Eilene Zimmerman is an experienced journalist and regular contributor to The New York Times. She is author of the powerful and heart-breaking memoir, Smacked...A Story of White Collar Ambition, Addiction, and Tragedy. Eilene begins today's podcast with a shocking reading, in which she describes discovering her ex-husband's body in his home. She did not notice the track marks in his arms, nor the drug paraphernalia that surrounded his body on the floor until the coroner brought it to her attention.

In a desperate attempt to fathom what happened to him and how she and everyone else in his world missed it, Eilene set out to create a map of Peter's life the year before he died.

Peter was a high-powered, affluent attorney and senior partner in a prestigious law firm in Silicon Valley.

Eileen shares research that illuminates the high risk of addiction and mental health problems among attorneys. We discuss the legal culture that promotes workaholism, isolation, depression and addiction. Eilene tells us what the American Bar Association and some individual law firms are doing to increase awareness and help prevent tragic endings like Peter's.

Eileen is honest and personal as she describes her own personal journey and what has helped her heal.

She comments on the impact that workaholism and drug addiction has on children and tells us why she decided to tell her children the truth about their father's death.