158: Your Pain Has a Name: The Deeper Hurt Behind Distressing Thoughts with Therapist Monica DiCristina
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:
Episode 134: Bridging Mysticism and Science—A Personal JourneyThrough OCD with Therapist Ryan Kuja
Episode 97: I Shouldn't Feel This Anxious—Insights on Trauma & Healing with Monique Koven
Thanks to our sponsors:
Go to Quince.com/bestofyou for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!
Save an additional 10% on any NIV Application Bible and NIV Application Commentary Resources by visiting faithgateway.com/NIVAB and using promo code BESTOFYOU
Visit GoGeviti.com to learn more about how you can start optimizing your health without leaving home today and use code BESTOFYOU.
Right now, save $10 on your first purchase when you go to StoryWorth.com/bestofyou!
As a listener of The Best of You Podcast, you can qualify to see a registered dietitian for as little as $0 by visiting faynutrition.com/bestofyou.
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
15/5/2025
39:38
157: Braving Change—3 Ways to Get Unstuck & Transform Guilt and Regret
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:
Episode 140: If You Struggle with Guilt and Second-Guessing Yourself, This Will Set You Free – How to Stop Blaming Yourself for Things That Aren’t Your Fault
Thanks 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 cozyearth.com and unlock an exclusive for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more with code BESTOFYOU.
Go to AquaTru.com and enter code BESTOFYOU at checkout to get 20% OFF any AquaTru purifier!
Get up to 50% off your custom-fit mouth guard at www.shopremi.com/BESTOFYOU today!
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
08/5/2025
28:54
156: Why Fear Shows Up When You’re About to Grow & How to Break Free from Self-Sabotage with Mary Marantz
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:
Episode 10: What are Limiting Beliefs and How Do I Overcome Them with Mary Marantz
Episode 20: Making Peace with Yourself (& Facing Your Fear of Disappointing Other People)
Thanks to our sponsors:
Go to Quince.com/bestofyou for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!
Save an additional 10% on any NIV Application Bible and NIV Application Commentary Resources by visiting faithgateway.com/NIVAB and using promo code BESTOFYOU!
Visit GoGeviti.com to learn more about how you can start optimizing your health without leaving home today and use code BESTOFYOU.
Give your loved ones a unique, heartfelt gift you’ll all cherish for years—StoryWorth! Right now, save $10 on your first purchase when you go to StoryWorth.com/bestofyou!
For 20% off your order, head to Reliefband.com and use code BESTOFYOU.
Editing by Giulia HjortMusic by Andy LuitenSound design 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
01/5/2025
42:29
155: A Fresh Take on Boundaries—Prioritize What Matters, Avoid Burnout, and Navigate Toxicity
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:
Episode 124: Boundaries & Numbing—How to Set Healthy Limits and Stop Avoiding Your Feelings
Episode 24: Boundaries, the Spectrum of Toxicity, and a Note About Evil
Episode 7: Why Are Boundaries So Hard to Set?
Thanks to our sponsors:
Turn back time on the appearance of your skin with Purity Woods’s Age-Defying Dream Cream. Go to puritywoods.com/BESTOFYOU or enter code BESTOFYOU at checkout for an additional 10% off your first order.
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 cozyearth.com and unlock an exclusive for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more with code BESTOFYOU.
Go to Quince.com/bestofyou for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!
Visit GoGeviti.com to learn more about how you can start optimizing your health without leaving home today and use code BESTOFYOU.
Contact Restoring the Soul today and learn how their Intensive Counseling Process can jump start your journey to the place you want to be. As a special gift for The Best of You podcast listeners, download their pdf called "5 Ways Unresolved Trauma May Be Derailing Your Relationship."
I want all my listeners to enjoy a deep, restful night’s sleep with a new mattress from Birch. Go to birchliving.com/bestofyou for 20% off sitewide!
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
24/4/2025
38:10
Episode 154: The Cost of Denying Your Own Needs—When Emotional Exhaustion Tells a Deeper Story
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:
Episode 5: What is Codependency and Why Does it Matter?
Episode 14: The Fawn Response & The Hidden Root of People Pleasing
Thanks to our sponsors:
For 20% off your order, head to Reliefband.com and use code BESTOFYOU.
Go to Quince.com/bestofyou for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!
Visit GoGeviti.com to learn more about how you can start optimizing your health without leaving home today and use code BESTOFYOU.
Contact Restoring the Soul today and learn how their Intensive Counseling Process can jump start your journey to the place you want to be. As a special gift for The Best of You podcast listeners, download their pdf called "5 Ways Unresolved Trauma May Be Derailing Your Relationship."
I want all my listeners to enjoy a deep, restful night’s sleep with a new mattress from Birch. Go to birchliving.com/bestofyou for 20% off sitewide!
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
Join therapist and author, Dr. Alison Cook, as she guides you through some of your toughest challenges with wisdom, kindness, and grace. Together with friends and experts we'll unpack the best of psychology from a faith-based perspective. You’ll discover how to break free from painful patterns, mend your past, and discover what brings out the best of you.
Ireland