Maureen O'Conner is going through every parent's nightmare--the loss of a child. Her son Cody died after an opioid overdose and her world was shattered. After a time, she decided to write a book about her experience and filled it with prose, poetry, journal entries and stories. The book, titled Shadows of Me, is an honest exploration of what it took her to come back from such trauma and regain hope. It also includes pictures of shadows, which became a powerful metaphor in her search for meaning in the middle of this new, painful reality.

In this podcast espisode Maureen talks about Cody's journey alongside her own, and reads a moving passage about "hoodie girl" from her book, which marked a shift in her perspective. She also talks about the value of SMART Recovery's Family and Friends program, where she found community when she most needed it.

WARNING: this episode deals with traumatic events that may be difficult for some listeners.

Shadows of Me book

Crisis Line--988