Life After Relapsing To Celebrate My One-Year Chip and Again With an 8-Month Old Baby

Nikki grew up in a small town with a mother who struggled with alcoholism and periods of abuse but was also loving and devoted. As a teen, she began using substances like weed, pills, and whippets. At 19, she sought help from a doctor but felt dismissed, and at 21, she entered her first treatment program.Three months later, she met Curtis at an AA/NA club. Both had histories of alcohol addiction and drug use, along with legal issues. They married in 2015 and ran several businesses together, including a vape shop, while cycling through sobriety and relapse.After IVF, Nikki gave birth to their son, Cooper, in 2019. Postpartum depression and loneliness led to relapse and several treatment attempts, including a mother-and-child program in California.In 2021, after reaching a breaking point, Nikki committed to long-term sobriety on July 4, shortly after Curtis began his own addiction recovery. She rebuilt her relationship with her now-sober mother and became involved with Story of Self, a values-based narrative therapy program. Today, she focuses on family, recovery, and helping others through her experience.GUESTNikki CallawayNikki is a mother and recovery advocate whose own journey through addiction, motherhood, and healing inspired her to support others facing similar struggles. After overcoming substance use, navigating treatment, and rebuilding family relationships, she now dedicates herself to helping others create positive change and find hope in recovery.Connect with Nikki on LinkedInFollow Story of Self on Instagram @story.ofselfMatt 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:How does postpartum depression silently trigger relapse in a mother with addiction history?What happens when two addicts in early recovery fall in love — and both relapse?Why did getting a one-year sobriety chip make Nikki want to get high immediately?What is Story of Self — and who is it actually for?Why does treating the "big trauma" often miss the real source of pain?Can you have a genuine spiritual experience on Suboxone?What does hitting your internal bottom look like when there are almost no external consequences?How do you build a recovery program that works for atheists, addicts, and trauma survivors equally?Why do people leave treatment and immediately ask "what do I do now" — and how do we fix that?Why do the rules of traditional Christianity and traditional AA both fail the same people?