Life After 5 Years on Skid Row, Owning a Treatment Center & Realizing the Industry is Built on Lies

Richard Galvan began stealing, getting arrested and drinking vodka alone in sixth grade. He snorted and sold his Ritalin, stole his mother’s pills and drank cough syrup. By his early teens, he was selling pills, using meth, and became well known to the police.Born in 1982 in the San Fernando Valley, by 10th grade, he started using heroin and spending time downtown near Skid Row. He was kicked out by both parents, lived with relatives, friends, and on the street, and entered juvenile hall at 16. From ages 17 to 22, he was intentionally homeless with his girlfriend, was arrested multiple times, and continued daily drug use.In 2004, at age 22, he got sober through a Proposition 36 rehab program. While in rehab, he turned himself in to resolve tickets and restitution. He stayed active in AA for 18 years, sponsoring others and speaking in prisons and youth camps.He later opened a sober living home, an outpatient program (Casablanca Outpatient), and a residential detox (Essence Healthcare). After losing money and facing ethical conflicts, he sold the companies and moved to Barcelona, Spain. He wrote The Addict, created his own sobriety program, and has been sober 21 years as of 2026.GUESTRichard GalvanAuthor of The AddictRichard Galvan overcame early alcohol use, heroin addiction, homelessness, and arrests to achieve sobriety at 22 via Prop 36 rehab—now 21 years clean.Former owner of Casablanca Outpatient and Essence Healthcare, he sold due to ethical issues and moved to Barcelona from LA.Today, he promotes his book The Addict, runs a 12-step sobriety program, and advocates addiction recovery through AA, speaking, and social media.Learn more about Richard’s book, The AddictFollow Richard on Instagram @casablancaxsl and TikTok @baby.daddy.manifeMatt 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  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.comFind us on YouTube @MyLastRelapse and follow Matt on Instagram @matthew.handy.17About Harmony Grove Behavioral Health Harmony Grove delivers outpatient addiction and mental health treatment focused on wellness, creativity, and authentic human connection—providing a supportive space for healing that extends beyond traditional clinical care.Harmony Grove’s IOP in Houston, Texas, is more than a program; it’s a lifeline for those ready to take the next step in their recovery. We are ready to meet you where you are and find your unique path to change. 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.Host: Matthew HandyProducer: Eva SheieAssistant Producers: Mary Ellen Clarkson & Hannah BurkhartEngineering: Chris MannTheme music: Survive The Tide, Machina AeonCover Art:  DMARKMy Last Relapse is a production of Kind Creative: kindcreative.comQuestions this episode answers:What does growing up on Ritalin, then meth, then heroin in the LA valley actually look like?Why did Richard and his girlfriend choose to be intentionally homeless — and why did it make financial sense?How does homelessness stop being hard when drugs are the only thing you want anyway?What was the secret society of street-level heroin in LA before social media blew it open?How did getting sober at 22 end five years of homelessness and criminal chaos?What is the difference between the "friendly" homeless people documentaries show and the reality?How does recovery look when you have no family left — and burned every bridge getting there?