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If you’re struggling to feel connected spiritually or stuck in negative emotions, you’re in good company. Research shows that 9 out of 10 people struggle with stress during the holidays.

In today’s episode, I walk you through my simple but life-changing strategy for unlocking spiritual connection and experiencing more of God’s loving presence.

Here’s what we cover:

1. 3 reasons painful emotions get heightened at the holidays (2:32)

2. A simple hack for experiencing more spiritual vitality (8:22)

3. The neurobiology of what happens when you connect with God (9:43)

4. How to transform mundane moments into spiritual encounters (12:18)

5. How to harness your external environment to change your mental habits (23:03)

Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here.

Do you have questions for Dr. Alison?⁠ Leave them here.

Want to receive free bonus content? ⁠⁠Sign up for my free weekly email here.

Thanks to our sponsors:

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.

Listen to Girls Night with Stephanie May Wilson wherever you get your podcasts!

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

Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to SundaysForDogs.com/BESTOFYOU or use code BESTOFYOU at checkout.

Related Episodes:

Episode 27: 7 Ways We Manage Perceptions Instead of Forging Real Connections

Episode 80: Navigating Overwhelming Emotions—2 Essential Steps to Bring Calm to the Chaos Within

Episode 50: 9 Types of Intelligence, the Trap of Comparison, and How to Connect More Authentically with God

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.

What if your emotions aren't your enemies afterall? What if they actually help? This holiday season, I'm taking you on a deep dive into my proven 5-step method for finding joy and peace by bringing harmony and wholeness to your inner world.

Today, we'll walk through the first 2 steps that are crucial to developing a healthy relationship with your emotions. Here’s what we cover:

1. 3 truths about emotions (5:19)

2. A counterintuitive (but essential!) first step (9:38)

3. How to speak on behalf of an emotion vs. from it (17:21)

4. The surprising solution to negative emotions (21:58)

5. How to finally move from self-condemnation to self-compassion and why this is central to the message of Christ (32:40)

Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here.

Do you have questions for Dr. Alison?⁠ Leave them here.

Want to receive free bonus content? ⁠⁠Sign up for my free weekly email 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 AquaTru.com and enter code BESTOFYOU at checkout to get 20% OFF any AquaTru purifier!

Related Episodes:

Episode 70: Mastering the Art of Emotional Intelligence—How to Harness the Power of Your Emotions to Improve Your Relationships

Episode 39: Boundaries for Your Soul—How to Navigate Your Overwhelming Thoughts & Feelings

Boundaries for Your Soul Youtube Series

Episode 57: Should I Turn the Other Cheek? Why It’s the Opposite of Being a Doormat & How to Stand Firm in the Face of Gaslighting, Manipulation, and Toxicity

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.

I was thrilled to have this conversation about a book that's easily one of my favorites this year. The brilliant author, professor, and public theologian, Esau McCaulley is here to share his personal experience with the many faces of trauma and how he stayed connected to the goodness of God through all of it.

Esau’s new book, How Far to the Promised Land, is a gripping, powerful story of one man’s journey of survival and hope. This conversation is packed with so much incredible insight all the way through to the end. Here’s what we cover:

1. Esau's early experiences with trauma (6:59)

2. How being a dad has been part of Esau’s healing (11:48)

3. Racial trauma (18:08)

4. How to integrate different parts of yourself (28:53)

5. Why we have to tell our stories (31:18)

6. Esau’s thoughts on forgiveness (40:35)

Check out How Far to the Promised Land here!

Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here.

Do you have questions for Dr. Alison?⁠ Leave them here.

Want to receive free bonus content? ⁠⁠Sign up for my free weekly email here.

Thanks to our sponsors:

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

Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to SundaysForDogs.com/BESTOFYOU or use code BESTOFYOU at checkout.

Go to storyworth.com/bestofyou and save $10 on your first purchase!

Start taking control of your health today at WildHealth.com/BESTOFYOU

Related Episodes:

Episode 78: Grace, 3 Types of Forgiveness, & Why Forgiveness and Boundaries Go Hand in Hand

Episode 75: Your Secret Weapon Against Stress & Anxiety—How to Transform Your Mind Through the Power of Prayer

Episode 76: When Self-Help Isn’t Enough—Finding the Faith & Strength to Move Forward after Loss & Heartache With Granger Smith

Episode 77: The Dark Night of the Soul—Why It Happens & What It Means

Episode 67: The Link Between Faith & Emotional Healing—Gen Z, College Life, & A Hidden Search for Meaning with Cindy Gao

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.

Today’s episode is packed! First, I walk you through some practical, research-backed thoughts on forgiveness and grace. Then I invite you into a conversation I had with none other than Max Lucado about how God’s forgiveness and grace played out in his own life. Here's what we cover:

1. The difference between grace & forgiveness (2:20)

2. Personality type & forgiveness (7:11)

3. 3 types of forgiveness (11:03)

4. How to forgive (15:15)

5. Max’s personal story of grace (23:28)

6. Clear words of wisdom about toxicity (37:38)

Check out Max Lucado's new book, God Never Gives Up On You: What Jacob's Story Teaches Us about Grace, Mercy, and God's Relentless Love

Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here.

Do you have questions for Dr. Alison?⁠ Leave them here.

Want to receive free bonus content? ⁠⁠Sign up for my free weekly email here.

Thanks to our sponsors:

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

Visit seed.com/BESTOFYOU and use code BESTOFYOU to redeem 25% off your first month of Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic.

Go to Reliefband.com and use promo code BESTOFYOU to receive 20% off plus free shipping.

To start decoding your body's messages, and pave the way for a healthier life visit nutrisense.com/bestofyou and get $30 off your first month and one month of board certified nutritionist support.

Related Episodes:

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.

Have you felt far from God? Do you find yourself wondering what in the world God is doing amidst all that is hard? I would argue that a dark night of the soul is a healthy response to pain, brokenness, or suffering. We need to create space for these seasons of wrestling with God—not try to shove them aside or stigmatize them.

In today’s episode, here’s what we cover:

1. What is a dark night of the soul? (4:09)

2. How is it different from depression? (6:55)

3. Why does God allow us to feel far from Him at times? (19:16)

4. How these seasons help us grow closer to each other (33:07)

Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here.

Do you have questions for Dr. Alison?⁠ Leave them here.

Want to receive free bonus content? ⁠⁠Sign up for my free weekly email here.

Thanks to our sponsors:

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

To start decoding your body's messages, and pave the way for a healthier life visit nutrisense.com/bestofyou and get $30 off your first month and one month of board certified nutritionist support.

Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to SundaysForDogs.com/BESTOFYOU or use code BESTOFYOU at checkout.

Related Episodes:

Episode 75: Your Secret Weapon Against Stress & Anxiety—How to Transform Your Mind Through the Power of Prayer

Episode 76: When Self-Help Isn’t Enough—Finding the Faith & Strength to Move Forward after Loss & Heartache With Granger Smith

Episode 67: The Link Between Faith & Emotional Healing—Gen Z, College Life, & A Hidden Search for Meaning

Episode 47: Spiritual Bypassing vs. Embodied Faith & How Not to Harm Those Who Are Hurting, Including Yourself

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.

I read country music singer Granger Smith's new book in one sitting and cried my way through it. It’s a powerful story of the unspeakable loss of his 3-year old son and what happened in the aftermath.

Granger tried everything to cope with the trauma, including numbing and every self-help hack. It didn't work. This is an incredible story of what happens when self-help fails and God shows up. Here’s what we cover:

1. The traumatic “slide show” that ran through Granger's mind for months (10:44)

2. Why we numb (16:19)

3. Granger's rock bottom moment and what happened after (24:33)

4. What grief looks like when transformed (30:38)

5. How self-help messages gaslight us (40:59)

This episode contains discussions about suicide which may be distressing
for some listeners. Please prioritize your well-being and proceed with
caution. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 for free, confidential support.

Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here.

Do you have questions for Dr. Alison?⁠ Leave them here.

Want to receive free bonus content? ⁠⁠Sign up for my free weekly email here.

Thanks to our sponsors:

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

Visit seed.com/BESTOFYOU and use code BESTOFYOU to redeem 25% off your first month of Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic.

Go to Reliefband.com and use promo code BESTOFYOU to receive 20% off plus free shipping.

Sleep deeply and wake gently with Hatch Restore - go to hatch.co/bestofyou to get $20 off and free shipping!

Related Episodes:

Episode 75: Your Secret Weapon Against Stress & Anxiety—How to Transform Your Mind Through the Power of Prayer

Episode 74: The Neurobiology of Hope and How to Find Hope in Hard Times with Dr. Curt Thompson

Episode 67: The Link Between Faith & Emotional Healing—Gen Z, College Life, & A Hidden Search for Meaning

Episode 65: Vulnerability, Parenting, and Letting Go of Control—Inside A Guy’s Perspective With Our Friends From Dadville

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.