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Episode Description
Why Are We So Lonely Even When We're Not Alone?
Host Curtis Chang talks with psychologist and podcaster Dr. Alison Cook about why America's loneliness epidemic can't be solved by simply adding more people to our lives. They explore how attachment wounds, anxiety, distraction, and modern life leave us disconnected—and how solitude and honest prayer can become paths toward healing. Dr. Cook offers a practice for loneliness: "recognize and return"—name what you feel, then remember, "I am loved even here."
02:46 - Why Do We Minimize Loneliness?
05:12 - What Is Attachment Theory?
10:31 - Childhood Wounds and Cultural Context
13:42 - Where God Enters the Healing Process
16:14 - The Inner Dialogue with God
20:44 - The Importance of Solitude
27:20 - The Modern Epidemic of Loneliness
35:16 - Loneliness as a Holy Longing
39:22 - Spiritual Practices for a Healthy Inner Life
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Mentioned in This Episode:
- Dr. Cook's The Secure Soul: Finding Inner Strength and Connection When Trust Doesn't Come Easy
- The U.S. Surgeon General's report: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation
- Professor Irvin D. Yalom's Existential Psychotherapy
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together
Scriptures:
More From Alison Cook:
- Dr. Alison Cook's Website
- Dr. Alison Cook's The Best of You podcast
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