In this heartwarming episode of The Hanley Effect, hosts Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal welcome back Jerry Moe, one of the nation’s most passionate advocates for children impacted by addiction.
Jerry shares his remarkable journey, beginning with his own childhood experience growing up with addiction in the family, and how finding support as a teen changed his life. That gift inspired his life’s work: creating programs that give children a safe space to heal, understand the disease of addiction, and discover hope.
Highlights from the Episode:
- Jerry’s Early Story: How attending support groups as a teenager helped him separate his father from the disease and find resilience.
- The Birth of Children’s Programs: Jerry’s spiritual awakening that led to decades of groundbreaking work designing age-appropriate programs to help kids impacted by addiction.
- Play, Trust, and Healing: How creative approaches—like pool jumps, games, and the characters Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery—help children learn, laugh, and open up about their experiences.
- Breaking the Silence: Teaching kids it’s not their fault, they’re not alone, and safe people are ready to help.
- Sesame Street Partnership: Jerry’s collaboration in creating Carly, a Muppet with a parent in recovery, giving millions of families language and tools to navigate addiction.
- Hanley Foundation’s Children’s Program: Free, community-accessible support for children ages 7–12, built on Jerry’s model and generously supported by donors.
Jerry’s work is featured in the PBS documentary Lost Childhood and in Emmy Award–winning programming on Nickelodeon and Sesame Street. His mission has always been clear: give kids a voice, help them understand addiction, and show them that healing is possible for the whole family.
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