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 up in our inner worlds, how to seek the right kind of support, and why healing always starts with curiosity rather than shame.

Pick up your copy of Monica's new book: Your Pain Has a Name: A Therapist's Invitation to Understanding Your Story and Sorting Out Who You Are from What Hurts

Connect with Monica DiCristina

📞 Call 307-429-2525 to share your thoughts or a question for a future episode.

If you liked this episode, you’ll love:‍

Thanks to our sponsors:

Editing by Giulia Hjort

Sound design by Kelly Kramarik

Music by Andy Luiten

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

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 confronting regret.

How to distinguish between true guilt and false guilt

What "radical surrender" really means.

Whether you're braving a big life change or feeling held back by old emotional patterns, this episode will gives you courage, clarity, and compassion.

📞 Plus, don’t forget to call 307-429-2525 to share your thoughts or a question for a future episode.

‍If you liked this, you’ll love:‍

‍Thanks to our sponsors:

Editing by Giulia Hjort

Sound engineering by Kelly Kramarik

Music by Andy Luiten

‍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

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 step in learning to trust yourself
* What it means to become the “grown-up in the room” for your own healing
* How naming your inner critic can help disarm its power

Check out Mary’s new book Underestimated!

📞 We want to hear from you! What’s one area of your emotional, mental, or spiritual health where you’d like to grow? Call 307-429-2525 and leave a voicemail with your name, where you’re from, and your answer. Your voice may be featured in a future episode!

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

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love:

Thanks to our sponsors:

Editing by Giulia Hjort
Music by Andy Luiten
Sound design 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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do I feel guilty for protecting my time or energy?

Is this a boundary—or am I just avoiding someone?

Boundaries stir up a lot of emotions. But what if they’re not about building walls, avoiding people, or being “selfish”?

In this episode, I share a deeply personal and surprising take on what boundaries truly are—and why they matter more than you think.

You'll hear:

*Why healthy boundaries begin not with rejection, but with rhythm

*The two most common ways we misuse boundaries

*A powerful metaphor that changed how I think about relationships

*How codependency, enmeshment, and burnout signal boundary issues

*Real-life scripts and strategies to set boundaries with compassion and clarity

Have a question for Dr. Alison? Leave it here.

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

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love:

Thanks to our sponsors:

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever felt emotionally exhausted—even while doing all the “right” things—this episode is for you.

I’m sharing a personal story and unpacking something I see in so many women I work with: the quiet, often unnoticed pattern of denying your own needs in the name of being kind, helpful, or faithful.

We’ll talk about how these patterns take root, how faith communities can unknowingly reinforce them, and why that emotional exhaustion you’re feeling might be trying to tell you something important.

In this episode, I explore:

* How codependency hides behind helping & overfunctioning

* How the fawn response might be showing up in your life

* The impact of church messages that tell us to "die to ourselves" without teaching us how to live

* What healthy dependence looks like

* Why your locus of control—internal vs. external—matters more than you think

Have a question for Dr. Alison? Leave it here.

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

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love:

Thanks to our sponsors:

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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:

Thanks to our sponsors:

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you feel constantly driven to get everything right—to be the perfect partner, parent, worker, or friend? On this week's solo episode, Dr. Alison explores the hidden relationship between perfectionism and anxiety, revealing how trying to be perfect is often a disguised way of managing deeper fears.

You'll discover:

* Why perfectionism is rarely about actually being perfect.

* The main ways anxiety cleverly disguises itself.

* The surprising question you need to ask yourself when you can’t stop perfecting.

* Practical steps to break free from perfectionistic behaviors.

Today's episode will give you proven strategies to finally break free from perfectionism.

Have a question for Dr. Alison? Leave it here.

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

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love:

Thanks to our sponsors:

Editing by Giulia Hjort

Sound design by Kelly Kramarik

Music by Andy Luiten

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

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the invisible yet relentless responsibilities that occupy your mind every single day? You’re not alone. In today’s insightful conversation, Dr. Alison welcomes psychologist and relationship expert Dr. Morgan Cutlip, author of a brand new book, A Better Share, to unpack the complexities of the mental load. Dr. Cutlip brings clarity and practical strategies to a topic that often creates tension and misunderstanding within families.

Together, they explore:

* The definition and dimensions of the mental load—physical, mental, and emotional.

* Why women typically bear more of this invisible labor.

* How to recognize signs of mental overload and prevent burnout and resentment.

* Practical, real-world solutions for effectively communicating and sharing responsibilities with your partner.

Have a question for Dr. Alison? Leave it here.

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

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love:

Thanks to our sponsors:

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Alison talks with Sheila Wray Gregoire, groundbreaking author of The Great Sex Rescue. They confront harmful misconceptions about sexual intimacy within Christian marriages, amplifying the often-overlooked voices of women.

Sheila shares powerful insights drawn from her extensive research involving over 20,000 Christian women, challenging damaging narratives and revealing startling truths about sexual satisfaction, obligation, and intimacy.

You'll learn:

* The 4 harmful teachings that negatively impact sexual intimacy

* Why “sex as obligation” is so destructive for women

* How to reframe your sex story with your spouse

* Practical steps toward recovering true intimacy

Sheila's compassionate yet bold approach offers hope, clarity, and practical wisdom for those longing to rewrite their sexual stories, reclaiming God's true design for intimacy.

Have a question for Dr. Alison? Leave it here.

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

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love:

Thanks to our sponsors:

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, Dr. Alison explores the pervasive issue of narcissism—a term that's become increasingly relevant in today's culture. From toxic relationships to leadership failures, the influence of narcissism is widespread, affecting many without us even realizing it. Dr. Alison explains what it is and offers strategies to protect ourselves from its insidious effects.

You'll discover:

* The true meaning of narcissism beyond the buzzword.

* How to recognize love bombing

* The dangers of gaslighting and manipulation

* The tactics of triangulation

* Practical steps to guard your emotional health and develop resilience.

Have a question for Dr. Alison? Leave it here.

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

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love:

Thanks to our sponsors:

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices