205. It’s Not Just Physical: The Emotional Trauma of a Medical Diagnosis

The Best of You

Dr. Alison Cook

Mental Health, Health & Fitness

4.9 • 958 Ratings

🗓️ 23 April 2026

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When a diagnosis, chronic illness, or unexpected health challenge enters your life, it can divide your story into a before and after. And often, we don’t have language for what’s happening beneath the surface. In this episode, Dr. Alison and Dr. James C. Jackson explore the concept of medical trauma—and how it impacts not just your body, but your identity, your relationships, and your sense of meaning. Because medical trauma isn’t just about what happened to you physically. It’s about what it begins to reshape internally—your sense of safety, control, and who you are. If you’ve ever felt disoriented, overwhelmed, or like life doesn’t fit the way it used to… this conversation will help you understand why and what healing can look like. You’ll explore: What medical trauma is and why it’s often overlooked The psychological impact of diagnosis, chronic illness, and navigating healthcare How suffering can reshape your identity—and how to gently reframe it The role of community in healing and why support matters What it means to live in the “both/and” of grief and hope This conversation offers a compassionate path forward—helping you learn how to live with what’s hard without letting it define all of who you are. Purchase Reclaiming Your Life From Medical Trauma here. Connect further with @dralisoncook on Instagram Want to go deeper? Join 80,000+ soul menders in our email community and receive weekly reflections and gentle practices on parts work here. Want to hear more like this? Start here: Episode 64: Women’s Health—Menopause, Hormones, Depression and How to Advocate for Yourself Through Your Body’s Changes Episode 19: My Stroke, A Process of Healing, and How I Began to Write The Best of You 📖 Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here Don't forget to browse this week's sponsors, who make it possible for me to bring you these resources for free + provide you with additional discounts! Quince - How you dress affects your mood and you can trust that Quince has you covered in every day sustainable wardrobe staples. Go to ⁠Quince.com/bestofyou⁠ for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! StoryWorth - Give your loved ones a unique keepsake you’ll all cherish for years—Storyworth Memoirs! Right now, save $10 or more during their Holiday sale when you go to StoryWorth.com/BESTOFYOU! MOSH - Head to moshlife.com/BESTOFYOU25 and subscribe today to get 25% OFF your first Variety Pack and 20% off your monthly subscription with code BESTOFYOU25. *Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 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.‍ More Resources: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	When people are properly supported, when they are steeped in resilience, when they can find a purpose,
0:06.1	they can endure hugely difficult things, and they can come out on the other side, not only surviving,
0:12.9	even thriving, we don't get to decide for somebody else what is traumatic. In the medical arena,
0:17.8	those can develop in everything from getting a difficult diagnosis to being in the ICU,
0:23.9	to struggling with a chronic illness, to other things. I wanted to affirm people and give a name to what they were feeling.
0:30.8	And that name for many is medical trauma.
0:43.5	Hey, everyone, and welcome back to this week's deep dive episode of The Best of You podcast. I'm so glad you're here with me this week for this conversation. Today's
0:50.1	episode is for you. If you've ever found yourself facing something you didn't choose,
0:55.0	something that changed your life in ways you didn't expect.
0:59.0	It might have been a diagnosis or a long season of unexplained symptoms,
1:04.0	or it might be walking alongside someone you love through illness or recovery.
1:09.0	Whatever it is, there's this moment where the life you had
1:12.9	before and the life you have after no longer feels the same. And it rocks your world a little bit.
1:19.3	It's disorienting. It's confusing. It's uncertain. We don't always have language for what happens
1:25.6	to us psychologically and emotionally in those moments.
1:29.5	We call it stressful or we call it anxiety or sometimes we just try to minimize it or
1:34.9	shove it away. But often the right kind of name for it is actually trauma. It's something
1:43.3	we don't always have the skills to process in the moment.
1:47.5	And I've had moments like these personally, moments where something medical entered into my
1:54.6	life out of the blue, out of nowhere with no explanation. And suddenly there was a before
2:00.1	and an after the event. And this is
2:03.4	exactly what today's guest, Dr. James C. Jackson, is going to share with us all about today.
	...

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