In this episode of The Hanley Effect, Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal welcome Jennifer Goggin, LPC, LMHC, SEP, for a powerful conversation about trauma, healing, nervous system regulation, and the role the body plays in recovery.

Jennifer shares her personal story of adoption, early separation, and how her own healing journey shaped the work she does today. She explains how somatic therapy helps people process trauma not just through words, but through sensations, regulation, and connection. Together, the conversation explores why trauma often lives in the body, why healing does not begin by diving straight into the hardest memories, and why real human connection remains essential in therapy.

The episode also touches on the limits of AI in mental health care, the growing impact of technology on the nervous system, and why hope remains central no matter where someone is in their recovery or healing journey.

This is a meaningful episode for anyone interested in trauma-informed care, addiction recovery, somatic therapy, adoption, nervous system healing, and mental health treatment that addresses the whole person.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What somatic experiencing is and how it supports trauma healing
• How trauma can be stored in the body, even before a person has words for it
• Jennifer’s personal story of adoption and how it shaped her understanding of healing
• Why nervous system regulation is foundational in recovery and mental health treatment
• How somatic work can help people process trauma without starting with the most painful memory
• Why the therapeutic relationship cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence
• How screen overload and digital life can impact empathy, stress, and emotional regulation
• Why healing looks different for every person

Key Takeaways

Jen explains that somatic experiencing focuses on helping people build regulation and resilience in the nervous system before revisiting traumatic experiences. Rather than forcing someone to relive the most painful moments first, this approach helps create safety, trust, and internal resources so the body can begin to release what it has been holding.

Her story also highlights a powerful truth: sometimes the body carries experiences long before the mind fully understands them. Through both her personal healing and professional work, Jen offers a compassionate perspective on trauma, therapy, and the possibility of change.

One of the most memorable parts of the episode is the discussion around AI and therapy. Jen emphasizes that healing happens in relationship. Eye contact, attunement, presence, and human connection are essential parts of trauma recovery that technology cannot replicate.

About Our Guest

Jennifer Goggin is a licensed mental health counselor, licensed professional counselor, and Somatic Experiencing practitioner who helps clients work through trauma, stress, and nervous system dysregulation with a compassionate, body-based approach. Her work integrates clinical expertise, lived experience, and a deep understanding of how healing happens through both insight and connection.

To learn more about Jennifer and her work, visit: https://jennifergogginlmhc.com/

Learn more about Hanley Foundation at hanleyfoundation.org or call 844-502-4673.

In this episode of The Hanley Effect, hosts Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal sit down with Dr. Christal Badour, PhD, clinical psychologist, academic researcher at the University of Kentucky, and founder of Science for Survivors.

Dr. Badour has spent her career studying how people recover from trauma and how science can make that recovery more compassionate and effective. Her research focuses on the intersection of trauma, PTSD, and substance use, including the best treatment approaches for individuals facing co-occurring mental health and addiction challenges.

Drawing from her work as a therapist, professor, researcher, and forensic psychological evaluator, Dr. Badour explains how traumatic experiences affect the brain, why triggers and retraumatization occur, and how survivors can begin to process and integrate their experiences.

The conversation also explores how public perception and cultural narratives impact survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, why victim-blaming remains a barrier to healing, and how media coverage of violence can retraumatize individuals who have experienced similar events.

Dr. Badour also discusses the impact of trauma on children and families, including the ways trauma can show up differently in young people through withdrawal, behavioral challenges, or risk-taking behaviors later in life.

For families and loved ones, she shares practical guidance on how to respond when someone discloses a traumatic experience, including why the most powerful response is often simply listening, validating, and saying “I believe you.”

This thoughtful and compassionate conversation offers both science-backed insight and hope, reminding listeners that trauma may always be part of someone’s story — but it is never the whole story.

To learn more about Dr. Christal Badour and her work, visit: ScienceForSurvivors.com

Learn more about Hanley Foundation at hanleyfoundation.org or call 844-502-4673.

In this episode of The Hanley Effect, hosts Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal sit down with Angela Kennecke, award-winning investigative journalist, founder of Emily’s Hope, and host of the Grieving Out Loud podcast.

Angela shares the heartbreaking story of losing her 21-year-old daughter, Emily, to accidental fentanyl poisoning. What began as Angela’s reporting on the overdose crisis became deeply personal, and in the wake of unimaginable loss, she transformed grief into action, creating the non-profit Emily's Hope.

This conversation explores the realities of substance use disorder, the dangers of the illicit drug supply, and why fentanyl awareness, naloxone access, and evidence-based prevention education are more important than ever. Angela also discusses how Emily’s Hope is expanding access to treatment scholarships, distributing naloxone across South Dakota, supporting overdose survivors, and building a K–12 substance use prevention curriculum designed to protect the next generation.

This episode is a moving conversation about addiction, loss, resilience, stigma, recovery, hope, and a reminder that no family should have to suffer in silence.

In This Episode, We Cover

• Angela Kennecke’s journey from journalist to advocate
• Emily’s story and the devastating impact of fentanyl poisoning
• How stigma keeps families silent about addiction and overdose loss
• Why naloxone/Narcan saves lives and belongs in every community
• The importance of early, age-appropriate, evidence-based prevention
• How peer support, youth empowerment, and family advocacy can change outcomes
• What resilience looks like after profound loss

Learn more about Emily's Hope: Learn more about Emily’s Hope at emilyshope.charity.

Learn more about Hanley Foundation at hanleyfoundation.org or call 844-502-4673.

What happens when the identity that once defined your life disappears?

In this powerful episode of The Hanley Effect, hosts Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal sit down with speaker, author, and founder of the Choose Yourself Movement, Hakeem Bourne Mcfarlane, to explore how personal loss, trauma, and identity struggles can lead to addiction, and how radical accountability can lead to transformation.

Hakeem shares the deeply personal experiences that shaped his path: the devastating loss of his younger brother, the pressure of athletic success, and the collapse of his identity when his dream of becoming a professional athlete ended. Without the structure sports once provided, he found himself spiraling into destructive patterns that many high performers face when achievement becomes their entire sense of self.

Through years of reflection, recovery work, and rebuilding his life, Hakeem developed what he calls the “Choose Yourself” philosophy, a framework for reclaiming identity, healing unresolved pain, and creating purpose through personal responsibility and contribution.

In this conversation, Hakeem breaks down the five pillars of his Choose Yourself process, explaining how identifying emotional triggers, changing environments, and building daily discipline can transform how we see ourselves and our potential.

This episode dives into the deeper truth often discussed in recovery: addiction is rarely just about substances, it’s often about the unresolved void underneath. Healing that void requires awareness, accountability, and the courage to choose a different path.

If you’ve ever struggled with identity, purpose, or breaking destructive patterns, this conversation offers both practical insight and powerful motivation.

Episode Highlights

• Hakeem McFarlane’s personal journey from grief and identity loss to recovery and purpose
• Why addiction is often a symptom of deeper emotional voids
• The Choose Yourself Movement and its mission to help people reclaim their identity
• The TEFIC framework: Triggers, Environment, Foundation, Investment, and Contribution
• How daily discipline and self-awareness help break destructive cycles
• Why contribution and helping others is a key part of lasting recovery
• The difference between performing a role and living authentically

Key Takeaway

True transformation begins when we stop waiting to be chosen by others and instead choose ourselves—our healing, our purpose, and the life we want to build.

Resources & Links

Learn more about the Choose Yourself Movement at chooseyourself.info

Learn more about Hanley Foundation at hanleyfoundation.org or call 844-502-4673.

In this uplifting and heartfelt episode of The Hanley Effect, Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal welcome Bruce W. Brackett, author, artist, motivational speaker, life coach, and advocate for recovery, positivity, and mental health.

Bruce shares his powerful story of moving from early trauma, addiction, and self-sabotage toward sobriety, healing, and purpose. With honesty, humor, and compassion, he opens up about what it took to stop running, ask for help, and begin showing up for himself day by day. His message is clear: no matter what you’ve been through, you are still worthy of growth, self-forgiveness, and a meaningful life.

The conversation explores Bruce’s recovery journey, the life-changing impact of therapy and 12-step programs, and the mindset shift behind his newest book, Show Up and Shimmy. He explains that “shimmying” is more than a fun phrase; it is a practice of self-care, self-love, courage, and taking the next right step even when fear, doubt, or pain are present.

This episode is full of hope for anyone navigating addiction recovery, mental health challenges, trauma, or the ongoing work of becoming who they were meant to be. Bruce’s perspective is both inspiring and practical, reminding listeners that healing is not linear, support matters, and the version of you that you dream about is already waiting.

If you or someone you love is on a recovery journey, this conversation offers encouragement, validation, and a powerful reminder that you do not have to do it alone.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear:

• Bruce W. Brackett’s story of sobriety, recovery, and healing
• How childhood trauma and addiction shaped his early life
• Why positivity is a practice, not a personality trait
• The importance of therapy, community, and 12-step recovery
• What “Show Up and Shimmy” really means in everyday life
• How self-forgiveness can become part of the healing process
• Why sitting with hard feelings is different from staying stuck in them
• How one supportive person can make all the difference in recovery
• Why doing no harm to yourself is a powerful place to begin

Key Takeaways

Bruce reminds listeners that recovery is not about having everything figured out. It is about continuing to move forward, even through discomfort, uncertainty, and fear. He speaks candidly about relapse, radical acceptance, and the value of asking for help. Throughout the episode, he emphasizes that healing is possible, purpose is real, and every person is worthy of love and a better future.

About Our Guest

Bruce W. Brackett is an author, international motivational speaker, certified life coach, artist, entrepreneur, and advocate for positivity, recovery, and mental health. He is the author of How to Breathe While Suffocating and Show Up and Shimmy, and he shares messages of hope, resilience, and possibility with a social media community of more than 1.4 million people. Through his art, writing, and speaking, Bruce encourages others to reclaim their worth and step into their full potential.

Guest Resources

Website: bwbart.com Socials: @bwb.positivity Books: How to Breathe While Suffocating and Show Up and Shimmy

Learn More

To learn more about Hanley Foundation programs, visit hanleyfoundation.org or call 844-502-4673.

What happens when the justice system treats addiction and mental health as public safety priorities without losing sight of compassion?

In this episode of The Hanley Effect, hosts Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal sit down in person with Alexcia Cox, State Attorney for Palm Beach County (and longtime prosecutor and community leader), for a grounded conversation about what it looks like to balance accountability with care.

Alexcia shares her journey as a Palm Beach County native who chose a life of public service, and why protecting residents includes safeguarding people seeking help, especially in the behavioral health and addiction treatment space. She reflects on the community’s progress since the height of the opioid crisis, the importance of ethical, evidence-based treatment, and the continued role of the State Attorney’s Addiction Recovery Task Force in identifying and prosecuting bad actors.

They also explore why collaboration across agencies and community partners is one of the most powerful tools we have, whether that’s through the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC), problem-solving courts like drug court, or prevention efforts that help young people navigate peer pressure and risk.

If you care about recovery, prevention, and building safer communities, this episode offers real insight into how systems can work better together.

Episode Highlights

Why ethical addiction treatment is a public safety issue, and how Palm Beach County confronted treatment fraud The ongoing work of the State Attorney’s Addiction Recovery Task Force, including reporting pathways for suspected wrongdoing New initiatives launched under Alexcia’s leadership, including a focus on violent repeat offenders and protections for vulnerable residents Why drug court and diversion efforts matter in long-term recovery and community outcomes The role of community collaboration in reducing stigma and improving outcomes across systems Alexcia’s personal “why”: service, mentorship, and building a safer Palm Beach County for families

About Our Guest

Alexcia Cox is the State Attorney for Palm Beach County and a longtime public servant with nearly two decades of prosecutorial experience. She has served in leadership roles across the justice system, helped advance behavioral health-informed strategies, and supports efforts that balance public safety with intervention and recovery-focused solutions.

Learn More

To learn more about Hanley Foundation programs, visit hanleyfoundation.org or call 844-502-4673.

What does it look like when a high-performing organization treats mental health as health—not a side conversation? In this episode of The Hanley Effect, Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal sit down with Megha Parekh, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the Jacksonville Jaguars, for a powerful conversation about crisis readiness, trauma recovery, and leading with empathy in high-stakes environments.

Megha shares how volunteering with Crisis Text Line transformed the way she shows up at work and in life, replacing the “fix it” reflex with active listening, grounded presence, and one essential question: “What would be most helpful to you?” She also opens up about surviving a home burglary and battery, how trauma reshaped her sense of safety, and the real, practical “toolbox” that helped her move through anxiety and regain stability.

Together, the conversation explores what workplaces can do when employees face suicidality, addiction, domestic violence, eating disorders, isolation, and overwhelming stress—and why compassion and business judgment aren’t opposites. They’re a leadership advantage.

Episode Highlights

• Mental health in the workplace: Why training matters before a crisis happens and how it supports performance and trust
• Crisis Text Line training: What Megha learned (the hard way) and how it changed her approach to leadership and support
• The key question that helps: Why “What would be most helpful to you?” can be more effective than advice
• Addiction and recovery at work: A real story of helping an employee get to rehab and what recovery can make possible afterward
• Trauma recovery is personal: Megha’s experience surviving a violent home invasion and how trauma can show up as anxiety, hypervigilance, and disrupted routines
• Healthy coping without shame: From comfort TV to repeat playlists, why regulation tools don’t need to “look normal” to work
• Redefining success: “The effort belongs to me, but the results do not” how to support someone without trying to control the outcome
• Meaning after loss: How losing a friend to heroin addiction helped shape Megha’s commitment to prevention, support, and honest conversations

About Megha Parekh

Megha Parekh is the Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the Jacksonville Jaguars. She oversees major legal and business initiatives including compliance, risk management, government relations, technology, security, employee development, and stadium and real estate projects. A Harvard undergraduate and law graduate, Megha is also a dedicated volunteer with Crisis Text Line, supports community initiatives including Habitat for Humanity, and advocates for survivors of trauma and greater access to mental health resources.

To learn more about Hanley Foundation programs, visit hanleyfoundation.org or call 844-502-4673.

In this solo-hosted episode of The Hanley Effect, Dr. John Dyben sits down with trauma therapist and researcher Dr. Trisha Wolfe, Ph.D., LPCC, SEP, NARM for a clear, science-grounded conversation about complex trauma, developmental trauma, and why so many people feel stuck even after years of insight-based therapy.

Dr. Wolfe specializes in working with high-achieving perfectionists, people pleasers, and chronic overthinkers, the ones who can explain their patterns perfectly (“I know why I do this…”) but still can’t create lasting change. In this episode, she explains why that’s not a personal failure. It’s biology.

Together, they unpack what trauma really is (and what it isn’t), why trauma is often shaped by perception and nervous system context, and how somatic therapy helps by including the body’s language, sensations, impulses, and survival responses, alongside thoughts and emotions. If you’ve ever wondered why logic doesn’t shut off anxiety, why reassurance doesn’t stop panic, or why “trying harder” only makes you more exhausted, this episode offers a practical roadmap: nervous-system-friendly change, one small experiment at a time.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• What “trauma” actually means and why the “everything is trauma vs. nothing is trauma” debate misses the point
• The difference between single-incident trauma and complex/developmental trauma
• Why two people can experience the same event, yet only one develops a lasting trauma response
• What somatic means in therapy (in plain language) and how body sensations can guide healing
• How the body sends messages to the brain, and why focusing only on thoughts can miss major clues
• Why people can have deep insight but still feel stuck: insight doesn’t automatically change the nervous system
• How survival strategies like intellectualizing, over functioning, shutdown, and people pleasing start as protection, not character flaws
• A powerful reframe: self-sabotage is often self-protection that can be updated
• What families can do to support healing: connection without pressure, with boundaries

Episode Highlights

• Trauma is about perception and impact: It’s not only what happened, it’s how the nervous system experienced it and what lasting impairment remains.
• Somatic therapy basics: Thoughts and emotions matter, but body sensations are a third “doorway” into healing.
• Your brain can “hide” things: The nervous system keeps survival learning behind the curtain, so the body may reveal what words can’t.
• Why reassurance doesn’t work on panic: “It’s safe” is language; the body responds to sensations and threat templates.
• The path forward: Change happens through small, nervous-system-friendly experiments that build new neural pathways over time.
• For families: Validation, presence, and connection without pressure can create the safety where healing becomes possible.

To learn more about Dr. Wolfe visit: https://www.cbustherapy.com/

To learn more about Hanley Foundation programs, visit hanleyfoundation.org or call 844-502-4673.