Joy Lab | navigate stress, anxiety, & depression with the science of joy
Henry Emmons MD, Holistic Psychiatry; Aimee Prasek PhD, Positive Psychology|419 - It's OK to Be Wrong: Releasing Perfectionism & Building the Skill of Knowing Enough [286]
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, self-acceptance, humility, and self-connection. It's a holistic approach to mental health that's refreshingly free of finger-wagging and toxic positivity and full of practical, whole-person support that's empowering and actually helps. Joy Lab is hosted by two leaders in mental health, Henry Emmons, MD (integrative psychiatrist) and Aimee Prasek, PhD (mental health researcher).
You'll probably find this podcast most useful if any of these feel familiar:
* You feel caught in cycles of worry, anxiety, or panic attacks.
* Stress has settled into your body, with tension, fatigue, and irritation showing up too often.
* The news of the world is getting under your skin, affecting your mood and focus more than you'd like to admit.
* Day-to-day life feels too "meh" and you want something more.
* Your mind feels full, foggy, or restless... maybe at 3am, when it seems especially determined to revisit everything you can't solve.
* You've been in a low mood or depression rut for a while and you want tools to move through it.
* Burnout has left you exhausted, detached, or running on empty.
New episodes drop every Wednesday + the 1st of each month. Each episode is a practical guide to managing depression and anxiety, building resilience, cultivating joy, and navigating life with more steadiness. It's an empowering approach that isn't just focused on what's wrong or endlessly chasing after fleeting moments of happiness.
Henry and Aimee bring 50+ combined years of mental health expertise, along with the lived experience to know that "not so bad" is not the end goal for mental health. Joy Lab is here to help you reclaim the resilience and joy that's already within you.
Joy Lab is an Ambie-nominated, trusted mental health resource and is powered by Pathways North, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your doctor or a qualified health professional before making changes to your health routine. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (SAMHSA) or contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-6264 (Mon–Fri, 10am–10pm ET), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email helpline@nami.org.
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No episode description available.
Published16 Sep 2026
Duration22:19
Episodes
419-
It's OK to Be Wrong: Releasing Perfectionism & Building the Skill of Knowing Enough [286]
Listened
16 Sep 2026
418-
Why Doing Enough Is Enough + Why Perfectionism Predicts Burnout, Depression, & Anxiety, Not Performance [285]
Listened
09 Sep 2026
417-
Having Enough: Why Acquiring More Will Never Fill the Hole in Your Self-Worth [283]
Listened
02 Sep 2026
416-
You Are Enough: The Science and Practices of Enoughness [283]
Listened
01 Sep 2026
415-
Manage Energy, Not Time for Better Mood and Mental Health (encore) [282]
Listened
26 Aug 2026
414-
Rest Isn't the Opposite of Productivity (stress management tips & burnout recovery for us busy-busy humans) (encore) [281]
Listened
19 Aug 2026
413-
Healing Doesn't Have to Feel as Heavy As Hurting: Supporting Mental Health With More Play (encore) [280]
Listened
12 Aug 2026
412-
The Power of Play for Depression, Anxiety, & Stress (encore) [279]
Listened
05 Aug 2026
411-
Stop Optimizing & Exhausting Yourself and Start Re-Creating [278]
Listened
01 Aug 2026
410-
Self-Focused vs. Task-Focused Attention & How Great Things Are Done by a Series of Small Things [277]
Listened
29 Jul 2026
409-
Confidence, Motivation, & Values: Focusing on Direction, Not Perfection [276]
Listened
22 Jul 2026
408-
You Are Not Your Thoughts: Cognitive Defusion for Confidence & to Change Your Relationship With Self-Critical Thoughts [275]
Listened
15 Jul 2026
407-
Building Confidence with Mindful Acceptance (even when anxiety, self-doubt, & the harsh inner-critic show up) [274]
Listened
08 Jul 2026
406-
How to Build Confidence (When You Don't Feel Confident Yet) [273]
Listened
01 Jul 2026
405-
From Rumination and Defending to Right-Sizing: Recapping the Science & Tips to Build Humility for Mental Health & Wellbeing [272]
Listened
24 Jun 2026
404-
Going Beyond Yourself: How Humility Fights Loneliness, Builds Connection, & Protects Mental Health [271]
Know Yourself: The Humility Practice That Quiets Rumination and Builds Emotional Resilience [269]
Listened
03 Jun 2026
401-
Humility Can Be Stressful... And Worth it for Mental Health [268]
Listened
01 Jun 2026
400-
You Can't Do Life Alone: Deep Connection is a Key to True Resilience [267]
Listened
27 May 2026
399-
The Resilience Shortcut That Beats Any Morning TikTok Routine [266]
Listened
20 May 2026
397-
The Art & Science (+ Shoveling) of Letting Emotions Move Through You [265]
Listened
13 May 2026
395-
How to Calm the Mind & Not Feed the ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts) [264]
Listened
06 May 2026
393-
From Surviving to Thriving: The Science and Soul of Resilience [263]
Listened
01 May 2026
392-
What Are You Doing This For? Breaking Free From Burnout and Joyless Urgency [encore]
Listened
29 Apr 2026
390-
Busyness, Time Poverty, & Why You Feel Like You Never Have Enough Time (And What to Do About It) (encore) [261]
Listened
22 Apr 2026
389-
Perfectionism Is Stealing Your Balance — Here's How to Take It Back (encore) [260]
Listened
15 Apr 2026
388-
Give Your Brain A Break: Solitude & Mindfulness Skills for Stress & Overwhelm [encore] [259]
Listened
08 Apr 2026
387-
Self-Improvement Remixed: Renewal Without the Hustle & How to Let Growth Happen [258]
Listened
01 Apr 2026
386-
Your Grief Is Valid, Even If It Doesn't Fit a Category or Stage (Grief Recovery & Healing Series part 10) [257]
Listened
25 Mar 2026
385-
Anticipatory Grief: How to Love Fully When You Know Loss Is Coming (Grief Recovery & Healing Series part 9) [256]
Listened
18 Mar 2026
384-
You Don't Have to Be There to Feel It: Collective Trauma, Secondary Trauma, & Your Nervous System (Grief Recovery & Healing Series part 8) [255]
Listened
11 Mar 2026
383-
How Facing the Harm You've Done Can Set You Free [254]
Listened
04 Mar 2026
382-
Ancestral Grief, Epigenetics, and Your Mind-Body Connection (Grief Recovery & Healing Series part 6) [253]
Listened
01 Mar 2026
381-
The Grief of What Should Have Been & The Loss of Not Being Truly Seen (Grief Recovery & Healing Series part 5) [252]
Listened
25 Feb 2026
380-
We're Wired to Grieve Together: Why Collective Grief Affects Your Mental Health & the Coping Skill of Gathering (Grief Recovery & Healing Series part 4) [251]
Listened
18 Feb 2026
379-
Grieving the Parts of You That Have Not Known Love & Welcoming Them Back With Self-Acceptance & Self-Love (Grief Recovery & Healing Series part 3) [250]
Listened
11 Feb 2026
378-
Everything We Love, We Will Lose (Grief Recovery & Healing Series part 2) [249]
Listened
04 Feb 2026
377-
Grief, Growth & The Wholeness of Being Human (Holistic Grief Series p.1) [248]
Listened
01 Feb 2026
376-
The Science of Goal Setting: Fit (with self-connection) and Grit (with harmonious passion) [247]
Listened
28 Jan 2026
375-
The Power of Self-Alignment & Reclaiming Your True Self [246]
Listened
21 Jan 2026
374-
Stop Waiting to Accept Yourself: The Truth About Unconditional Self-Acceptance [245]
Listened
14 Jan 2026
373-
The Practice of Self-Awareness: Why You're Worth Knowing [244]
Listened
07 Jan 2026
372-
Making Self-Connection Your Superpower in 2026 [243]
Listened
01 Jan 2026
371-
Joy vs. Happiness: Why Joy Is Your Birthright (And How to Find It in 2026) [242]
Listened
31 Dec 2025
370-
From Depression to Joy: Why We Created Joy Lab (And How You Can Help) [241]
Listened
24 Dec 2025
369-
The Power of Gathering: Science-Backed Ways to Combat Loneliness Through Group Connection [240]
Listened
17 Dec 2025
368-
Caring What Others Think Isn't Your Weakness [239]
Listened
10 Dec 2025
367-
Sympathetic Fear vs. Sympathetic Joy: What Are You Tuning Into? [238]
Listened
03 Dec 2025
366-
We're Wired to Give, But Are You Giving Too Much? [237]