The Best of You
Break Free from Painful Patterns, Mend Your Past, and Discover Your True Self in God
- Counseling, Grief & Mental Health
- Publisher: W Publishing Group (Thomas Nelson)
- Published: 2023
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Publisher's Description
How would your life change if you could show up as your true self? Do you sometimes feel so stuck in an endless cycle of meeting everyone else’s needs and expectations that you lose sight of your own? You want to give the best of yourself to others. But what happens when people hurt or take advantage of you? What happens when life doesn’t go your way, despite your best efforts? The Best of You reveals breakthrough strategies to discover your true self, find your voice, set wise limits, and still be a loving person. For over twenty years, Dr. Alison Cook has brought together faith and psychology to help thousands of women reclaim their confidence, find their purpose, and develop the authentic connections they crave. Her unique wisdom will help you answer these tough questions: How do I put a stop to painful patterns that keep recurring in my life? How do I find my voice and speak up for myself? What if other people respond with anger, blame, or a guilt trip? How do I trust myself to make wise decisions even in difficult circumstances? You don’t have to stay stuck, overwhelmed, or defeated. The Best of You gives you the path to the life and relationships that God designed for you to enjoy.
Endorsements (14)
“Many of us are seeking ways to live healthier lives within ourselves, the world around us, and in our relationships. Through the therapeutic advice in The Best of You, Dr. Alison Cook leads us to ask important questions and work through key strategies so the best of who God intended and desires for us to be can develop. The path toward this kind of healing is not always easy, but it is possible. I hope you will let this beautiful and transformative book show you how!”
“The Best of You is a beautiful gift to every woman who has ever longed to live from her true self. With wisdom drawn from her own personal struggles and years of clinical experience, Dr. Alison Cook offers us permission to listen to our divine inner wisdom, to see ourselves as God sees us, and to step into relationships and communication that honor ourselves and others. This practical guide to authentic living will become a go-to resource for women everywhere!”
“The Best of You is like therapy in a book. Dr. Cook addresses the key questions we all ask with nuance and grace. She reveals the often-hidden realities of painful relationship patterns and provides practical solutions, including relatable stories, reflection questions, and even sample scripts for the hard conversations. This book is a must-read for anyone on a path of personal growth.”
“With wisdom and tender strength, Dr. Alison Cook has given us a book that will empower us to live from the best and truest version of our God-given selves. The Best of You is a phenomenal resource that expertly integrates faith, psychology, and Dr. Cook’s own hard-earned story. I am profoundly grateful for this important offering, and I will be recommending it often.”
“In The Best of You, Dr. Alison Cook comes alongside us, gently revealing how to do the hard, beautiful work of becoming—and trusting—our truest, deepest self, in partnership with the God who made us. Dr. Alison uncovers the painful experiences that shape us and the lies we have believed, so we can break free and live in the truth of who we are and whose we are—the beloved daughter of the God who made us, loves us, and rescued us. This book shows you how to begin to live in his truth and love and as you follow Dr. Alison’s lead, you will find yourself living out The Best of You.”
“Alison’s breathtakingly wise work builds upon the theology and psychology of the true self from sages like Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen but takes a giant leap forward in its approachability and practicality. An immensely helpful and profoundly deep guide to living from your true self!”
“It requires an immeasurable amount of hard work to become a therapist. It requires an altogether different kind of work—albeit no less rigorous—to become an effective translator of that work for others in a written form that is as accessible and compelling as it is beautiful. But far and away, to do both of these things with grace and vulnerability is a rarely cultivated gift, one that empowers the reader to undergo transformation even in the very act of ingesting what falls upon their eyes. In Alison Cook we have someone who embodies and offers all of these. And with The Best of You she delivers, along with so much goodness and beauty, the best of herself. And when that is what you are receiving—trust me—finding the best of you is just around the corner.”
“In The Best of You Dr. Alison’s seasoned skill as a therapist dispels myths too often heard. You will find yourself in these pages at times with startling self-awareness: ‘This is what I always do!’ But you will also find a vision of ‘This is what I can become.’ Finding the best of yourself is not easy in a difficult world, but Dr. Alison gifts you a clear path that makes it possible.”
“Not only does Dr. Cook marry psychology and spirituality in a synchronized dance in The Best of You, but she does so with unpretentious simplicity—reminding us that wisdom at its best is wisdom accessible to all. She is gifted in breaking concepts down with everyday examples to help the reader feel more confident in both understanding and applying them in their daily lives. As I read The Best of You, I was struck by how it wasn’t just informative but also facilitated an experience of connecting with my own sense of self and deepening this connection.”
Dr. Jean Cheng
“Dr. Alison is a bold and courageous messenger for today’s Christian woman. She exposes toxic teaching that keeps women feeling small, dependent, passive, and silent. The Best of You is a practical, Biblical road map for a woman to break free from who she thinks, feels, or has been told she is, and take steps to grow into who God created her to be.”
“Dr. Alison Cook brilliantly yet practically identifies common misconceptions in our relationships, including our relationship with God. The Best of You weaves together psychology and theology in a profoundly prophetic way, leading us toward the gift God has provided since the days in the garden of Eden—redemption. Dr. Cook gives us the best of herself as a gentle guide and trusted companion.”
“The Best of You is a nuanced and relatable guide to healing, health, and wholeness, while also serving as an antidote to the quick fix, empty promises that have left us feeling frustrated, lonely, and doubting ourselves. Each chapter invites us to unpack and unlearn the toxic narratives and beliefs around the intersection of our faith, relationships, and our sense of self in a way that helps reclaim the best of who we are as we show up in all areas of our lives.”
“God created you with an enduring capacity to emanate love within yourself such that mercy and grace spill over into the world around you. In this engaging book my friend, Alison, skillfully invites you to discover and explore a life shaped by this spiritual practice. I’m excited for you to dive into these chapters, breathe deeply as you ponder the possibilities, and transform more and more into the person you most want to be.”
“In the warm and kind style she is known for, Dr. Alison Cook invites you to embrace and accept what can feel elusive and unattainable about changing old ways of relating. In The Best of You, she asks—and answers—the questions you have about what holds you back from becoming who you were meant to be and who you already are inside.”
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