208. Spiritual Dryness, Burnout, and the Desert Seasons of Faith with Tish Harrison Warren

The Best of You

Dr. Alison Cook

Mental Health, Health & Fitness

4.9 • 958 Ratings

🗓️ 14 May 2026

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What if the dry, weary place you’re in isn’t something to escape—but a place where God is working? So many of us know that quiet middle space: you’re not in crisis, but you’re not exactly flourishing either. You’re tired, spiritually dry, disconnected, or simply going through the motions. It’s not dramatic enough to call a breakdown, but something in you knows you’re weary. In this episode, Dr. Alison and author/priest Tish Harrison Warren explore what grows in these weary places—and why seasons of spiritual dryness, burnout, and languishing aren’t signs that something is wrong with you. They may be part of how God forms you. Together, they talk about aridity, resilience, stability, and what it means to stay present to the life you actually have instead of constantly looking for a way out. You’ll discover: Why spiritual dryness doesn’t mean you’re failing The difference between depression, burnout, and languishing What the desert fathers and mothers can teach us about resilience Why “staying in your cell” can become a path of formation How ordinary repair, routines, and relationships shape us over time What it means to let where you are do its work How hope changes the way we endure hard seasons This conversation offers a counter-cultural invitation: you don’t have to rush out of the weary place. There may be something growing there. More Resources: 📖 Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode⁠ here⁠ Order What Grows in Weary Lands - out this week! You can preorder Dr. Alison’s newest book, The Secure Soul, and immediately receive the first 3 chapters as well as early access to the companion guide! Connect further with @dralisoncook on Instagram Curious what Family Role may have shaped you? Take the Family Role Quiz to learn how you may be showing up in your relationships with others. Want to hear more like this? Start here: Episode 159: Spiritual Drowning, Honest Questions, and a God Who Doesn’t Let Go with Heather Thompson Day Episode 176: Dr. Stephen Macchia on Intimacy with God in a Noisy World 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! Remi - Start sleeping better with a Remi nightguard and use code BESTOFYOU and get 50% off your purchase. Go to ShopRemi.com/BESTOFYOU and use code BESTOFYOU. Aqua Tru - Join 98% of customers who have made their drinking water cleaner, safer, & healthier by visiting AquaTru.com and use promo code BESTOFYOU to get 20% off today! 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! *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.‍ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Take this Holland and Barrett ad break to listen to your body.
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0:07.0	Or maybe it's after a kick of applied nutrition critical weight protein for leg day.
0:12.0	Is it looking to iron out tiredness with Vitobiotics Ferroglobin?
0:16.0	Or is your body simply saying,
0:18.0	You got to show me love.
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0:23.6	Magnesium contributes to normal energy, yielding, metabolism, protein contributes to the growth
0:26.6	in maintenance and muscle mass, I and contributes to a reduction of tightness and fatigue.
0:29.6	It's that void between depression and flourishing, where you're not depressed, but you're
0:35.6	not really flourishing either.
0:36.6	That is what I was experiencing.
0:39.4	Americans in general really want to be told, just tell me what to do, to feel good again.
0:45.6	And this book is much more like when you're in the desert, you don't know when it ends.
0:49.9	I think that's part of the work it does in us.
0:52.5	And so inviting people to actually not just try to get through where they are, but to let
0:58.5	where you are do its work.
1:04.5	Hey, everyone, and welcome back to this week's deep dive episode of The Best of You.
1:11.4	Today's conversation is one that I think so many of us need, different seasons of our lives,
1:17.0	but especially if you've ever found yourself in that weary middle place where nothing is
1:23.2	exactly falling apart, there's no crisis, but you also don't feel fully alive. You're still
1:30.5	showing up. You're still taking care of everything. The kids, the dogs, the house, you're going
	...

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