I am so excited to welcome Monica Tanner to The Hardcore Therapist podcast.Monica is straight edge, a psychologist, a cancer survivor, and an all-around badass. She brings together lived experience and clinical depth in a way th...

You’ve read the books. You’ve been in therapy. You understand your patterns. So why do certain moments in relationships still trigger such strong emotional reactions?In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I explores why insi...

Today’s guest is Sean Kennerly,  guitarist, songwriter, and a foundational voice in Samiam, a band that helped shape emotionally honest punk at a time when vulnerability wasn’t exactly encouraged.For decades, Samiam has occupied a r...

In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I explores why expressing needs in early dating can feel so terrifying  especially for people with anxious attachment or past relationship trauma.She breaks down the difference bet...

Kurtis Powers is a creative, curator, founder, and strategist working at the intersection of media, culture, and conversation. As the force behind a radio station and a weekly talk radio show, Kurtis creates space for real dialogue and voices t...

What is love bombing  and how do you know if you’re experiencing it?In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I break down the psychology behind love bombing, how it differs from genuine connection, and why it can feel so ...

Today’s guest is Anthony Civeralli most people know him as Civ; frontman of Gorilla Biscuits and CIV. Gorilla Biscuits have witnessed nearly four decades of global scenes, audiences, and stages and somehow, they’re as powerful now as they were ...

In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I break down the science behind inner child healing and what actually works.If you struggle with:Anxious attachmentOver-functioning and codependency...

Today’s guest is an artist whose work quietly shaped an entire era of alternative and hardcore culture whether people realized it or not.Melinda Beck is an award-winning illustrator, animator, and designer whose visual language has appea...

Addiction Is an Attempt to Self-RegulateWhat if addiction isn’t about weakness… but about survival?In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I explore the neurobiology of addiction — and why substances and behaviors like...

Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, Danny Coburn grew up on Motown, traditional country, blues, and rock ’n’ roll. As a teenager, he cut his teeth playing in numerous punk and hardcore bands before leaning into rock and country in his 20s.<...

What happens when growth feels like guilt?In this episode, I share something personal: the excitement of building a new life with my husband and the unexpected sadness and guilt of leaving my adult children in another state.We exp...

Today’s guest is Thomas Vanderpol. Thomas is a dad, HR professional, ethical vegan, and straight edge since forever. Originally from Redding, California and now based in Portland, Oregon, he brings a lifetime of lived experience inside hardcore...

 We’re taught that being “nice” is a virtue. But what if some of the behaviors we call niceness are actually survival strategies?In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist Podcast, I unpack the subtle ways trauma ca...

Today on The Hardcore Therapist, I’m honored to welcome Kevin Seconds. Kevin is the frontman of the legendary hardcore punk band 7 Seconds, a group that helped define the sound, values, and heart of hardcore. For over four decades, his...

In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I explore why overeating, bingeing, or restricting so often develop in people who grew up emotionally undernourished  even when their basic needs were met. Parents may have been physically present...

Today’s guest is Maria, the force behind Dollfest in Oakland, California. Maria created Dollfest as a radical act of space-making, centering women, femmes, and marginalized voices in a scene that hasn’t always made room for them. This isn’t ...

In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I explore why emotional safety can feel uncomfortable especially after trauma, intense relationships, or nervous systems conditioned to unpredictability.You’ll learn how trauma impacts attachmen...

Today’s guest is Scott Winegard — bassist for Texas Is the Reason, chef, author, and expert in plant-based cuisine.Texas Is the Reason helped shape the emotional core of 90s hardcore, creating space for vulnerabi...

Eating disorders are not choices or failures of willpower. They are serious, brain-based mental illnesses that emerge when genetic vulnerability meets environmental pressure.In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I br...

Today on The Hardcore Therapist, I’m really excited to welcome Cindy Hulej. Cindy is the builder behind Cindy Hulej Custom Guitars, where she handcrafts instruments that are as intentional, expressive, and individual as the musicians w...

We love to say pets heal us but what does neuroscience actually say?In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist Podcast, I break down how animals affect the brain and nervous system, from stress reduction and emotional regulation ...

On this episode of The Hardcore Therapist I spoke to Knocko Nolan is a retired NYPD and LAPD officer whose career spanned specialized units including Narcotics, Vice, CRASH, the Career Criminal Unit, and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force after...

If you’re the person who stays calm when everyone else is spiraling… who softens your tone, thinks twice before speaking, and keeps it together so others don’t have to… this episode is for you.Being the regulated one is exhausting not be...

On this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I'm sitting down with Mike Judge frontman of Judge and, for those who truly know their history, the original drummer for Youth of Today. In other words… this one’s big.Mike has...