Episode 097: Mary Beth O'Connor: Author of "From Junkie to Judge: One Woman's Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction."
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Mary Beth O'Connor experienced childhood abuse and other traumas that led to substance use disorder. It began with alcohol at the age of 12, and then she spent a few years abusing other drugs. She found methamphetamine at 16 and started shooting up at 17. Mary Beth struggled with meth until she was 32 years old.
6 years into her recovery, Mary Beth attended Berkeley Law. She worked at a large firm in Silicon Valley, then litigated class actions for the federal government. In 2014, Mary Beth was appointed a federal Administrative Law Judge, a position from which she retired in 2020.
Mary Beth has been sober since 1994 and did this by incorporating ideas from multiple sources to build a secular (not 12-step or faith-based) recovery plan that works for her, She used similar techniques to address the trauma and related anxiety as well.
Mary Beth is a board member for “LifeRing Secular Recovery,” and “She Recovers Foundation.” She speaks on behalf of these organizations, about multiple paths to recovery, and about all topics related to substance use disorder and recovery. She also speaks about sexual abuse and rape, child abuse, domestic violence, PTSD, anxiety, and recovering from these as well.
"From Junkie to Judge: One Woman's Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction," will be released on January 24, 2023, and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bamm, and Indie Bound.
Website: https://junkietojudge.com/
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High While Clean is a platform for individuals in recovery to share their stories, give hope to those suffering, and a voice for those we have lost. Drug Addiction is powerful and we need to fight the stigma against substance abuse.
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