She became a single mother at 16, and by 21, she had three kids. After her third child, heroin and painkillers took over her life. She lost custody—her daughters went to live with an aunt, and her son entered the court system—while she lived with dealers and cycled through addiction and pill mills.
She eventually entered state-funded treatment at Santa Maria, detoxed off Suboxone, and met her husband there. They later relapsed together, ending up homeless and living under a bridge.
After quitting heroin, Candice was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, which her doctor told her was caused by IV heroin use.
Determined to rebuild, she fought to regain custody, completed drug testing, and began paying back child support—choosing responsibility even without full reunification. Over time, she turned her experience into purpose, helping open and manage treatment centers and joining The Last Resort to support others in recovery.
Now a grandmother with two grandkids, Candice is steady in long-term recovery and present in her family’s lives.
GUEST
Candice Harrell
Candice is a Business Development Representative at The Last Resort, where she brings deep empathy and real-world experience to helping others find their path to recovery. Having overcome her own struggles with addiction and homelessness, she’s turned her past into purpose—connecting individuals and families to treatment with compassion, honesty, and hope.
Connect with Candice on LinkedIn
Follow The Last Resort Recovery on Instagram @last_resort_recovery
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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