I loved this beautiful and honest conversation about friendship with Jennie Allen, bestselling author of Find Your People and founder of IF:Gathering. She shares candidly about a painful season where she felt alone and how she’s learned to lean into deep community, even when it's messy. If you’ve ever struggled with feeling lonely, misunderstood, or like it’s hard to trust other people, please listen to this episode. There are so many gems in it, including:1. Our greatest fear in friendship2. How to say “that hurt” to a friend3. What prompted Jennie to close off to friendship for a season4. How she found her way into trusting relationships again5. The healing power of knowing others & being known by themOrder Find Your People 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.Related Episodes:Episode 58: How to Find Friends Who Bring out the Best of You, Why it Matters, and How a Good Friend Can Transform Your Life with Dr. Curt Thompson, Amy Cella, and Pepper SweeneyEpisode 33: People Pleasing & Developing Your Own Inner Compass: Thoughts on Depression, Mental Health & the Church, and Finding Hope in Dark PlacesEpisode 17: What is Church Hurt and How do I Heal?Thanks to our sponsors:Go to ⁠www.organifi.com/bestofyou⁠ today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today. Visit hiyahealth.com/BESTOFYOU and get your kids the full-body nourishment they need to grow into healthy adults.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.Music by Andy LuitenSound editing by Kelly KramarikWhile 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

I'm so excited to announce our brand-new series, "Friends on Friendships"! Join us over the next 5 weeks as we learn together how to forge transformative, healing, and life-giving friendships. We are kicking things off with an incredible conversation with Dr. Curt Thompson, Amy Cella, and Pepper Sweeney, who are real life friends and hosts of The Being Known Podcast. We laughed so much during this episode, and at least 2 of us also cried 🙈 . You don't want to miss all the gems about friendship throughout this conversation. Here’s what we cover: 1. Why friendship is a risk worth taking2. The most important ingredient for safe friendships3. The physics of “taking your friends with you” (even when they can't be with you).4. Laughter as a form of intimacy5. Why 3 is most definitely not a crowd6. Glimmers vs. TriggersCheck out Curt’s brand new book The Deepest Place!Learn more about Confessional Communities ⁠here⁠.Do you have questions about this series for Dr. Alison?⁠ ⁠Leave them here⁠.Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here.Want to receive free bonus content? ⁠⁠Sign up for my free weekly email here.Related Episodes:Episode 20: Making Peace with Yourself (& Facing Your Fear of Disappointing Other People)Episode 27: 7 Ways We Manage Perceptions Instead of Forging Real ConnectionsThanks to our sponsors:Go to ⁠www.organifi.com/bestofyou⁠ today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today. Wild Health has opened 10 spots in their Premium Program for BEST OF YOU listeners. Visit www.WildHealth.com/Premium to apply for membership.Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to SundaysForDogs.com/BESTOFYOU or use code BESTOFYOU at checkout.Music by Andy LuitenSound editing by Kelly KramarikWhile 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

Phew! Today’s episode gets fiery 🔥🔥🔥! Many of us were taught to “turn the other cheek” as a call to be a doormat or to naively “love someone” into change. In today's episode, I’m not holding back as I paint a picture of what I think the Bible really teaches about standing firm against toxicity.You'll discover a completely different picture of what it means to turn the other cheek. Here's what we cover:1. What "turn the other cheek" really means2. What the Bible has to say about toxic behavior3. Why it doesn’t work to “love people” into change4. Examples of toxicity & how to protect yourself5. How to be shrewd when dealing with gossip, cruelty or manipulationFind 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.Other episodes in this series:Episode 54: Can I Pray My Anxiety Away? A Surprising Approach to the Anxiety Pandemic & How to Walk Yourself & Your Kids Through ItEpisode 55: Am I Supposed to Distrust Myself? Why Trusting Yourself is Necessary to Establishing Healthy Relationships With Other PeopleEpisode 56: Am I Really Supposed to Die to Myself? Misconstrued Messages and How to Disentangle From ThemBoundaries and the Bible Youtube SeriesWhat Does the Bible Really Say Youtube SeriesThanks 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. Visit christiankitchenscoffee.com and use code bestofyou for a 10% discount on your first order!Go to ⁠www.organifi.com/bestofyou⁠ today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today. Visit hiyahealth.com/BESTOFYOU and get your kids the full-body nourishment they need to grow into healthy adults.Music by Andy LuitenSound editing by Kelly KramarikWhile 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

We’re hitting hard today on this question “Am I really supposed to die to myself?” So many have been encouraged to misapply the message of self-denial in ways that are not healthy. So what does the Bible really say about it? Here’s what we cover:1. What "deny yourself" really means2. 3 different types of people3. A surprising invitation4. A practical exercise to apply to your own life5. Your Questions: Healed vs. SavedFind 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.Other episodes in this series:Episode 54: Can I Pray My Anxiety Away? A Surprising Approach to the Anxiety Pandemic & How to Walk Yourself & Your Kids Through ItEpisode 55: Am I Supposed to Distrust Myself? Why Trusting Yourself is Necessary to Establishing Healthy Relationships With Other PeopleYoutube Series:What Does the Bible Really SayBoundaries for Your SoulThanks to our sponsors:Go to ⁠www.organifi.com/bestofyou⁠ today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today. Go to fuller.edu/bestofyou to learn more about Fuller’s MS in Marriage and Family Therapy program. Head to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code BESTOFYOU to receive UP TO 39%! Visit christiankitchenscoffee.com and use code bestofyou for a 10% discount on your first order!Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to SundaysForDogs.com/BESTOFYOU or use code BESTOFYOU at checkout.Music by Andy LuitenSound editing by Kelly KramarikWhile 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

This week we're talking all about self-trust—how we develop it, and why it's so crucial to the health of our relationships with other people. We also talk about how trusting God is a process that develops in the context of healthy relationships. Here's what we cover:1. The surprising foundation for trust 2. The role of attachment3. 3 relationships that contribute to trust4. What to do if you are too trusting of others5. A first step toward building self-trustFind 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.Related Episodes:Episode 54: Can I Pray My Anxiety Away? A Surprising Approach to the Anxiety Pandemic & How to Walk Yourself & Your Kids Through ItEpisode 23: Am I wounded or am I sinful?Episode 51: The 12 Common Thinking Traps, Mind Reading, Mental Filters, and How To Stop Taking Things PersonallyThanks to our sponsors:Go to ⁠www.organifi.com/bestofyou⁠ today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today. Listen & subscribe to Wear We Are! Visit hiyahealth.com/BESTOFYOU and get your kids the full-body nourishment they need to grow into healthy adults. Visit christiankitchenscoffee.com and use code bestofyou for a 10% discount on your first order!Music by Andy LuitenSound editing by Kelly KramarikWhile 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

Today’s conversation is pure fire! We're talking all things anxiety with Curtis Chang, author of a brand new book, The Anxiety Opportunity. This is such a fresh take on anxiety, unlike anything you’ve heard at church or in the secular culture. We also touch on the problem of how most of us have been taught to view heaven, and how recasting that vision has everything to do with anxiety. If you’ve struggled with anxiety or if you have kids who struggle with anxiety, please do not miss this episode. Here’s what we cover:1. The problem with the “prayer” or “pill” approach to anxiety2. The anxiety pandemic3. The most important thing we can do to help our anxious kids4. Did Jesus experience anxiety?5. Curtis’s experience with crippling anxiety6. The surprising discovery he made in therapy7. Why heaven is not what you think it is & how that changes everythingPick up your copy of The Anxiety Opportunity 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. Head over to WildHealth.com/BESTOFYOU and use code BESTOFYOU to get 20% at checkout.Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to SundaysForDogs.com/BESTOFYOU or use code BESTOFYOU at checkout.Music by Andy LuitenSound editing by Kelly KramarikWhile 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

We are talking all about finding our strengths today with my friend, Laura Cootsona, an accomplished coach, consultant, and non-profit executive. She walks us through StrengthsFinder, a tool that helps you identify and lean into your strengths and uncover the strengths of others.Research shows that leaning into your strengths at work and in life is absolutely life-changing. Here’s what we cover:1. How to identify strengths to unleash your potential2. The link between strengths and enjoying your work3. Understanding the downside of your strong points4. How to team up with other strengths5. How to build a strength-based familyFind 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.Other episodes in this series:Episode 49: Personality, the Big Five Traits, and Why Are We So Obsessed With Personality Types?Episode 50: 9 Types of Intelligence, the Trap of Comparison, and How to Connect More Authentically with GodEpisode 51: The 12 Common Thinking Traps, Mind Reading, Mental Filters, and How To Stop Taking Things PersonallyEpisode 52: The Enneagram—9 Ways to Uncover the Best (and Worst) of Who You Are, Get Honest With Yourself, & Improve Your RelationshipsThanks 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 hiyahealth.com/BESTOFYOU and get your kids the full-body nourishment they need to grow into healthy adults.Music by Andy LuitenSound editing by Kelly KramarikWhile 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

What a rich conversation with Enneacast hosts Jesse Eubanks and Lindsey Lewis about the 9 types of the Enneagram! We talk everything from mistyping women to Jesus, Kevin Hart, and the Apostle Paul.This is a great episode to share with your family, small group, and friends—it's an opportunity for honest conversations about your areas of brilliance. . .and the blind spots we all have.Here’s what we cover:1. The 9 different types2. Your Enneagram number as one part of who you are3. The Enneagram and narcissism4. Why celebration is a discipline we all need to practice5. How to love types that trigger us6. The difference between comfort and shalom7. What type was Jesus? Paul? Peter? Tom Brady?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.Related Episodes:Episode 49: Personality, the Big Five Traits, and Why Are We So Obsessed With Personality Types?Episode 50: 9 Types of Intelligence, the Trap of Comparison, and How to Connect More Authentically with GodEpisode 51: The 12 Common Thinking Traps, Mind Reading, Mental Filters, and How To Stop Taking Things PersonallyBoundaries for Your Soul SeriesThanks to our sponsors:Go to ⁠www.organifi.com/bestofyou⁠ today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today. Please visit christianapp.org/mentalhealthtsf to donate today! Go to fuller.edu/bestofyou to learn more about Fuller’s MS in Marriage and Family Therapy program. Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to SundaysForDogs.com/BESTOFYOU or use code BESTOFYOU at checkout.Music by Andy LuitenSound editing by Kelly KramarikWhile 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

Do you catastrophize? struggle with taking a compliment? Are you a mind reader? A minimizer? Or do you tend to take things personally? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you do not want to miss today's episode. We're discussing 12 common thinking traps, what psychologists call cognitive distortions. These are ways of thinking that trip up every single one of us. The messages you tell yourself have a direct impact on the health of your relationships, so this is a great one to share with your family or friends.Here's what we cover:1. 12 common thinking traps 2. How to avoid toxic shame spirals3. The problem with mind reading4. How to stop taking things personally5. The trap of emotional reasoning6. Why we all need to learn how to take a complimentFind 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. Order Aundi Kolber's new book, Strong Like Water today!Check out Nuts.com/bestofyou. You’ll receive a free gift and free shipping when you spend $29 or more! Visit hiyahealth.com/BESTOFYOU and get your kids the full-body nourishment they need to grow into healthy adults.Music by Andy LuitenSound editing by Kelly KramarikWhile 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

This week we're digging into intelligence. And believe me, it's not what you were taught! If you've struggled with comparing yourself to others, feeling inadequate, or unsure of your unique gifts (and that's pretty much all of us), you don't want to miss this episode!Here's what we cover:1. What is intelligence?2. Why it's different than what you were taught3. 9 different types of intelligence4. 2 toxic consequences of comparing ourselves to others5. 9 ways to connect with God 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.Order Aundi Kolber's new book, Strong Like Water today!Music by Andy Luiten Sound editing by Kelly KramarikWhile 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