The Best of You
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
September 11, 2025 • 48 mins
The world has changed, and raising kids now requires a new kind of courage.
In this encouraging, yet practical episode, Dr. Alison is joined by counselors and best-selling authors Sissy Goff and David Thomas of Daystar Counseling in Nashville.
Together, they discuss why anxiety is showing up earlier and more intensely in children, and how parents can respond with both empathy and practical tools.
Sissy and David share practica...
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September 4, 2025 • 40 mins
In this episode, Dr. Alison is joined by counselor and podcast host Trey Tucker for an honest conversation about the rise of therapy culture online, the pitfalls of over-identifying with a diagnosis, and how parents can help kids build resilience instead of anxiety.
Together, they unpack:
The rise of “TikTok Therapy”—what’s helpful about therapy content online and where it falls short.
Why so many people are tempted to de...
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What does it take to make the church a safer place for women’s voices?
This week Dr. Alison is joined by husband-and-wife therapists Dr. Christy Bauman and Dr. Andrew Bauman, who are doing groundbreaking work at the intersection of women’s stories, embodiment, and spiritual safety.
Together, they offer both prophetic challenge and practical hope for how we can build healthier faith communities.
In the first half of the episode,...
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Have you ever found yourself afraid to feel joy - worried that if you celebrate, the other shoe will inevitably drop?
So many of us quietly hold joy at arm’s length. We tell ourselves it’s safer not to get our hopes up than to risk being let down again. What if joy isn’t a fleeting feeling for the lucky few, but a courageous practice we can all learn?
Dr Alison sits down with therapist and author Nicole Zasowski to talk about her...
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August 14, 2025 • 29 mins
Why do we work so hard to earn the approval of others? And what is it really costing us?
In this candid, practical episode, Dr. Alison tackles one of the most common struggles she hears from so many of you: people pleasing.
You’ll hear powerful voice messages from listeners as she explores the many forms this pattern can take—from avoiding conflict, to saying “yes” when you want to say “no,” to slowly losing sight of who you rea...
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What if what keeps you going is also keeping you stuck?
Does venting actually help, or is it actually making you feel worse?
This powerful, hope-filled conversation might just change your entire approach to rest—it did for me. Cognitive psychologist and neuroscientist Dr. Therese Huston joins me for a conversation that’s incredibly helpful for anyone feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or stuck in numbing patterns. I’m not ...
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Are you tired of holding it all together for everyone else?
In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Alison explores the hidden ache of emotional caretaking—the quiet ways we overfunction, over-give, and overlook our own needs to keep the peace. Whether it started in childhood or has become a way of coping in adult relationships, many of us have learned to survive by tending to others while slowly disappearing ourselves.
Alison share...
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What does it mean to risk love again—after loss, heartbreak, and the disorientating grief that follows?
In this incredibly tender and powerful conversation, I’m joined by Stephanie Duncan Smith, author of Even After Everything, to talk about the kind of spiritual confusion that often follows personal loss.
Stephanie shares how a painful pregnancy loss just before Christmas reshaped her understanding of God. Together, we expl...
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July 17, 2025 • 46 mins
What if anxiety isn’t something to pray away—or push down—but an invitation to deeper healing?
In this week’s re-air of one of our most downloaded episodes, Dr. Alison sits down with theologian and mental health advocate Curtis Chang about how anxiety can actually become a doorway to your truest self in God.
We explore:
🌿 Curtis's personal journey through debilitating anxiety
🌿 How Jesus himself experienced anxiety—and what...
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July 10, 2025 • 38 mins
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your emotions or stuck in patterns of self-criticism, this episode offers a practical path forward rooted in both psychology and spiritual wisdom.
In this powerful re-air of a foundational episode, Dr. Alison Cook introduces the transformative approach behind Boundaries for Your Soul. Drawing from Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Christian faith, Alison shares how to lead your inner life with cl...
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Is summer leaving you more frazzled than refreshed? Between travel, family gatherings, long days, and shifting routines, summer can test your limits in unexpected ways. If you’re feeling stretched thin, resentful, or just plain exhausted—this episode will be your step by step practical guide to resetting your boundaries.
Backed by recent research and years of experience, Dr. Alison walks you through why boundaries are essential ...
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What if your story—even the complicated parts—could become a doorway to deeper faith?
In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Alison Cook is joined by author and professor Dr. Esau McCaulley, whose journey is a powerful example of how owning your story—even the hard parts—can lead to growth, healing, and deeper purpose.
Together they explore how to reflect on your past with clarity, how to honor your roots while still moving forward,...
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What do you do when the very place that was supposed to nourish your soul becomes a source of deep harm?
In this deeply moving and necessary conversation, therapist, pastor, and trauma specialist Rachael Clinton Chen joins Dr. Alison Cook to talk about the pain of spiritual abuse—and what it looks like to begin healing from it.
Whether you’ve experienced overt harm in a religious setting or carry subtle wounds from spiritual ...
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What happens when repair in your family isn’t possible—at least not yet?
In this powerful follow-up to last week’s conversation on family pain, psychologist and author Dr. Joshua Coleman sits with me as we explore the heartbreak and complexity of family estrangement—from both sides of the story.
With deep compassion and personal insight, Dr. Coleman shares what he’s learned through decades of research—and from his own journey...
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What do you do when your family is the source of your deepest wounds? How do you hold onto your identity without cutting off the people who raised you?
In this transformative conversation, therapist and relationship coach Jerry Wise discusses the concept of self-differentiation—a powerful framework for healing from family dysfunction without shame or blame.
Whether you’re navigating complex family ties, considering going no c...
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What do you do with the ache of not feeling wanted? The part of you that wonders if you’ll ever truly belong?
In this powerful conversation with IFS therapist and author Tammy Sollenberger, we explore how the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model helps you turn toward those tender places inside—rather than pushing them away.
This conversation originally struck a deep chord with listeners—and it feels especially relevant right now. ...
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I’m joined by the brilliant and beautifully honest Dr. Heather Thompson Day for a conversation on spiritual wrestling. Heather’s latest book, What If I’m Wrong? Navigating the Waves of Fear and Failure explores what happens when the faith you once relied on starts to unravel.
Heather shares openly about her father’s battle with Alzheimer’s, the spiritual crisis it triggered, and the years she spent in what she calls “spiritual d...
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What if your most distressing thoughts aren’t who you are—but a signal pointing to pain that needs healing?
Therapist and author Monica DiCristina joins me to talk about the deeper emotional and spiritual wounds that often lie beneath distressing thoughts.
Monica shares her personal journey with trauma-related intrusive thoughts and the power of finally naming what hurt.
We also explore what to do when intrusive thoughts show ...
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May 8, 2025 • 28 mins
We're tackling a topic that continues to strike a chord with so many of you: how to make a change when you're stuck between loyalty and growth, guilt and freedom, regret and redemption.
If you’ve ever struggled with a complicated relationship or wrestled with the quiet shame of feeling stuck, this episode is for you.
We explore:
The 3 brave paths you can take when a relationship feels hard.
A powerful story of a woman confronti...
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What if fear isn’t a warning sign—but a signal you’re stepping into something that matters?
I’m joined by the brilliant and creative Mary Marantz to explore why fear often shows up right before a breakthrough—and how to stop seeing it as a reason to back down.
We also get into:* How fear hides behind perfectionism, people-pleasing, and procrastination* The surprising link between fear and creativity* Why grief is often the first ...
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