

The Best of You
Dr. Alison Cook
Join therapist and author, Dr. Alison Cook, as she guides you through some of your toughest challenges with wisdom, kindness, and grace. Together with friends and experts we'll unpack the best of psychology from a faith-based perspective. You’ll discover how to break free from painful patterns, mend your past, and discover what brings out the best of you.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 27, 2026 • 8min
The Unseen Work of the Inner Life
Welcome to The Best of You Every Day.
Today’s Scripture is: 2 Corinthians 4:16–18
When life feels like it’s wearing you down on the outside, something deeper is often growing within you.
This episode is for anyone walking through a difficult season—when life feels heavy, uncertain, or slowly wearing you down. In 2 Corinthians 4:16–18, we explore the truth that even when outward circumstances are hard, something unseen can still be taking root within you. Together, we’ll learn how to notice that inner renewal—and trust that God is at work in ways you can’t always see.
To Go Deeper:
Get a free map of your soul & guided audio reflection here.
Email us at info@dralisoncook.com with scriptures or topics you'd like us to feature on the podcast!
Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook
Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.
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

Mar 26, 2026 • 49min
"This Must Be My Fault" — Why We Take Rejection So Personally (Ep 201)
What if heartbreak isn’t just about what happened to you—but what it reveals about what you believe about yourself?
At its core, heartbreak isn’t just about loss. It’s about the meaning your mind and body begin to make of that loss—especially when it touches something older. Rejection, betrayal, and disappointment have a way of surfacing deeper questions about who we are… and whether we are still worthy of love.
If you’ve ever found yourself asking, why does this hurt so much more than it should?… this conversation between Dr. Alison Cook and Dr. Peace Amadi will help you begin to understand why—and what healing might look like.
You’ll explore:
Why rejection can feel deeply personal… even when it isn’t
The hidden beliefs heartbreak can quietly bring to the surface
Why certain patterns in your life keep getting replayed
How past wounds can shape your present reactions
What happens to your faith when pain doesn’t make sense
Where healing begins when nothing feels resolved yet
This conversation offers a compassionate, faith-rooted path forward—helping you make sense of what’s been stirred up within you, and gently move toward a deeper sense of peace.
More Resources:
Check out Dr. Peace Amadi’s brand new book, The Wholehearted Way: Finding Peace After Life’s Heartbreaks, Disappointments, and Rejections
Connect further with @dralisoncook on Instagram
Want to go deeper? Join 80,000+ soul menders in our email community and receive weekly reflections and gentle practices here.
If you liked this episode, then you’ll love:
Episode 200: Trauma, Safety, and Healing—3 Trauma Responses + 4 Ways to Restore Trust
Episode 179: Building Wise Trust - How to Protect Your Heart Without Closing It Off
Episode 188: The Healing Power of Safe People (Not Just Safe Spaces)
📖 Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here
Don't forget to browse this week's sponsors, who make it possible for me to bring you these resources for free + provide you with additional discounts!
Quince - How you dress affects your mood and you can trust that Quince has you covered in every day sustainable wardrobe staples. Go to Quince.com/bestofyou for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!
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*Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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

Mar 25, 2026 • 8min
Not Taking the Bait: How to Stop Reacting
Welcome to The Best of You Every Day.
Today’s Scripture is: Proverbs 19:11
When someone pushes your buttons and you feel that instant urge to react, Scripture offers a different kind of strength—the strength to pause, steady yourself, and choose your response.
This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt triggered, reactive, or pulled into conflict they didn’t want. In Proverbs 19:11, we explore what it means to “not take the bait”—and how real strength often looks like restraint, not reaction. Together, we’ll look at how to slow your nervous system, protect your energy, and choose a steadier, wiser response in difficult moments.
To Go Deeper:
Episode 193: Why Relationships Feel Hard Even When You Care: An Unfiltered Conversation with Relationship Expert Debra Fileta
Episode 195: Caring for Others Without Carrying Them with Nedra Tawab
Email us at info@dralisoncook.com with scriptures or topics you'd like us to feature on the podcast!
Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook
Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.
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

Mar 24, 2026 • 9min
What Jesus Says to the Weary
Welcome to The Best of You Every Day.
Today’s Scripture is: Matthew 11:28–30
Feeling weary, burdened, or burned out? Jesus offers rest that meets you right in the middle of the overwhelm.
This episode is for anyone feeling exhausted, overloaded, or stretched too thin by the pressure to keep going. Jesus speaks directly to the weary and burdened, reminding us that rest is not something we earn after everything is done—it’s something he offers in the middle of the weight. Together, we explore what it means to loosen your grip, let yourself be human, and receive the kind of rest that steadies your body and soul.
Go Deeper:
Episode 199: How the Body Teaches the Soul
Episode 170: Science-Backed Tools to Actually Restore Your Brain and Body
Email us at info@dralisoncook.com with scriptures or topics you'd like us to feature on the podcast!
Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook
Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.
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

Mar 23, 2026 • 8min
When Life Feels Heavy & Unfair
Welcome to The Best of You Every Day.
Today’s Scripture is: Psalm 13
This episode is for anyone feeling overwhelmed, burdened, or emotionally exhausted—especially when the pain feels too heavy and the answers don’t come. Together, we explore what it means to wrestle honestly with God, even in seasons when you feel forgotten, and how faith can make room for both deep questions and quiet trust.
Go Deeper:
Episode 74: How to Find Hope in Hard Times with Curt Thompson
Episode: 185: A Real-time Practice to Help You Return to God's Loving Presence
Email us at info@dralisoncook.com with scriptures or topics you'd like us to feature on the podcast!
Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook
Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.
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

Mar 20, 2026 • 9min
How Healthy Conflict Works
Welcome to The Best of You Every Day.
Today’s Scripture is: Ephesians 4:25–32
Topics covered:
Why avoiding conflict can quietly damage relationships more than disagreement itself.
The surprising tension between honesty, anger, and compassion in Ephesians 4.
A different way to approach hard conversations, repair, and emotional reactions.
To go deeper:
Episode 86: Embracing Conflict—Why It's Essential & 4 Simple Ways to Tackle It
Email us at info@dralisoncook.com with scriptures or topics you'd like us to feature on the podcast!
Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook
Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.
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

Mar 19, 2026 • 41min
200. Trauma, Safety, and Healing —3 Types of Trauma + 4 Ways to Restore Trust
What if trauma isn’t just about what happened to you—but what your body learned about safety in relationships?
If you’ve ever wondered why it’s hard to feel safe in relationships… this episode will help you understand why—and where healing begins.
You’ll learn:
The 3 ways trauma reshapes your sense of safety
The deeper story behind patterns of anxiety, shutdown, or people-pleasing
The patterns your nervous system uses to protect you (without you realizing it)
The hidden ways trauma can impact your relationship with God
4 shifts that begin to restore safety
At its core, trauma isn’t just about what happened to you. It’s about what your body learned in relationships—especially when safety was broken. Whether those wounds began early in life or emerged later through betrayal, loss, or disappointment, your nervous system adapts in ways that are meant to protect you.
This conversation offers a compassionate, faith-rooted path forward—helping you understand how your soul and body respond to broken trust, and how safety can be restored over time.
More Resources:
Connect with @dralisoncook on Instagram
Want to go deeper? Join 80,000+ soul menders in our email community and receive weekly reflections and gentle practices here.
If you liked this episode, then you’ll love:
Episode 179: Building Wise Trust - How to Protect Your Heart Without Closing It Off
Episode 188: The Healing Power of Safe People (Not Just Safe Spaces)
Episode 191: The 5 Most Important Things I've Learned About Faith, Attachment, & The Inner Life
📖 Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here
Don't forget to browse this week's sponsors, who make it possible for me to bring you these resources for free + provide you with additional discounts!
Quince - How you dress affects your mood and you can trust that Quince has you covered in every day sustainable wardrobe staples. Go to Quince.com/bestofyou for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!
MOSH - Save 20% shipping plus FREE shipping on the Best sellers Trial Pack or the plant-based trial pack when you visit MoshLife.com/BESTOFYOU.
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

Mar 18, 2026 • 8min
When You Walk Through the Fire
Welcome to The Best of You Every Day.
Today’s Scripture is: Isaiah 43:1–3
Topics covered:
How Isaiah 43 offers comfort during anxiety, grief, and overwhelming seasons.
Why hardship is not a failure of faith—and what God actually promises in suffering.
A powerful way to find spiritual resilience
Email us at info@dralisoncook.com with scriptures or topics you'd like us to feature on the podcast.
Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook
Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.
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

Mar 17, 2026 • 9min
Why Jesus Calls the Broken Blessed
Welcome to The Best of You Every Day.
Today’s Scripture is: Matthew 5:3-10
Topics covered:
A fresh look at the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) and what Jesus meant by “blessed.”
Why grief, humility, and spiritual need are not failures—but sacred openings.
How Jesus’ teaching reshapes the way we understand emotional and spiritual strength.
To go deeper:
Episode 99: Exploring a Broken Spirit and Dark Night of the Soul with Christopher Cook
Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook
Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.
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

Mar 16, 2026 • 10min
Know My Anxious Thoughts
Welcome to The Best of You Every Day.
Today’s Scripture is: Psalm 139:23–24
Topics covered:
How to notice what’s really happening inside you—anxiety, stress, and hidden emotions.
A gentle approach to self-awareness and emotional healing
How to stop avoiding your inner world and let God meet you with insight, peace, and direction instead of shame.
Get a free map of your soul here.
Go Deeper:
Episode 186: Stuck Overthinking? A Simple Practice to Interrupt Stress, Overwhelm, and Habit Loops
Episode 167: Can I Pray My Anxiety Away?
Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook
Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.
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


