Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation. Listener discretion advised. If you’re struggling, call or text 988 (U.S.).

Comedy and mental health collide in this powerful, heartfelt episode of The Hanley Effect with Frank King, The Mental Health Comedian. Frank shares how a lifelong career in stand-up and joke-writing, including 20 years writing for Jay Leno and The Tonight Show, evolved into a mission: using humor to help people talk about suicide, reduce stigma, and save lives.

Frank speaks candidly about living with major depressive disorder and chronic suicidal ideation, and why naming those experiences can be life-changing for people who have silently carried similar thoughts. With hosts Dr. Rachel Docekal and Dr. John Dyben, the group unpacks why asking directly about suicide does not “plant the idea” and why meaningful prevention often starts with something simple: showing up, noticing, and starting the conversation.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

- Why Frank calls himself “The Mental Health Comedian” and what that really means

- Chronic suicidal ideation and how hearing it named can reduce shame and isolation

- How humor can create emotional “breathing room” so people can absorb difficult truths

- Frank’s story of hitting bottom during financial collapse, and the unexpected moment that helped interrupt his plan

- A moving story from a construction site that illustrates why workplace suicide prevention is essential

- Why “Are you OK?” can be one of the most important questions you ever ask

- The role of peer mentorship and lived experience in recovery and healing

- A simple way to help someone in crisis: encourage them to reach out before their “time runs out”

Crisis support mentioned in the episode:

If you or someone you love is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 in the U.S. the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is available 24/7 and connects you to trained support.

About our Guest

Frank King is a comedian, TEDx speaker, and suicide prevention speaker with 30 years of experience helping audiences laugh, learn, and leave presentations loving life. He began stand-up in 1985 and holds a record for 2,629 consecutive nights on the road performing without a home, just a PO Box and an answering service. He has shared the stage with many of the biggest names in comedy and entertainment and spent two decades writing for Jay Leno and The Tonight Show. Today, Frank uses his lived experience and comedic skill to make suicide prevention conversations more approachable and actionable.

Frank’s Website: mentalhealthcomedian.com

How to Connect

Learn more about Hanley's mental health and substance use treatment programs visit: hanleycenter.org

Admissions & info: 844‑502‑4673

In this episode of The Hanley Effect, pioneering activist, speaker, and author Dr. Jean Kilbourne joins hosts Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal to unpack how advertising and media shape our beliefs, behaviors, and public health, especially around addiction, gender, and youth.

Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D. is a National Women’s Hall of Fame inductee and one of the world’s most influential voices on advertising’s impact on public health. Her films and lectures have reached millions, and her research helped mainstream media literacy as a core prevention strategy.

Kilbourne, creator of the landmark film series Killing Us Softly: Advertising’s Image of Women and author of Can’t Buy My Love, explains why simply showing “scared‑straight” health images rarely works, and how media literacy can. Drawing on decades of research (and her own story of getting sober in 1976), she shows how alcohol and tobacco marketers have long targeted kids and women, erased negative consequences, and even positioned products as stand‑ins for community, romance, and “freedom.” The episode closes with a look at today’s landscape, social media, filters, algorithms, and AI, and what families, schools, and prevention programs can do that truly helps.

• Media literacy as prevention: Teaching kids how to understand ads, instead of just telling them to “say no,” helps delay when they start and lowers the risks.
• How ads target emotions, not logic: Advertisers design campaigns to influence us without us noticing, linking their products to feelings of belonging, celebration, and identity.
• Gendered marketing tactics: Alcohol is marketed differently to men and women, and objectifying women in ads leads to bigger problems.
• From billboards to social media: Filters, algorithms, and content made by peers increase pressure and make substance use seem normal.
• Hope in practice: Evidence‑based prevention models rooted in Jean’s work, like Hanley’s Alcohol Literacy Challenge and Prevention Research Institute’s Prime for Life.

• Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D. – Films & resources: jeankilbourne.com
• Alcohol Literacy Challenge – Hanley Foundation’s classroom program teaching media literacy around alcohol.
• Prime For Life – Prevention Research Institute’s evidence‑based curriculum.
• Learn more: hanleyfoundation.org | Call: 844‑502‑4673

In this powerful episode of The Hanley Effect, Dr. Rachel Docekal and Dr. John Dyben are joined by Turner Benoit, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Hanley Foundation, and Niki T, a former Hanley Center patient whose journey through recovery has transformed her life, and the lives of others.

Niki shares her deeply personal story of addiction, recovery, and rebuilding. Today, she is not only a devoted mother but also a professional in the field of forensic social work and a passionate advocate for women and families impacted by substance use disorder. Her story is a testament to what’s possible when compassionate, comprehensive care meets determination and hope.

Turner Benoit offers insight into Hanley’s mission-driven programming and the life-changing impact of Casa Flores, a specialized, family-centered treatment program designed to support pregnant women and mothers while keeping families together. Casa Flores addresses the unique needs of women and children, helping break generational cycles of addiction through trauma-informed care, parenting support, and long-term recovery planning.

This episode highlights the power of recovery, the importance of supporting mothers, and the profound ripple effect that healing one person can have on an entire family.

Resources Mentioned

• Hanley Center Programs
• Casa Flores Program: Providing a pathway to recovery and family reunification for mothers in recovery.
• Mark Garwood Phoenix Scholarships: Scholarships and support services for individuals seeking purpose through recovery.

Contact Information For more information about Hanley Foundation’s programs or to contribute to their mission, visit Hanley Foundation or call 844-502-4673.

This episode was originally released on 12/26/2024.