The Best of You That Sounds Fun Network

Do you ever feel distant from God?
Do you struggle with conflicting emotions or unanswered questions that make it hard to feel God's presence in your life?
Today's episode brings the 🔥🔥🔥. I'm passionate about naming the false guilt and counterfeit messages that keep us from a vibrant relationship with God.
So often we try to shove complicated feelings aside or manipulate ourselves into feeling what we think we “should” feel in our faith. It doesn't work. The good news is that as with any relationship, when you name and frame what you're feeling honestly, you invest in a deeper, more authentic relationship with God. Here’s what we cover…
1. The problem with spiritual bypassing (7:36)
2. 6 counterfeit messages we internalize about God (19:34)
3. 5 framing questions to help you transform those messages (24:23)
4. Specific examples of braving steps you can take in your spiritual life (26:51)
5. My personal experience with spiritual dissonance (31:44)
Today's episode is based on an excerpt from Chapter 11 of I Shouldn't Feel This Way, available everywhere books are sold.
Find a list of resources from this episode here.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Go to www.organifi.com/bestofyou today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today.
Head over to WildHealth.com/BESTOFYOU and use code BESTOFYOU at checkout for 20% off!
Whether you're exploring distant lands or enjoying a staycation at home, Cozy Earth has your back. Visit cozyearth.com and unlock an exclusive 35% off with code BESTOFYOU.
Get 40% off your first order of Sundays. Go to SundaysForDogs.com/BESTOFYOU or use code BESTOFYOU at checkout.
Go to thrivemarket.com/bestofyou for 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift!
Related Episodes:
Bonus Episode: Aundi Kolber & Dr. Alison on Writing & Launching Books
Music by Andy Luiten
Sound editing by Kelly Kramarik
While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Book Launch day!
Today I Shouldn't Feel This Way is out in the world AND it's the two-year anniversary of The Best of You Podcast . To celebrate, I asked my friend, fellow therapist, and author, Aundi Kolber, to join me for a special bonus episode!
Join us as we share insights into why we started writing, what we keep private vs. what we share publicly, and how to navigate the publishing industry.
Pick up your copy of I Shouldn't Feel This Way today!
Get Aundi's Strong Like Water Guided Journey today!
Go to thrivemarket.com/bestofyou for 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift!
Whether you're exploring distant lands or enjoying a staycation at home, Cozy Earth has your back. Visit cozyearth.com and unlock an exclusive 35% off with code BESTOFYOU.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you navigate anger in your family?
What do you do when a parent who was supposed to love you and keep you safe actually caused you harm?
Families evoke such complicated emotions. You might feel angry and then guilty about that anger. You might feel a mixture of love and resentment. Today, we tackle family anger and generational trauma. My guest, Lisa-Jo Baker was a teenager when her mother died, leaving her alone with her father and his fierce temper. When she found herself exhibiting that same temper with her own son, she knew it was time to dig deeper.
Her new memoir, It Wasn't Roaring, It Was Weeping, is a beautifully written, incredibly powerful story of the legacy of anger, violence, and generational trauma—and how one family healed. You do not want to miss this conversation.
Here’s what we cover:
1. When a parent is both hero & villain (9:13)
2. The moment Lisa-Jo realized her father’s anger had become hers (15:43)
3. How she began to investigate her past (19:05)
4. A powerful metaphor for the scars of our families (31:31)
5. The risk of discussing your pain with your parents (35:07)
6. Self-righteous anger vs. wise anger (36:30)
7. What Lisa-Jo confronted about racism as a South African and an American (39:14)
8. Biblical wisdom for healing (51:41)
Order It Wasn't Roaring It Was Weeping here
Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here.
Thanks to our sponsors:

Go to www.organifi.com/bestofyou today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today.

Go to AquaTru.com and enter code BESTOFYOU at checkout to get 20% OFF any AquaTru purifier!

Go to thrivemarket.com/bestofyou for 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/BESTOFYOU and get on your way to being your best self.

Whether you're exploring distant lands or enjoying a staycation at home, Cozy Earth has your back. Visit cozyearth.com and unlock an exclusive 35% off with code BESTOFYOU.


Related Episodes:
Episode 97: I Shouldn't Feel This Anxious—Insights on Trauma & Healing with Monique Koven
Episode 98: I Shouldn’t Feel Alone in My Grief—Why Your Grief Matters & the #1 Most Important Support For Those Who Are Grieving
Episode 99: I Shouldn’t Feel Like My Spirit is Broken—Exploring a Broken Spirit & the Dark Night of the Soul with Christopher Cook
Episode 100: I Shouldn’t Feel Betrayed By Someone I Trust—How to Grieve, Breathe, & Receive in the Wake of Broken Trust with Steve Carter
Music by Andy Luiten
Sound editing by Kelly Kramarik
While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever felt betrayed by someone you thought you could trust?
It's a deeply painful experience that can leave you questioning not only the betrayer but also your own judgment. Trust, once broken, seems almost impossible to rebuild.
My guest today, Steve Carter, experienced a series of profound betrayals at a pivotal moment in his life. In 2018, amidst misconduct allegations against Bill Hybels, founder of Willow Creek Community Church, Steve made the difficult decision to step down from his role as a newly minted lead pastor—a position he once considered his dream job. Shortly thereafter, he faced yet another personal betrayal by his own parents.
Reeling from the loss of his job, his dream, and his trust in those closest to him, Steve entered a desert season guided by three words he sensed God gave to him: Grieve. Breathe. Receive. Steve's journey through loss is so powerful, so honest, and so deeply healing. Please do not miss this conversation!
Here’s what we cover:

2 essential ingredients for trust (12:40)

Why grief is the antidote to cynicism (22:28)

Confronting our attraction to patterns of narcissism (28:08)

The anger high vs. the peace of forgiveness (36:25)

How he hangs on to his love for the church (34:03)


Purchase Grieve, Breathe, Receive by Steve Carter here.
Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here.
Thanks to our sponsors:

Go to ⁠www.organifi.com/bestofyou⁠ today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today.

Head to factormeals.com/bestofyou50 and use code bestofyou50 to get 50% off!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/BESTOFYOU and get on your way to being your best self.

Go to thrivemarket.com/bestofyou for 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift!

Make the switch and build a starter kit. 15% off AND free shipping when you buy a Notes starter kit at notescandle.com/bestofyou.



Related Episodes:
Episode 97: I Shouldn't Feel This Anxious—Insights on Trauma & Healing with Monique Koven
Episode 98: I Shouldn’t Feel Alone in My Grief—Why Your Grief Matters & the #1 Most Important Support For Those Who Are Grieving with J.S. Park
Episode 99: I Shouldn’t Feel Like My Spirit is Broken—Exploring a Broken Spirit & the Dark Night of the Soul with Christopher Cook
Music by Andy Luiten
Sound editing by Kelly Kramarik
While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you ever feel like your spirit is broken?
Do you feel like you can't put yourself back together despite your best efforts?
Please do not miss this episode. My guest, Christopher Cook, has such powerful words about a broken spirit and how it’s different from (but related to) depression and burnout. We also dig into a real time discussion of the dark night of the soul. This conversation connected so many dots for me, and I cannot wait for you to hear it. Here’s what we cover:
1. The painful circumstances that nearly broke Christopher's spirit (7:00)
2. Recovering from survival mode (12:59)
3. What is a broken spirit? (15:32)
4. Chris’s experience of a dark night of the soul (25:07)
5. The true meaning of surrender (30:46)
6. How to support someone going through a dark night of the soul (41:12)
Check out Healing What You Can't Erase by Christopher Cook
Find a list of resources from this episode here.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Go to ⁠www.organifi.com/bestofyou⁠ today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today. Get 40% off your first order of Sundays.
Go to SundaysForDogs.com/BESTOFYOU or use code BESTOFYOU at checkout.
Head to factormeals.com/bestofyou50 and use code bestofyou50 to get 50% off!
Go to AquaTru.com and enter code BESTOFYOU at checkout to get 20% OFF any AquaTru purifier!
Go to thrivemarket.com/bestofyou for 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift!
Make the switch and build a starter kit. 15% off AND free shipping when you buy a Notes starter kit at notescandle.com/bestofyou.
Related Episodes:
Episode 77: The Dark Night of the Soul—Why It Happens & What It Means
Episode 71: All About Therapy—Do I Need a Therapist, How Do I Find One, and What Type of Therapy Works Best?
Episode 97: I Shouldn't Feel This Anxious—Insights on Trauma & Healing with Monique Koven
Episode 98: I Shouldn’t Feel Alone in My Grief—Why Your Grief Matters & the #1 Most Important Support For Those Who Are Grieving
Music by Andy Luiten
Sound editing by Kelly Kramarik
While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you do when you're grieving?
How do you support others through grief?
Grief shows up in all of our lives—whether you’re grieving the loss of a person, a relationship, or a dream. We need each other to grieve well. It’s not something we were designed to do in isolation. My guest today, hospital chaplain, J.S. Park, is a powerful story teller and grief catcher. His viral posts about grief and death have revealed an incredibly important need. So many of us long to give voice to our grief in a culture that often rushes to push it aside.
If you're feeling grief, or if you love someone who's grieving, please do not miss this episode.
Here’s what we cover: 
1. Why parts of us fear grief (5:20)
2. Why naming grief is so important (9:50)
3. How sitting with loss impacted Joon's faith (23:56)
4. The prayer Joon says before walking into a room (26:20)
5. The #1 thing you can do for someone after a loss (30:56)
6. How to set grief boundaries (36:40)
7. How to support someone who is grieving & what *not* to do (41:07)
8. The one word Joon wants for all of us (48:46)
Order Joon's new book here.
Find a list of resources from this episode here.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Go to ⁠www.organifi.com/bestofyou⁠ today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today.
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/BESTOFYOU and get on your way to being your best self.
Go to thrivemarket.com/bestofyou for 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift!
Make the switch and build a starter kit. 15% off AND free shipping when you buy a Notes starter kit at notescandle.com/bestofyou.
Right now LMNT is offering a free sample pack with any purchase. The LMNT Sample Pack includes 1 packet of every flavor. This is the perfect offer for anyone interested in trying all of our flavors or who wants to introduce a friend to LMNT. Get yours at DrinkLMNT.com/BestofYou.
Related Episodes:
Episode 97: I Shouldn't Feel This Anxious—Insights on Trauma & Healing with Monique Koven
Music by Andy Luiten
Sound editing by Kelly Kramarik
While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices