Heart's Nancy Wilson Joins HARDCORE HUMANISM WITH DR. MIKE

Today, clinical psychologist, life coach and heavy metal vocalist Dr. Mike (Dr. Michael Friedman) shared the latest episode of his mental health-focused podcast Hardcore Humanism, featuring an interview with Heart's Nancy Wilson ahead of her debut solo album You and Me out this Friday, as May's Mental Health Awareness Month begins. On Hardcore Humanism with Dr. Mike, artists from a range of genres share how they've overcome barriers from poverty, discrimination and self-doubt to mental illness such as trauma, substance abuse, depression and anxiety on their road to success. In this episode, Dr. Mike and Wilson engage on heartfelt topics like Wilson's late-mother's struggle with Alzheimers, life during wartime compared to a global pandemic, and sexism as it relates to the origins of the iconic "Barracuda." Past guests have included Nile Rodgers, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Gavin Rossdale (Bush), Lzzy Hale (Halestorm) and William Duvall (Alice In Chains), with upcoming interviews from George Clinton (Parliament Funkadelic), Amy Lee (Evanescence), Paula Cole, Linda Perry and more. Listeners can check out past episodes here.

On The Hardcore Humanism Podcast, Dr. Mike talks with musicians about their mental health and personal development to inspire others and offer lessons about how to lead an authentic and purpose-driven life. "We've chosen musicians because they are often outside-the-box thinkers who have overcome tremendous struggles to achieve their purpose. We want people to get inspired by the experiences of these accomplished artists and to take-away insights that they can apply in their own lives," Dr. Mike says.

Hardcore Humanism is a collaboration between Dr. Mike and his wife, Hardcore Humanism co-founder Aylin Bumin, Esq. and is much more than just a podcast. Hardcore Humanism is a therapy and coaching method that combines the hardcore science-based approach of behavioral therapy with the compassion of humanistic psychology. Dr. Mike explains, "The main objectives of Hardcore Humanism Therapy and Coaching are to help people gain a sense of purpose, overcome obstacles, work hard to achieve their goals, and build a community around themselves that fosters a purpose-driven life. I apply these principles when working one-on-one with clients. And on the podcast, we choose guests who exemplify many of these principles and we hope that their stories will embolden our listeners to pursue their own purpose."

In addition to being a clinical psychologist and podcast host, Dr. Mike is also a heavy metal vocalist (Odd Zero, Cildirmis) and understands firsthand how powerful music can be in helping someone discover and foster purpose in their life. "Studies show that pursuing your purpose improves mental and physical health. This became real for me when I began my journey as a vocalist in my 30's and experienced how transformative finding purpose in music could be," he said.

Soon after launching The Hardcore Humanism Podcast, Dr. Mike was hired by Consequence and Sound Mind Live to host the Going There With Dr. Mike Podcast. Past guests have included Julien Baker, Jason Isbell, Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance), Shamir, Future Islands' Samuel T. Herring, Open Mike Eagle, Korn's Brian (Head) Welch, and Nick Hexum (311). The show focuses very specifically on interviewing musicians on how they are coping with mental illness during the pandemic in an effort to reduce stigma so that listeners feel empowered to come out of the shadows and get the care they need. While there is overlap in the format between the two podcasts, Going There is very specifically focused on mental illness while Hardcore Humanism covers a broader range of topics related to living a purpose-driven life.

Dr. Mike is also active in the media, having written articles for CNN, USA Today, Fox News, Huffington Post and more, appearing on CBS Sunday Morning, NPR and Wall Street Journal Radio, while offering expertise on a range of topics in several publications like The Washington Post, USA Today, Fortune, Teen Vogue, Elle, and beyond. He also writes a regular blog, "Brick by Brick" for Psychology Today in which he shares his thoughts on current psychological issues in society.

For years, Dr. Mike has interviewed celebrities regarding their emotional, social, and physical health. Dr. Mike has interviewed artists from all genres of music, including Hip Hop (Talib Kweli, Kurtis Blow), R&B (e.g. Macy Gray, Maxi Priest), Heavy Metal (e.g. Tobias Forge, David Draiman), rock (Stewart Copeland, Duff McKagan, Lita Ford), hardcore punk (Ian MacKaye, H.R. of Bad Brains), alternative rock (Black Francis, Moby), and indie (e.g. Wesley Schultz, Natalie Merchant). Dr. Mike has also interviewed actors (Mayim Bialik, Andrew McCarthy, Cindy Williams), comedians (Margaret Cho, Jim Breuer, Lisa Lampanelli) and athletes (Laird Hamilton, Theo Fleury, Rich Roll), speaking to the universality of his approach.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Danger

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