188: Tiny Joys, Big Healing: Retraining the Brain for Hope

The Best of You

Dr. Alison Cook

Mental Health, Health & Fitness

4.9 • 959 Ratings

🗓️ 18 December 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

If gratitude and grief seem to arrive hand in hand this season or hope feels costly, like putting your armor down in the middle of a battle… Nothing is wrong with you. Your brain is doing exactly what it was designed to do. Dr. Alison sits down with researcher, author, trauma educator, and joy scholar Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald to explore the often misunderstood relationship between trauma and joy. Drawing from neuroscience, trauma research, and lived experience, Dr MaryCatherine explains why joy can feel threatening after loss or prolonged stress. Together, they unpack: Why trauma responses are strength responses, not weaknesses The “joy thieves” that quietly steal our capacity for delight Why joy and grief are not opposites, and often show up together How tiny moments can gently retrain your brain for joy What neuroscientists call the hope circuit, and how to activate it 📖 Dr MaryCatherine's book, The Joy Reset: Six Ways Trauma Steals Happiness and How to Win it Back 📖 This Christmas, gift a loved one (or yourself!) Dr Alison’s latest book, The Best of You! 📥 Grab your 3 free Boundaries For Your Soul resources here 📥 Download Alison’s free printable with the five boundary tools when you sign up for her weekly email. 📖 Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here 💬 Got a question? Call 307-429-2525 and leave a message for a future episode. Thanks to our Sponsors! Go to ⁠Quince.com/bestofyou⁠ for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! If you’re looking for a Bible that helps you live the Word, not just read it, then grab this beautiful one I’m currently using at NIVapplicationbible.com. Give online therapy, brought to you by betterhelp.com/BESTOFYOU and get on your way to being your best self. Give your loved ones a unique keepsake you’ll all cherish for years, visit StoryWorth.com/BESTOFYOU to save $10 on your order. Give the gift of every day luxury and make every moment comfortable. Head to Cozyearth.com and use my code BESTOFYOU for up to 20% off. Go to AquaTru.com now for 20% off (your purifier) using promo code BESTOFYOU 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.‍ © 2025 Alison Cook. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Please do not copy or share the contents of this webpage or transcript without permission from the author. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Here's the thing about being a great gift giver. When you find something truly perfect for everyone on your list, you almost don't want to give it away. That's exactly what happened with my Quince order. Everything is so soft and so well made that I've honestly had a hard time parting with any of it. Quince pretty much has your whole list covered. They're Mongolian cashmere sweaters are just $50 when you'd normally pay $200 or more,
0:22.8	and they're the kind you'll wear on repeat. Then there's the perfectly cut denim, the silk tops and
0:29.0	skirts for when you need to look put together, and the cashmere beanies, scarves, and down jackets
0:33.9	that actually keep you warm. I've been reaching for my quince cashmere sweaters constantly
0:39.7	as the holidays approach. They are holding up beautifully and they are the truest staples in my
0:45.4	wardrobe. And yes, I've also benign their home and travel items for gifting or keeping.
0:51.3	Find gifts so good you'll want to keep them with Quince.
1:00.0	Go to quince.com slash Best of You for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns.
1:02.1	Now available in Canada, too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com slash Best of You to get free shipping and 365-day returns.
1:09.2	Quince.com slash Best of You. When we have a nervous system that is
1:14.4	conditioned by trauma or chronic stress or fear, asking that nervous system to stop and embrace joy
1:22.1	is like asking you to put your armor down in the middle of a battle. When you imprint 20 seconds of joy,
1:28.8	you're releasing a bunch of chemicals
1:30.8	that counter fear and counter stress.
1:33.8	The cool thing about the hope circuit
1:35.3	is that it turns off the fear circuit. Hey, everyone, and welcome back to this week's episode of The Best of You podcast.
1:52.4	Today, we are diving into a topic that feels so timely, especially as we move toward the
1:58.5	holiday season. And that's how we can reconnect with joy
2:02.3	and hope, even in a world that feels heavy or uncertain. If you've ever found yourself wondering,
2:09.4	how do I keep showing up when life has been hard? How do I not lose myself to stress, grief,
2:16.0	or that lingering sense of exhaustion?
2:18.4	This episode has something for you.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Dr. Alison Cook, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Dr. Alison Cook and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.