Jill lived in her car in the East Texas heat and humidity, calling treatment centers nonstop after losing her insurance. After more than a year of pestering, she was finally granted a spot in a state-funded facility.
Ten years ago, Karen and Jill met while working as peer recovery coaches in East Texas. Both are in long-term recovery, single moms, and grandmothers who built careers helping others.
Together, they’ve faced burnout, family strain, and the pressure of being on call around the clock. But through it all, they’ve stayed committed—standing shoulder to shoulder, answering calls, and leading community outreach for Texas Recovery Centers.
Learn more about Texas Recovery Centers
GUESTS
Karen Wolfe
Community Liaison at Texas Recovery Center
Karen Wolfe is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor with over 17 years of experience in behavioral health, currently serving as a Clinical Liaison at Texas Recovery Centers. After losing her brother to an overdose, she dedicated her career to helping individuals and families facing addiction and mental health challenges. Known for her compassionate, knowledgeable approach, Karen is a trusted advocate and resource in the recovery community.
Jill Smith
Business Development Rep at Texas Recovery Center
Jill Smith is an outreach team member at Texas Recovery Centers, where she serves the East Texas region and draws on both professional expertise and personal recovery experience. She previously worked as a discharge planner and detox program director for UT Health and serves on the board of her local MHMR center. Jill is committed to improving access to care for individuals seeking recovery support.Matt Handy is the founder of Harmony Grove Behavioral Health in Houston, Texas, where their mission is to provide compassionate, evidence-based care for anyone facing addiction, mental health challenges, and co-occurring disorders.
Find out more at harmonygrovebh.com
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling, you don’t have to face it alone. Reaching out for support is a sign of strength, and help is always available. If you or anyone you know needs help, give us a call 24 hours a day at 844-430-3060.
My Last Relapse explores what everyone is thinking but no one is saying about addiction and recovery through conversations with those whose lives have changed.
For anyone disillusioned with traditional recovery and feeling left out, misunderstood, or weighed down by unrealistic expectations, this podcast looks ahead—rejecting the lies and dogma that keep people from imagining life without using.
Got a question for us? Leave us a message or voicemail at mylastrelapse.com
Find us on YouTube @MyLastRelapse and follow Matt on Instagram @matthew.handy.17
Host: Matthew Handy
Producer: Eva Sheie
Assistant Producers: Mary Ellen Clarkson & Hannah Burkhart
Engineering: Voltage FM, Spencer Clarkson
Theme music: Survive The Tide, Machina Aeon
Cover Art: DMARK
My Last Relapse is a production of Kind Creative: kindcreative.com
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