From Junkie to Judge (with Judge Mary Beth O’Connor)

In this episode of the Landmark Recovery Podcast, we are joined by the inspiring Judge Mary Beth O’Connor, who shares her incredible journey from addiction to the bench. We delve into her life story, discussing how she has recovered not only from substance abuse but also from trauma and anxiety. Judge O’Connor provides insight into the importance of addressing multiple issues to sustain recovery and highlights the power of determination in achieving goals and dreams once held back by addiction. After the break, we explore the significance of proper evaluations and learn about LifeRing Secular Recovery, an alternative approach to recovery that emphasizes “Recovery by Any Means for Anyone.”

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Mary Beth O’Connor has been sober since 1994 and has used her recovery as a foundation for remarkable achievements. Six years into her recovery journey, she attended Berkeley Law, went on to work at a large firm, and then litigated class actions for the federal government. In 2014, she was appointed a federal administrative law judge, a position she held until 2020. Mary Beth is a director, secretary, and founding investor for She Recovers Foundation and a director for LifeRing Secular Recovery. She is a passionate advocate for multiple paths to recovery and frequently speaks to groups such as Women for Sobriety. Mary Beth’s op-ed, “I Beat Addiction Without God,” describes how she combined ideas from several secular programs to create a robust recovery foundation and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal.

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About the Author

Will Long

A graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, Long has been a writer for Landmark Recovery since 2021. He specializes in research and writing about substance abuse from a scientific and social perspective. Unearthing information from underexplored, far-flung corners of the Internet, Long’s passion is finding emerging trends in substance use and treatment that the public should know about.