The Best of You 191: The 5 Most Important Things I've Learned About Faith, Attachment, & The Inner Life
Jan 15, 2026
Dr. Alison shares insights on healing that transcend mere self-improvement. She emphasizes the importance of noticing how we are formed under stress rather than just striving for change. The interplay between faith and the nervous system is explored, highlighting how attachment wounds often manifest as spiritual struggles. Tending to our inner world with curiosity is crucial, while healing comes through presence rather than correction. Ultimately, it's about embracing wholeness over perfection and practicing small, intentional returns to grounding.
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Alison's Background In Formation
- Alison Cook introduces herself as a psychologist of religion focused on formation, attachment, and faith.
- She emphasizes studying how early relationships shape experience of God and inner life.
What You Return To Shapes You
- Formation depends more on where you return under stress than on intellectual belief.
- Alison Cook says your practiced returns become your functional theology over time.
Spiritual Struggle Points To Connection
- Many spiritual struggles signal attachment wounds rather than moral failure.
- Alison Cook explains that longing for safety often underlies feelings of distance from God.
