From Junkie to Judge - The Mary Beth O'Connor Story

The Edlow Podcast

Mary Beth O'Connor is a retired Federal Judge and attorney. She has written several opinion pieces and essays for the Wall Street Journal and L.A. Times. She is a speaker, advocate and author. She is also....a recovered meth addict.

Judge O'Connor's life started with childhood abuse and traumas. Beginning with alcohol at the age of 12, she spent several years abusing various drugs. By the age of 17, she was a full blown meth user. In college, she was able to contain her drug use to recreational use at parties until she was abducted and assaulted. She relapsed and continued heavy meth use until the age of 32.

By incorporating ideas from multiple sources to build a secular recovery plan, she has been sober since 1994. She used similar techniques to address trauma and anxiety as well. After 6 years of sobriety, she attended Berkeley Law school. She worked as an attorney continuously until 2014 when she was appointed a Federal Administrative Law Judge. She retired in 2020.

Judge O'Connor comes on the podcast to discuss her story, she speaks on trauma, sexual abuse, child abuse, PTSD, anxiety and the power to recover. This is an inspirational story that you cannot miss!

She outlines her story in her memoir "From Junkie to Judge: One Woman's Triumph Over Trauma and Addition," which is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and anywhere that books are sold. You can find her book on Amazon at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Junkie-Judge-Womans-Triumph-Addiction/dp/0757324568

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