our story
We didn’t start this podcast because we had it figured out. We started it because we were tired of suffering in silence and we knew we weren’t alone.
meet the host
bringing together wayward souls, one story at a time
Hi I’m Kandyce aka Kandy or K.J.
mother | life lover | writer | peace seeker | mental health advocate
I’m not a therapist or a doctor. I don’t have all the answers, and I’m not going to pretend that I do.
What I am is someone who’s been through my own mental health journey. Someone who’s sat in the darkness and wondered if there was a way out. Someone who’s learned, sometimes the hard way, what it actually takes to recover. And someone who believes that the most powerful thing we can do is tell the truth about it.
There was a time in my life when I didn’t think I’d make it. When the weight of everything felt so heavy that just existing felt impossible. But I kept going; not because I’m special or strong, but because there were people who didn’t give up on me, and because somewhere, buried under all the pain, there was a tiny voice that said, “Not yet. Not today.”
I’m still in recovery. Present tense. Ongoing. There are still hard days. But I’m here, and I’m building a life worth living, one imperfect day at a time.
I started Wayward Phoenix because I wish I’d had something like this when I was in the thick of it. I wish I’d heard more people saying, “It’s okay that you’re struggling. It’s okay that recovery is hard. You’re not alone.”
So that’s what we’re building here. A space for real conversations. For honest stories. For the reminder that you don’t have to do this alone.
“I genuinely believe that there is no such thing as a lost cause.”
Ready to listen? Start with Episode 1, and let’s rise together.
why the show exists
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Mental illness affects 1 in 5 adults. And yet , we still don’t talk about it. Not really. Not honestly.
Wayward Phoenix exists to change that. One conversation at a time. We believe that when people hear their own experiences reflected back at them without shame, without sugarcoating, it saves lives. That’s not hyperbole. That’s why we show up every episode.
How We Operate
our values
radical honesty
No clinical distance. No sanitized stories. We tell it like it is, because that’s the only way this works.zero judgment
Whatever you’ve been through, whatever you’ve done, you belong here. Full stop.Safe Messaging
We follow evidence-based safe messaging guidelines for suicide and mental health. Every episode. Every time.Community First
This isn’t a show about mental health. It’s a show made by and for people who live it.
recorded with honesty
released with purpose
ready to listen?
Start with Episode 001 or jump into the latest. Either way, we’re glad you’re here.