Life After Splitting a Cop’s Head Open and Getting Dumped in a Desert Wilderness Camp at 15

Seeing him on this podcast for the first time in 13 years, Matt admits to his old friend Austin York that he robbed him during the chaos of their using days in Southern California.Like Matt, Austin got into trouble very young, fighting in school and using drugs at a young age. His parents sent him away several times to try to get him back on track. He bounced around multiple high schools but never graduated, spending most of his teen years in juvenile rehabs like Phoenix House in San Diego and a wilderness camp in Idaho.He was arrested multiple times, including once for battery on a peace officer, which led to alternative sentencing at a wilderness camp. He spent time in solitary confinement in a Utah treatment facility before being sent home when insurance stopped paying.At 16, Austin got sober for the first time and built a strong sober community through Young People’s AA, but then at 18 he relapsed, got fired from his job and lost his chance to graduate high school. After living on the streets and facing violence, he reconciled with sober friends who brought him back to meetings to rebuild his life.In sobriety, he found purpose working in event production for major music festivals like Coachella and Lightning in a Bottle. Today, Austin stays active in addiction recovery and focuses on his business, family, and community, crediting the support and accountability of his sober network for helping him stay on track.GUESTAustin YorkFreelance Project & Site Manager for Live EventsAustin York rebuilt his life after years of drug addiction, homelessness, and time in juvenile rehab and prison. Today, he works in event production for major music festivals and runs a fishing charter business in Texas with his friend. Austin is dedicated to recovery, family, and helping others find hope and stability after hardship.Connect with Austin on LinkedInMatt 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: Voltage FM, Victoria ChengTheme music: Survive The Tide, Machina AeonCover Art:  DMARKMy Last Relapse is a production of Kind Creative: kindcreative.comQuestions this episode answers:What does it look like to get sober at 16 — and then again at 18 — for real?What is Synanon — the therapeutic community that saved thousands of people and became a murderous cult?How does getting sentenced to three years in a treatment program actually work?Why do addicts need extreme consequences when most people would stop long before that point?What happens when you can't help someone who's dying because their insurance won't cover treatment?Why does one person getting sober create a ripple effect that nobody can fully predict?What does building a treatment center from a sober living look like from the inside?