Episode 153: Embodied Healing, Spiritual Trauma, and the Journey Home to Your Body with Dr. Hillary McBride

Apr 10, 2025

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This week, I’m joined by someone whose work has profoundly shaped my own healing journey—Dr. Hillary McBride. A psychologist, researcher, author, and speaker, Hillary is a leading voice in the integration of embodiment, spirituality, and trauma recovery. We discuss her personal story as well as themes from her powerful new book, Holy Hurt: Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing.

Whether you’ve struggled with body image, experienced spiritual harm, or simply long to feel more whole—this conversation is for you.

We explore:

* Hillary’s story of healing from an eating disorder—and how it led her into her life’s work

* Why body image issues are never just about the body

* How trauma fragments our nervous system and disrupts our sense of safety, trust, and self

* What spiritual trauma is and how it can quietly take root in early beliefs and experiences

* How our attachment to God is often shaped by relational wounds—and what healing can look like

Order your copy of Holy Hurt here

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

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love:

Episode 48: Loving Your Body as a Spiritual Practice, Why the Flesh Isn’t the Body, and 3 Heresies We Kind of Believe

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Editing by Giulia Hjort

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.

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