

The former news anchor said now that he has put this behind him, he’s ready to jump back into journalism.

“I kind of felt like I needed to put this in the rear view mirror” before getting back to work, he said. “More importantly, it was a time to focus on family, and particularly my son.”

Originally published in The Darien Times.