About this episode

Dr. Alison Cook discusses how to break bad habits without falling into self-hatred, emphasizing radical honesty and spiritual practices.

Today's Scripture: Mark 9:43–47**Today's devotional is in response to listener requests.**What do you do when you keep returning to the same behavior—the one that offers relief in the moment but leaves you feeling ashamed, disconnected, or farther from love? In this episode, Dr. Alison Cook reflects on Jesus’ intense words in Mark 9:43–47 and reframes them not as an invitation to self-hatred, but as a call to radical honesty and freedom. We explore: *How to break a bad habit without getting trapped in shame*Why patterns like numbing, resentment, control, people-pleasing, comparison, or fantasy can pull us away from love*How compulsive behaviors shape your nervous system, desires, and relationships*Why willpower alone usually isn’t enough to change a deeply patterned behavior*How creating distance from triggers can become a wise spiritual practice Go Deeper:Episode 197: A deep dive with Dr. Joel Al on spiritual warfare and personal responsibility Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Alison Cook

Topics covered

• breaking bad habits
• self-compassion
• spiritual practices
• compulsive behaviors
• shame and honesty

Keywords

• bad habits
• shame
• self-hatred
• spirituality
• compulsive behaviors
• nervous system
• willpower
• triggers

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Mark 9:43–47

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