Shows / Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joy
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joy
Joy Lab isn't your typical happiness podcast. We focus on strengthening your mental health with the science of joy, recognizing that joy can be tapped into even amidst experiences like depression, anxiety, stress, grief, and burnout. You can expect a blend of the best cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, positive psychology practices, stress management techniques, and mindfulness skills. Each month we focus on building one Element of Joy such as gratitude, self-compassion, confidence…
Episodes
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyReducing Self-Criticism & Judgment by Recognizing Our Shared Human-ess (encore)
We're digging into the Dr. Gabor Maté's third level of compassion in this episode: The compassion of recognition. This level emphasizes realizing the shared…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyUnderstanding Ourselves & Others (encore) [230]
Stuck in judgement? If so, you're not alone. In this episode, we're exploring the 'compassion of understanding,' the second level in Dr. Gabor Maté's five…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyOrdinary Human Compassion & Self-Compassion to Improve Mental Health (encore) [ep. 229]
In this episode of the Joy Lab Podcast, we're not just defining compassion, but we're really getting into its relationship with mental health. We'll start by…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyYou Belong and Are Connected Meditation (encore) [228]
Settle in for this short meditation with Dr. Henry Emmons. The practice involves relaxing and imagining meaningful connections with loved ones, fostering a…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joySelf-Love Is Not Narcissism [227]
Join us (Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek) as we explore the differences between self-love and narcissism. We'll dig into some common misconceptions and…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joySelf-Love and Finding Light in the Darkness (encore) [226]
Self-love is a skill that takes daily practice. And if you're feeling a bit out of practice... well, you're not alone. In this episode, we're diving into our…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyWelcome to Love [225]
Welcome to a bite-sized episode kicking off our Month of Love this September. It's likely you're feeling some of the busy energy as we transition into this new…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyFrom FOMO to GOMO: Discovering Freedom and Joy in The Choices We Make [224]
Join us (Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek) as we dig into the concept of GOMO, the Guarantee of Missing Out, as a more empowering alternative to FOMO…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyBreaking Free from Pathological Productivity [223]
Join us (Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek) as we dig into this phenomenon of 'pathological productivity.' We'll talk about how over-focusing on…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyAre You Stuck in Joyless Urgency? [222]
Join us (Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek) as we talk about "joyless urgency," a brilliant phrase coined by Marilynne Robinson. The short story is that…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joy"The Opposite of Play is Not Work, The Opposite of Play is Depression."
The renowned play researcher, Dr. Brian Sutton-Smith, said that the "The opposite of play is not work, the opposite of play is depression." There's a lot of…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyThe Still Small Voice: Awakening with Soulfulness [ep. 220]
Join us (Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek) as we wrap up our Month of Awe by exploring the concept of the 'Still, Small Voice' and its role in…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyFollow Your Bliss: Awakening to Joy [ep. 219]
Join us (Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek) as we dig into this idea of 'Following Your Bliss' as a strategy to tap into authenticity and joy, especially…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyThe Road Most Travelled: Awakening Through Suffering [ep. 218]
Join us (Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek) as we discuss strategies for awakening through suffering to foster authentic joy. We'll emphasize the…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyEmbrace Your True Self: Accepted, Connected, & In The Game [ep. 217]
Join us (Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek) for a conversation about authenticity and the journey of becoming one's true self. We'll first explore how to…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyUnmasking Your True Self: Exploring Authenticity and Awe [ep. 216]
Join us (Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek) for a conversation about awe and authenticity. This is also the beginning of a month-long focus here at the…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyAre You Curious to Learn or Confirm? [ep. 215]
Join Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek for a conversation about our motivations for curiosity. We'll start with Albert Einstein's idea that mystery is…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyFast-Acting Strategies to Combat Worry and Anxiety [ep. 214]
Join Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek and identify four fast-acting strategies to end worry and anxiety spirals. They'll discuss the mammalian diver's…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyWorrier? You're Not Alone. Here's Why We Worry... [ep. 213]
Are you a world-class worrier? If so, it's not a curse or a permanent state... In this episode, we explore the reasons behind worrying, from evolutionary…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyHow uncertainty & anticipatory anxiety can keep you stressed out & stuck [ep. 212]
Consider this: Stress will likely surge higher when you are uncertain about an outcome compared to when you're faced with a certainly bad outcome. Sounds wild…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyWhat You Need to Know About Hope When You've Lost It [ep. 211]
Hope might seem hard to come by lately. It's certainly not the vibe being communicated to us in the media anyway. If you resonate and feel like your hope tank…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joy"I Can't Handle Change" (and how to squash self-limiting beliefs like that one) [ep. 210]
"I can't handle change." Have you every had that thought? It's a sticky kind of thought. The good news is that it's not true. In this episode, we'll discuss…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyYou Are Capable of Radical Change [ep. 209]
You are capable of radical change. If you aren't convinced that you can create change in your life, take Aimee's story about how her hen became a rooster…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyWhen Your Life Passions Become Obsessions (encore) [ep. 208]
Do you have a passion that drives you? Or maybe you're looking for one? Whatever the case, it's essential to understand the difference between obsessive and…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyEmotional Inertia: Feeling Dull & Disconnected [ep. 207]
Ever feel like you're stuck in a fog—disconnected, unmotivated, and just… dull? You're not alone. In this episode, we explore emotional inertia—that heavy…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyTime Poverty & Busyness: Too Busy to Be Well [ep. 206]
Feel like you have too much to do and not enough time to do it all? That feeling is sometimes called "time poverty." We'll talk more about that and how our…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyRumination: What It Is And How To Break Free From It [ep. 205]
In this episode, we dive deep into the pesky world of rumination—the habit of replaying worries, regrets, or anxieties in your mind. Learn the science behind…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyUnderstanding Minor Depression And Low Resilience [ep. 204]
We'll dive into some key differences between minor depression and low resilience in this episode. We discuss how low resilience can feel similar to minor…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyRefilling Your Tank and Growing Your Inner Strength [ep. 203]
Ever feel like your tank is empty or you can't recover after a setback? In this episode, we'll get into our Element of resilience, exploring what can deplete…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyDo You Push Away The Good Stuff? [ep. 202]
When you're feeling in a rut or in a bad mood, do you tend to focus on eliminating negative emotions or inviting more positive ones in? If you swing toward the…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyBalance, Perfectionism, & Do-Too-Muchism [ep. 201]
What do balance and perfectionism have in common? Nothing really, but interestingly, we often conflate the two. In this episode, we'll talk more about what…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyBurnout & Stress Relief Meditation [ep. 200]
Do you feel burned out? If so, you're not alone. This burnout visualization practice can help you identify the stressors that may be contributing to your…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyAre You Burned Out or Depressed? (encore) [ep. 199]
Do you feel burned out? Or, maybe it feels like depression. Which begs the question, what's the difference between the two? Burnout and depression have a lot…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyUnfractured Focus: Mastering the Art of Savoring in a Distracted World [ep. 198]
Do you feel like your attention is fractured? Maybe you move through the day scattered, only to realize that you missed some good stuff along the way. In this…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyHow Savoring Shifts Your Mood, Mindset, & Behaviors (encore) [ep. 197]
It's really easy to fall into a deprivation mindset. It's a common message we hear in our lives that can burrow deep into our body and mind, tricking us to…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyZooming Out Meditation: A Guided Meditation for Stress and Anxiety [ep. 196]
Feeling overwhelmed or even just "meh?" In today's episode, we have a special zooming out meditation to help you find and foster joy, even in challenging…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyShift Setbacks Into Growth With The Overview Effect [ep. 195]
Tis the season of failed resolutions and unaccomplished goals. So, how can we turn that bummer and those defeats into growth? Dive deep with us as we explore…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyMeditation: Reconnect With Your Inner-Inspiration [ep. 194]
The science is clear that we humans are wired to tap into something deeper than just the surface layer of our day-to-day activities. It doesn't matter your…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyGetting Out of Burnout with Courage and Soul Work [ep. 193]
What do courage, inspiration, burnout, and the soul have in common? A lot, actually. We'll dig into the 'Courage Work' framework developed by author and…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyAwakening Your Connection and Purpose with Inspiration [ep. 192]
Can inspiration really fuel motivation, connection, and a sense of purpose? The simple answer is yes. Inspiration may seem like a special, rare occurrence…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyDon't Get Caught in the Happiness Paradox [ep. 191]
The 'Happiness Paradox' describes how the relentless pursuit of happiness can lead to poorer emotional and long-term health outcomes. That's an important…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyHere's a Resolution that Works [ep. 190]
How have your New Year's resolutions worked out in the past? If you're the majority of us, then they haven't worked out too well. We've got an idea for you…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyOur Holiday Wishes for You [ep. 189]
This episode is our holiday card to you... we're so grateful you're part of this community and have put in the effort to grow from your innate goodness…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyYour Two Mental Health Podcasts for 2025 [ep. 188]
We've got more exciting updates for 2025! First, if you don't already know, Joy Lab is joining the nonprofit Pathways North. Second, we're launching a new…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyScarcity Mindset, Decision Making, & Mental Health [ep. 187]
In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we're digging into the fallacy of scarcity and its impact on mental health and decision making. Scarcity mentality can…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyFallacy of Fairness & Victim Mentality [ep. 186]
In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we're digging into a key obstacle of Sympathetic Joy (our element for December). This is important because Sympathetic…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyA Long, Loving Look At What Really Is (update + encore) [ep. 185]
In this episode, we'll highlight some exciting updates before we share an encore episode. In the encore episode, we'll dive into the profound power of…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyYou're Gonna Love This News... [ep. 184]
We have really exciting news to share with you all! The Joy Lab podcast and program will be transitioning into a new nonprofit organization called Pathways…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyReduce Fear and Worry with Gratitude [ep. 183]
In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we explore how gratitude can be a powerful tool in managing fear and worrying. We'll touch on the evolutionary roots of…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyEnvy: Why it surges & what to do when it does [ep. 182]
In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we explore the complex emotions of envy and gratitude. We'll discuss how practicing gratitude can serve as a powerful…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joySeeing More Than Just What's Wrong (the compassion of possibility) [ep. 181]
In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we explore Dr. Gabor Maté's fifth and final level of compassion: the compassion of possibility. We'll dig into how we…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joySee, Accept, & Move Beyond Past Pains (the compassion of truth) [ep. 180]
The poet Rumi shared this wisdom: "Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, Your pain can become your greatest…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyWe're All Just Like the Rest of Us, Aren't We? (the compassion of recognition) [ep. 179]
We're focusing on the third level of compassion, as conceptualized by Dr. Gabor Maté—compassion of recognition. This level emphasizes realizing the shared…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyThe Compassion of Understanding & How to Practice Deep Listening [ep. 178]
In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we'll explore the 'compassion of understanding'—the second level in Dr. Gabor Maté's five levels of compassion. We'll…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyYour Ordinary Human Compassion (and what happens when you say something you wish you hadn't said) [ep. 177]
In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we're not just defining compassion, but we're really getting into how it shows up in our daily life. We'll start by…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyWhat Imposter Syndrome Really Is [ep. 176]
In this episode, we're digging deeper into imposter syndrome. First, a reminder from last episode that you do not have a syndrome if you have these imposter…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyImposter Syndrome Is a Myth [ep. 175]
Imposter syndrome is a myth. Well, mostly anyway. We'll unpack this concept of imposter syndrome, or rather, imposter phenomenon, emphasizing that the common…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyHow Can I Love Myself More... And Love Others More Too? [ep. 174]
Love is a skill that takes daily practice. And if you're feeling a bit out of practice... well, you're not alone. In this episode, we're diving into our…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyPracticing the Art of Love [ep. 173]
We're diving into our Element of love in this episode; those genuine, deep connections that feed every aspect of wellbeing. We'll focus on five key lessons of…
Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joyMaking Space for Flow and Fun (special encore) [ep. 172]
Too often mental health conversations get stuck in a focus of dysfunction, uncomfortable symptoms, and focusing on "fixing" what feels off. But, mental health…