The Hardcore Therapist
Who is the Hardcore Therapist?
Episodes
299 episodes
The Hardcore Therapist 156- Jessica Tierney (INKED and XSisterhoodX)
In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Tierney to talk about growing up in Detroit, navigating autoimmune disease, and the tenacity it takes to keep moving forward when life and health do not go as planned. We also discuss her involvement wit...
The Hardcore Therapist 155.5- HOW TO SERVE YOUR PARTNER WITHOUT LOSING YOURSELF
What does it mean to serve your partner without abandoning yourself in the process?In this episode, I talk about the difference between loving, supporting, and showing up for your partner—and overfunctioning, people-pleasing, or sacrific...
The Hardcore Therapist 155- Kevin Doss (Downcast)
In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I talk with Kevin Doss, best known as the voice of the legendary hardcore band Downcast.Kevin shares about hardcore, purpose, intensity, community, and what it means to carry that same ...
The Hardcore Therapist 154.5- Why Do We Confuse Intensity With Intimacy?
Why do some relationships feel impossible to stop thinking about—even when they leave you anxious, confused, or constantly wondering where you stand?In this episode, we unpack the difference between intensity and intimacy and expl...
The Hardcore Therapist 154- Matt Fisher (Contact)
Today I’m joined by Matt Fisher, vocalist of Contact, a Richmond hardcore band whose music confronts empire, xenophobia, nationalism, consumerism, and the false gods that shape modern life. Contact’s sound is urgent and confrontational, but ...
The Hardcore Therapist 153.5- When trauma and kink overlap, what are we actually looking at?
Trigger Notice: This episode includes discussion of childhood sexual abuse, sexual trauma, kink, and trauma-related sexual responses.When trauma and kink overlap, what are we actually looking at? In this episode, I dig into the re...
The Hardcore Therapist 153- Daryl Taberski (Snapcase)
Today I’m joined by Daryl Taberski, vocalist of the legendary Buffalo hardcore band Snapcase. Snapcase helped shape the sound and evolution of 90s hardcore with records like Progression Through Unlearning, D...
The Hardcore 152.5- Money, Power, and Trust in Relationships
Money fights are rarely just about money.In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I explore how money can become connected to trust, safety, freedom, resentment, power, and control in relationships. I t...
The Hardcore Therapist 152- Jame McElroy (Two Crow Collective)
Today I’m joined by Jame McElroy, the owner and creator behind Two Crow Collective, a small-batch clothing company rooted in punk culture, storytelling, and advocacy. Two Crow started from Jame’s background in screen-printing, music, and DIY...
The Hardcore Therapist 151.5- Are you staying together for the kids or are you unintentionally teaching them that love means staying unhappy?
In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I take on the complicated question of what happens when a marriage has emotionally ended, but the family structure stays intact because everyone is afraid of what separation might do to the children. I...
The Hardcore Therapist 151- Davis Driver (What It Meant, Reflect, XfortuneX, and Life Force)
Today I’m joined by Davis Driver, a Portland-based vegan straight edge hardcore vocalist and Bassist known for his work with What It Meant, Reflect, XfortuneX, and Life Force. Davis has been part of projects that carry forward th...
The Hardcore Therapist 150.5- Two Half-Assed Relationships or Never Feeling Like Enough?
In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I explore polyamory, throuples, jealousy, attachment, boundaries, and the question underneath it all: Am I enough and am I actually getting enough?This isn’t about judging non-monogamy...
The Hardcore Therapist 150- Joseph Thomas (There Were Wires)
Today I’m joined by Joseph Thomas of There Were Wires, a band that came out of Boston’s chaotic hardcore and post-hardcore world, making music that holds intensity, atmosphere, and a lot of emotional weight.There Were Wires are...
The Hardcore Therapist 149.5- Are You Co-Parenting or Asking Your New Marriage to Carry Your Old Family Conflict?
In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I’m talking about co-parenting after divorce, especially when a new marriage, stepchildren, former partners, guilt, resentment, and unresolved family conflict all become part of the same system....
The Hardcore Therapist 149- Scott Crawford (Salad Days, Creem, Something Better Change Documentaries)
Today I’m joined by Scott Crawford, a multi-talented filmmaker, musician, writer, and documentarian who directed Salad Days: A Decade of Punk in Washington, DC. A D.C. native who started the fanzine Metrozine as a teena...
The Hardcore Therapist 148.5- Are You Ready for Love or Just Ready to Be Chosen Again?
After divorce, readiness for love is not measured only by time it is measured by whether you can enter a relationship without performing, self-silencing, or falling in love with someone’s potential. I explore how to recognize genuine readine...
The Hardcore Therapist 148- Ryan Smith (Rain the Shining)
Today I’m joined by Ryan Smith, the musician behind Rain the Shining. Rain the Shining is Ryan’s Baltimore-based music project, blending guitar-driven indie rock with roots in hardcore and punk. His music carries that tension between reflection...
The Hardcore Therapist 147.5- For Lou Koller: When a Band Becomes Part of Your Story.
In this tribute episode, I reflect on the death of Lou Koller of Sick of It All and what it means when a band becomes woven into the story of your life. I share memories of seeing Sick of It All throughout several decades in Detroit and explore...
The Hardcore Therapist 147- Chris LaPointe (Wake of Humanity)
Today I’m joined by Chris LaPointe, vocalist of Wake of Humanity, a Washington state vegan straight edge hardcore band rooted in animal rights, environmental justice, human justice, and resistance.Wake of Humanity is part o...
The Hardcore Therapist 146.5- What do you do when you love your parents but feel deeply divided by their political beliefs?
In this episode, I talk about navigating political differences without abandoning your values, your emotional regulation, or your sense of self. I explore the difference between disagreement and dehumanization, how to set boundaries without ...
The Hardcore Therapist 146- Frank Bach (Monk LA)
Today on The Hardcore Therapist, I’m joined by Frank Bach, vocalist of the Los Angeles hardcore band Monk. Frank’s work sits at a really interesting intersection of hardcore music, mindfulness, creativity, and self-inquiry. Monk brings...
The Hardcore Therapist 145.5- Are You Communicating, or Are You Auditioning to Be Understood?
Are you communicating—or performing a perfectly polished version of yourself in hopes of being understood?In this episode, I explore how overexplaining can become a form of emotional begging, especially when fear of rejection, conflict, ...
The Hardcore Therapist 145- Creech (Rebelmatic and Creaturenomics)
Today’s guest on The Hardcore Therapist Podcast is Creech also known as Creature or Creaturenomics.He’s the lead vocalist and frontman for the NYC hardcore punk/funk band Rebelmatic, known for intense, growling vocals and high-e...
The Hardcore Therapist 144.5- Overexplaining Is a Form of Emotional Begging: How It Keeps You Trapped in Anxiety
In this episode, I’m talking about overexplaining as a form of emotional begging and how it can keep us trapped in a cycle of anxiety.I break down why we overexplain, how it connects to people-pleasing, attachment wounds, reass...
The Hardcore Therapist 144- Chris Wrenn (Bridge Nine, Sully's and Fenway Punk)
Today I’m joined by Chris Wrenn, founder of Bridge 9 Records and now author of his new book Fenway Punk.Chris has been a central figure in hardcore for decades helping shape the scene through Bridge 9 and building something that...