Protecting
Episode 76: When Self-Help Isn’t Enough—Finding the Faith & Strength to Move Forward after Loss & Heartache With Granger Smith
I read country music singer Granger Smith’s new book in one sitting and cried my way through it. It’s a powerful story of the unspeakable loss of his 3-year old son and what happened in the aftermath as he attempted to cope. Granger tried everything to cope with the trauma, including numbing and every self-help...
Episode 74: The Neurobiology of Hope and How to Find Hope in Hard Times with Dr. Curt Thompson
I am so thrilled to have my friend, Dr. Curt Thompson, on the podcast today. I have been deeply transformed by Curt’s work, and in today’s conversation, Curt breathes fresh life into a topic that is too easily tossed around and oversimplified-Hope. We take a deep dive into the intricacies of hope from a neurobiological,...
Episode 73: True Belonging vs. Groupthink, Cliques, & Trying to Fit In—How to Belong to Others While Staying True To Yourself
If you’ve ever struggled to feel like you belong, this episode is for you. I’ve struggled with belonging for decades. I couldn’t understand how other people seemed to find large groups of friends. But I’ve figure out how to belong on my own terms. And, paradoxically, I realized-that’s exactly what belonging is. Today’s episode is...
Episode 70: Mastering the Art of Emotional Intelligence—How to Harness the Power of Your Emotions to Improve Your Relationships
Get ready to level up your emotional intelligence! In this week’s episode, we’re diving deep into the heart of emotional intelligence, revealing why it’s an absolute game-changer. We’ll break it all down: 1. Fascinating research on emotional intelligence 2. 3 powerful strategies for mastering your emotions 3. 5 ways to express your emotions effectively 4....
Episode 60: How to Make New Friends, Identify Red and Green Flags, & Extract Yourself From an Unhealthy Situation with Aundi Kolber & Dr. Monique Gadson
Making new friends is hard as an adult! We’ve been hurt. We’ve changed and outgrown old ways. So how do we find new friends? And how do we learn to trust after trust has been broken? Today, I’m joined by 2 of my new friends, Aundi Kolber and Dr. Monique Gadson, as we discuss how...
Episode 59: Overcoming Past Hurt & Deepening Friendships Through Intentional Community with Jennie Allen
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...
Episode 57: Should I Turn the Other Cheek? Why It’s the Opposite of Being a Doormat & How to Stand Firm in the Face of Gaslighting, Manipulation, and Toxicity
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....
Calming Anxiety
Did you know that anxiety is part of your Internal Alert System? It’s often an unwanted visitor, but when you pay attention to its cues, and lead yourself well, you can learn to calm anxiety in your body and help it function as it should. To calm anxiety, you must understand that at its best...
The Surprising Key to Healthy Relationships
I was a deer in the headlights. It was the first time I had met with a couple as a counselor in training, and from my vantage point this conversation had gone off the rails. The couple sat back-to-back in my office with their arms crossed glaring at the walls. “I HATE when you talk...
When you need a rest from your inner task manager
A need isn’t always your personal call to action. My dad wrote this on a sticky note once and pasted it to his bathroom mirror. At the time, I didn’t really understand – I was a young kid. I just knew that my dad – a bastion of encouragement and helpful support – thought enough...
4 tips for overcoming perfectionism
If you struggle with overcoming perfectionism, please understand: I know how hard you work to be good. I know that you have the highest standards for yourself. . . that you value excellence. . . and that for the most part you are harder on yourself than you are on anyone else. You are cautious,...
When your shaming inner critic meets gentleness
What is the club you beat yourself with? Take a moment and consider your internal dialogue. Do you ever notice thoughts like these: You should be more like her. He’s so successful. If you were better, you’d be where he is. You deserve this bad thing that’s happened. You’ll never be as good as other...
While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this website 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 website are for informational purposes only.
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