What glues together the true NZ bogan identity? Spoiler alert: it’s more than flannel shirts and burnt rubber—it’s an unwavering dedication to heavy metal music (and maybe a few suspiciously loud Friday nights). In this episode, Dr. Matt Crawford unpacks why the NZ bogan identity is about family, belonging, and cranking up heavy metal music until the neighbours beg for mercy.

We explore how owning your NZ bogan identity is a power move, and how heavy metal music isn’t just a soundtrack, but a lifeline. Are the stereotypes true? Is the NZ bogan identity misunderstood? And can heavy metal music really improve your mood—or just your driving record?

If you’re proudly sporting your NZ bogan identity (bonus points if you know all the lyrics to classic heavy metal music anthems), this episode is your backstage pass. And if you’ve ever felt judged for your love of heavy metal music, you’ll find out why that’s something to wear as a medal of honour.

Plug in, turn up the heavy metal music, and celebrate your NZ bogan identity—louder, prouder, and with more guitar riffs than ever before.

🎙️ BOGANS, BIAS & BLACK SABBATH | Dr. Matt Crawford on Mental Health, Stereotypes & Why Bogan Identity Matters

We’re in New Zealand—home of sheep, world-class rugby, epic landscapes… and the bogan. Yeah, the bogan. You’ve heard the word. Maybe you’ve lived it. But what does it really mean?

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Matt Crawford, senior psych lecturer and metalhead, about how bogan identity is more than just mullets and burnouts. It’s a symbol of belonging, rebellion, and mental resilience.

🧠 We unpack:

• Why heavy metal is more than noise—it's therapy

• How bogan identity shapes self-worth and community

• The psychology behind stereotypes, labels, and group belonging

• Why the brain craves categories—and how it sometimes gets it very wrong

• How owning your label can change your mental health for the better

Crawford breaks it down: identity isn't just about who you are. It’s who you belong to. Whether you’re cranking Sabbath, revving a V8, or just trying to make sense of yourself in a judgmental world—this one’s for you.

🤘 This episode hits hard for anyone into New Zealand heavy metal, blue-collar culture, or questioning the boxes we’re all shoved into.

Five mentions? You got it:
Bogan identity, bogan identity, bogan identity, nz bogans, bogan identity.

What do you get when you cross a Pantera fan, a battle vest, and a therapy room?
You get Richard — the most unexpected New Zealand therapist you’ll ever meet.

Forget soft piano music and polite nodding. This New Zealand therapist walks in with a beanie, band patches, and a full bogan grin. He’s not your usual counsellor. He’s a metal head counsellor, and proud of it.

Richard’s not just smashing stigma—he’s moshing through it. In this episode, the metal head counsellor shows us that sometimes the best way to talk about your feelings… is to scream them with a pirate metal band.
(Yeah, that actually happens.)

This isn’t your mum’s mindfulness podcast. This is full-blown bogan New Zealand wisdom with a headbang and a heart.

We dive into what it’s really like to be a New Zealand therapist in a world that still expects ties and clean-shaven faces. Spoiler: Richard brings neither. But he does bring empathy, humour, and the kind of honesty that hits harder than a double kick pedal.

Whether you’ve ever doubted therapy, or you just want to hear a bogan New Zealand legend talk about stage-diving mid-set (true story), you’ll want to watch this one.

Because behind the metal head counsellor persona is someone who really listens—and doesn’t judge you for your taste in music (unless it’s smooth jazz).

So if you’ve ever felt like a weirdo, an outsider, or just a full-blown member of the bogan New Zealand community trying to get through the day—this is for you.

🖤 Like, comment your most bogan moment, and subscribe for more real-as yarns from Aotearoa’s loudest legends.

Watch the full video here:

https://youtu.be/haqi7JiUQGw