Trauma

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

By Alison Cook | June 8, 2023

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....

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Episode 56: Am I Really Supposed to Die to Myself? Misconstrued Messages and How to Disentangle From Them

By Alison Cook | June 1, 2023

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 means 2. 3 different types...

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Episode 46: People Pleasing as Survival, How Jesus Regulated Emotions & the Problem With Toxic Positivity and Spiritual Bypassing with Aundi Kolber

By Alison Cook | March 23, 2023

Phew! Buckle up. Part 2 of my conversation with Aundi Kolber is out today, and it is absolute ! We set aside the script and got real about our own experiences, including. . . 1. How people pleasing becomes a survival response 2. The shame we feel when we start to change 3. Alison’s unexpected...

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Episode 45: Strong like Water—Finding the Freedom, Safety, & Compassion to Move through Hard Things & Experience True Flourishing with Aundi Kolber

By Alison Cook | March 16, 2023

What an honor to have my friend and fellow therapist, Aundi Kolber on the podcast today for Part 1 of our two-part conversation on her brand new book, Strong like Water: Finding the Freedom, Safety, and Compassion to Move through Hard Things–and Experience True Flourishing Aundi and I connected through social media, and she has...

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Episode 19: My Stroke, A Process of Healing, and How I Began to Write The Best of You

By Alison Cook | September 8, 2022

At the exact moment I began to bring The Best of You to life, I encountered a trauma that would literally knock me off my feet, forcing me to test everything I hoped to write about. Today is almost the 2-year anniversary of that trauma. It’s unbelievable to me that this book is coming out...

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Episode 17: What is Church Hurt and How do I Heal?

By Alison Cook | August 25, 2022

Today’s podcast episode is all about church hurt. A church is a family-at its best it’s a place to learn about God, a place to heal, and a place to give & receive in community. But just like any family, when leadership turns toxic the results are devastating. You have so many questions for me...

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Episode 16: What are attachment styles and why does it matter?

By Alison Cook | August 18, 2022

Today’s podcast episode is another packed one all about attachment. Be sure to listen all the way through for some thoughts on how attachment wounds impact our human relationships and our experience of a loving God. Here’s what we discuss: Why I think we’re not just one attachment style What are 4 different attachment styles?...

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Episode 15: CPTSD—The Pain of A Million Paper Cuts

By Alison Cook | August 11, 2022

Today’s podcast episode is packed. Phew! You wanted to talk CPTSD (or complex trauma) so that’s where we’re going, with a side note on trauma & faith communities and some thoughts on what it *really* means to find safety in other people. 1. What is CPTSD?  2. What are the symptoms of CPTSD?  3. How...

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Episode 14: The Fawn Response & The Hidden Root of People Pleasing

By Alison Cook | August 4, 2022

Psychology Buzzwords are back, only this time you picked the topics! This week we’re focusing on the 4 Fear Responses, often called Survival Responses or Trauma Responses, with a special look at the Fawn Response. 1. What are 4 common fear responses?  2. What is the freeze response?  3. What is disassociation?  4. How are...

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Episode 4: What Do I Need To Know About Trauma?

By Alison Cook | May 26, 2022

Trauma is a bigger player in our lives than you might think. It’s the unacknowledged guest at every gathering of humans. And if we could learn to understand it better, we’d create a kinder, more compassionate world. In today’s episode we discuss trauma: What is trauma? What are Big T and little T traumas? How...

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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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