The Hardcore Therapist

Send us Fan MailToday’s guest is Alex Goodwin someone deeply connected to Portland’s hardcore community through playing music, showing up for the scene, and helping create spaces for other bands to be heard.Alex is involved with Culprit and XVX Fortune XVX, and also helps put together shows through End Times Shows. What interested me about having Alex on wasn’t just the bands—it was the bigger conversation about what it means to actually participate in a hardcore community.Because scenes don’t exist just because bands make records. They exist because people book shows, take chances on bands, create space for new people, build friendships, argue, repair things, burn out, come back, and keep finding reasons to care about this music.Support the show

Send us Fan MailHave you ever felt genuinely hurt or betrayed by a musician, podcaster, or public figure you've never actually met?In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, we explore the psychology of parasocial relationships—why we develop emotional attachments to people we don't personally know and why their actions can leave us feeling disappointed, angry, or even grieving.Drawing on psychological research, attachment theory, and the hardcore music community, we examine how music, identity, belonging, and personal values shape these connections.We also explore how to navigate disappointment without dismissing our feelings or losing the meaning that music and community have brought into our lives.Sometimes what we're grieving isn't the person. We're grieving the way we used to feel about them.This podcast is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.Support the show

Send us Fan MailToday’s guest is Jeff Caudill, singer, guitarist, and songwriter for Gameface, an influential band that helped bring emotional honesty and strong melody into the Southern California punk and hardcore scene.For more than three decades, Jeff’s songwriting has explored relationships, loss, identity, growth, and what it means to carry your past without being defined by it. Beyond Gameface, he has released solo music, played with Low Coast, worked as a graphic designer, and continued creating through woodworking and carving.Support the show

Send us Fan MailHave you ever told someone they hurt you, only to hear, “I was stressed,” “I didn't mean it,” or “That's just how I am”? Or maybe you've caught yourself explaining your own behavior instead of taking responsibility for it.When does understanding someone's pain turn into excusing the harm they cause?This week on The Hardcore Therapist, we're digging into the psychology of accountability. Why do we become defensive when confronted with our behavior? What's the difference between guilt and shame? And why doesn't an apology always lead to meaningful change?Drawing on psychological research, we explore moral disengagement, the difference between intentions and impact, and how trauma and past experiences can explain behavior without removing personal responsibility.Because understanding why someone hurt you doesn't mean you have to accept it. And taking responsibility means more than simply saying you're sorry.Your pain may explain your behavior, but it doesn't automatically excuse the harm.The Hardcore Therapist provides mental health education and conversation, not individual therapy.Support the show

Send us Fan MailToday's guest is someone who has built more than businesses; he's built communities.Marc Bennett, also known as Mukunda Kishor das, is an entrepreneur, barber, and longtime member of both the hardcore and bhakti communities. He's the owner of Pappy's Barber Shop in San Diego, a place that's become known for much more than great haircuts. It's a space where people slow down, have real conversations, and leave feeling a little more connected than when they walked in.Over the years, Marc has built multiple successful businesses, but what stands out isn't just his entrepreneurial journey—it's his commitment to creating environments where people feel seen, valued, and part of something bigger than themselves.In this conversation, we explore the intersection of business, community, spirituality, leadership, and mental health. We talk about what it means to serve others, how hardcore culture helped shape his values, the lessons he's learned through bhakti, and why genuine human connection might be one of the most important things we can offer each other.Support the show

Send us Fan MailEmpathy isn't agreement. Understanding isn't permission. And compassion doesn't require self-abandonment.Have you ever felt like acknowledging someone's pain meant you had to agree with their version of events? Or found yourself excusing hurtful behavior because you understood where it came from?In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, we explore how generational trauma, family dynamics, and past experiences shape the way we respond to conflict and disagreement.We'll talk about why empathy can feel threatening, how understanding someone's history differs from excusing their behavior, and how to remain compassionate without sacrificing your own needs or boundaries.Because you can understand someone's pain, disagree with their perspective, and still treat them with humanity.The Hardcore Therapist is intended for education and conversation and is not a substitute for professional mental health care.Support the show

Send us Fan MailToday’s guest is Sabrina Worthington, a vocalist, musician, and the force behind Cellofame Records a DIY, women-owned underground label supporting punk music and independent artists. Through her work with The Applicators and Loud Graves, Sabrina has built a life around creating music, taking ownership of her work, and helping other artists find space within the punk community. Cellofame has released music from both bands, along with projects celebrating women and femme-fronted artists in underground music.Today, Sabrina and I talk about her journey through punk, what it takes to build and run an independent record label, staying creative over time, and the importance of creating opportunities for yourself and others.Support the show

Send us Fan MailWhat if the way you're responding to anxiety is actually keeping you stuck?In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I explore how anxiety drives overthinking, reassurance-seeking, avoidance, and the need for certainty. Drawing on research and evidence-based approaches like CBT, I break down why these patterns develop and what we can do to change them.We'll talk about three practical steps: recognizing anxiety-driven behaviors, learning to tolerate uncertainty, and taking meaningful action even when anxiety is present.Because understanding your anxiety is important, but insight without behavioral change only gets you so far.You don't have to eliminate anxiety to stop letting it run your life.Support the show

Send us Fan MailToday’s guest is Jorge Rosado, the longtime vocalist of Merauder, one of the most influential bands to come out of New York’s metallic hardcore scene. Jorge’s voice helped define the sound and intensity of Master Killer, a record that continues to shape hardcore and metal decades after its release.His story goes far beyond one album. It includes growing up between Brooklyn and Puerto Rico, carrying Merauder through lineup changes and loss, navigating the music industry, auditioning for Sepultura, and continuing to create after grief, rejection, and disappointment. Jorge has also worked with projects including Akani and has remained a powerful voice within hardcore while protecting the history and legacy of the music he helped create.Today, Jorge and I talk about identity, loyalty, grief, survival, rejection, and what it means to carry a band’s legacy without becoming trapped by the past.*Jorge was in Puerto Rico during the interview and had some spotty connections. I do apologize in advance. Support the show

Send us Fan MailDo you really want closure—or do you want your ex to see that you won?In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I explore why we sometimes still need an ex to see us thriving, even when we have no desire to get back together. We’ll talk about attachment, rumination, social-media checking, the fantasy of the “perfect” run-in, and why wanting someone to regret losing you can keep them psychologically connected to your healing.I also break down the difference between processing and rumination, why closure doesn’t always require another conversation, and the question that can change everything:Would you still make this choice if you knew your ex would never see it?Healing isn’t about proving they didn’t break you.Eventually, it’s about no longer needing them to look.Support the show