The Hardcore Therapist

The Hardcore Therapist 120- Cindy Hulej (Cindy's Guitars)

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2255460/open_sms] 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 who play them. Her work lives at the intersection of artistry, precision, and deep respect for music culture especially the underground and hardcore scenes that value authenticity over polish. Cindy’s journey into guitar building is rooted in passion, patience, and learning the craft from the inside out. In this conversation, we’re talking about creativity, discipline, identity, and what it means to build something meaningful with your hands in a world that often rushes past depth.  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/support]

The Hardcore Therapist 119.5- Pets & the Brain: How Animals Help (and Sometimes Don’t) Our Neurology

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2255460/open_sms] 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 to trauma and attachment. We also explore the limits of pet therapy when animals help, when they don’t, and how pets can sometimes increase stress or reinforce emotional avoidance. This is an honest, research-informed look at the human–animal bond without romanticizing it or demonizing it. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/support]

The Hardcore Therapist 119- Knocko Nolan

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2255460/open_sms] 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 9/11. Known for his straight-forward storytelling and unfiltered honesty, Knocko brings decades of real-world experience with crime, trauma, resilience, and the human side of law enforcement. Today, he shares his perspective through interviews and public conversations that shine light on the realities officers face on the street, the toll the work takes, and the hope found in speaking openly about it. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/support]

The Hardcore Therapist 118.5- Why Being the “Regulated One” Is Exhausting

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2255460/open_sms] 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 because regulation is hard, but because it’s rarely shared. In this episode, I break down the hidden cost of emotional labor, why over-functioning becomes self-abandonment, and how to start letting others carry their own emotional weight without losing your calm, your boundaries, or your humanity. If you’re tired of being the calm one who carries too much, this episode is your permission to rest without guilt, without shame, and without the room falling apart. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/support]

The Hardcore Therapist 118- Mike Judge (Judge and Youth of Today)

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2255460/open_sms] 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 been part of some of the most foundational moments in hardcore. His voice and presence in Judge were raw, honest, and way ahead of their time. But what makes this conversation special is that Mike isn’t just a hardcore icon—he’s someone who stepped away, lived a completely different life, did real internal work, and came back with a groundedness you can feel. In this episode, we get into all of it: the early days, Youth of Today, the rise of Judge, identity, growth, and what it means to be a whole human being outside of the mythology people place on you. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/support]