The Hardcore Therapist 140- Anthony Giannotti ( Victory Crown Barber Co.)

The Hardcore Therapist 140- Anthony Giannotti ( Victory Crown Barber Co.)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/fan_mail/new] On this episde of The Hardcore Therapist, I’m joined by Anthony Giannotti, founder of Victory Crown Barber Co., and someone who has spent over a decade mastering his craft as a barber, entrepreneur, and educator. Anthony didn’t just step into a career—he built one from the ground up. From making his own pomade in his kitchen and selling it at merch tables, to growing a brand that’s now used in barbershops across the country, his story is rooted in discipline, creativity, and a really strong sense of identity. And what I’m excited about in this conversation is that we’re not just talking about barbering or business. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/support]

The Hardcore Therapist 139.5- Looking Backward to Move Forward in Modern Dating

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/fan_mail/new] Are you exhausted by dating apps, endless swiping, ghosting, low-effort conversations, and starting over again and again? You might be experiencing dating burnout. In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I answers the question: “How do I deal with dating burnout?” I explore why modern dating can feel so emotionally draining, especially when apps start to feel more like a second job than a path to real connection. I breaks down the emotional and nervous system impact of dating burnout, including rejection fatigue, comparison, uncertainty, attachment anxiety, and the exhaustion of being repeatedly evaluated. I also discusses the growing trend of “looking backward to move forward”  meeting people in real life again through parks, coffee shops, shows, hobbies, community events, and friends of friends. This episode offers practical tools to help you reset your dating life, including how to audit your dating patterns, take an intentional dating break, set boundaries with apps, meet people offline without making it awkward, and date from self-respect instead of panic, loneliness, or burnout. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/support]

The Hardcore Therapist 139- Richard Blake (PhD, Psychology and Breathwork)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I sit down with Dr. Richard L. Blake to unpack what’s known as the treatment-prevalence paradox—the reality that even with increased access to therapy, self-help tools, and mental health awareness, we’re not necessarily seeing a decrease in distress. So what’s missing? We get into: * Why more treatment doesn’t always equal better outcomes * The gap between insight and real-life change * Where breathwork fits into mental health (and where it doesn’t) * How nervous system regulation actually impacts behavior in the moment * Whether some approaches to healing may unintentionally keep people stuck This conversation is not about quick fixes or overhyped tools. It’s about understanding what actually works—and how to move from knowing your patterns… to changing how you show up in real time. If you’ve ever felt like you’re trying, doing the work, and still not getting the shift you expected—this episode is for you. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/support]

The Hardcore Therapist 138.5- Are you dating the person in front of you or the potential of who you hope they could become?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist, I breaks down the dating trend of the “nanoship” — a tiny romantic connection that can start to take up way too much space in your nervous system. From almost-relationships to situationships, inconsistent texting, chemistry, fantasy, and anxious attachment, this episode explores why small sparks can sometimes feel emotionally huge. I discusses the difference between connection and projection, chemistry and compatibility, potential and pattern I also explains why uncertainty can become addictive, how reassurance-seeking keeps anxiety alive, and why some people confuse emotional activation with attraction. This episode includes clinical insight, research on attachment and interpersonal closeness, real-life examples, and reflection questions to help you ask: Am I enjoying this connection, or am I trying to win it? You’ll learn how to recognize when you’re over-investing in someone who has not shown consistency, how to slow down rumination, and how to return to yourself before chasing clarity from someone who may not be able to give it. Because potential is not partnership. Chemistry is not commitment. And crumbs are not a meal. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/support]

The Hardcore Therapist 138- Travis Shettel- Piebald

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/fan_mail/new] Today’s guest is Travis Shettel from Piebald; a band that, for a lot of us, wasn’t just music… it was something we felt. And right now is actually a perfect time to have him on, with the recent Iodine Recordings reissue of We Are the Only Friends We Have, a record that really captured that mix of humor, vulnerability, and raw honesty that defined that era. Piebald lived in that space between connection and chaos and if you were paying attention, they were teaching you something about being human long before you had the language for it. So today we’re getting into that identity, staying authentic over time, and what it means to grow up in a scene that doesn’t let you stay the same… and how that shows up in your life now. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2255460/support]