Joy Lab | strengthen your mental health with the science of joy

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 let go of external masks that keep our true self hidden. How can we do that? Mainly through self-acceptance. We'll then bust the myth that authenticity is an individual sport. The truth is that our authenticity is entangled with everyone and everything around us-- which is a good thing. When we start to work within this space of support, then our life gets bigger and easier. We can go beyond our small self and work in a bigger, more connected space. And on a sports note... we'll get deep into a "basketball is life" analogy that Aimee is super into. Whether you like sports or not, we hope you resonate with the message that we can step out of a defensive way of living and into a more empowered, authentic life.

About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek.

The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.

Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).

Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app:

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!

Sources & Notes:

• Joy Lab : Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
• Related Joy Lab Episodes:
• No Need to Hurry, No Need to Sparkle, No Need to Be Anybody But Yourself [ep. 160]
• Accept Yourself Just As You Are & Then You Can Change [ep. 150]
• How to Change: External vs Internal Motivators [ep. 145]
• Ross Gay's website (his book "Inciting Joy" is fantastic)

Full transcript here

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected].

Visit NAMI for more.

You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

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 podcast on how to uncover your authentic self. In this first episode, we'll highlight three big obstacles to authenticity. The first is the creation and impacts of a 'false self,' often developed during adolescence and driven by the need to satisfy external pressures. The second is an externally-focused search for the self that if we don't course-correct, always results in an exhausting and endless external search for the self. The last obstacle is that we tend to make this search for our true self into a big, complicated, spiritual pursuit of enlightenment. Instead, we see living authentically as a continuous, ordinary process, integral to achieving joy and contentment. Be sure to listen in for next episode as we dive deeper into authenticity.

About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek.

The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.

Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).

Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app:

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
• Healing and the Mind (Bill Moyers)
• The philosopher Aimee was trying to remember... Ludwig Wittgenstein and his work Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected].

Visit NAMI for more.

You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

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 central to true art and science, and the importance of remaining curious and open to the unknown... which, yes, is easier said than done. To make things a bit easier here, we can engage in a little check in strategy by asking ourselves, "Am I curious to learn or confirm?" When our curiosity is driven by learning rather than a need for confirming, we can see big benefits for our wellbeing and brain health. This episode also sets the stage for our focus next month on the Element of Awe. We hope you'll come away with some inspiration to embrace the (healthy!) discomfort that true curiosity requires and to integrate a sense of wonder into your daily life.

About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek.

The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.

Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).

Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app:

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
• Related Joy Lab Episodes:
• How uncertainty & anticipatory anxiety can keep you stressed out & stuck [ep. 212]
• Worrier? You're Not Alone. Here's Why We Worry... [ep. 213]
• Fast-Acting Strategies to Combat Worry and Anxiety [ep. 214]

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected].

Visit NAMI for more.

You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

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 reflex, engaging in physical activities, shocking the senses with intense flavors, and using aromatherapy. If you haven't already, follow this episode up with the previous episode to learn more about "just enough" worrying and strategies to reduce worrying overall.

About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek.

The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.

Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).

Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app:

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
• Related Joy Lab Episodes:
• How uncertainty & anticipatory anxiety can keep you stressed out & stuck [ep. 212]
• Worrier? You're Not Alone. Here's Why We Worry... [ep. 213]
• Godek, D, & Freeman, A. M. Physiology, Diving Reflex. (2022). StatPearls. Access here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538245/
• Jungmann, M., et al. (2018). Effects of Cold Stimulation on Cardiac-Vagal Activation in Healthy Participants: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR formative research, 2(2), e10257. https://doi.org/10.2196/10257

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected].

Visit NAMI for more.

You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

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 survival mechanisms to personal past experiences and modeling from adults. We'll dig into the importance of recognizing your own worry patterns and strategies to help reduce how often you worry and how big those worries get. And then next episode, we'll share quick tactics to interrupt a worry cycle when it revs up.

About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek.

The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.

Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).

Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app:

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
• Related Joy Lab Podcast episodes:
  • Rumination: What It Is & How to Break Free From It (ep. 205)
  • How Uncertainty & Anticipatory Anxiety Can Keep You Stressed Out & Stuck (ep. 212)
  • Imposter Syndrome is a Myth (ep. 175)
  • What Imposter Syndrome Really Is (ep. 176)

Full transcripts here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected].

Visit NAMI for more.

You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

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, right?! Think about the scenarios though... Would you rather be told you're going to lose your job next month or have your boss tell you that there's a 50-50 chance you'll lose it during the next month? In those 50-50 scenarios, we can get stuck in a cycling stress response and no clear idea of what to do next to alleviate it. At least if you know you're going to lose your job, you have a clear next step: start job hunting. That's what we're digging into in this episode. We'll explore different types of uncertainty (estimation uncertainty, irreducible uncertainty, and volatility), why we stress over the unknown, and how to navigate these experiences in everyday life.

About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek.

The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.

Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).

Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app:

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
• de Berker, A., et al. (2016). Computations of uncertainty mediate acute stress responses in humans. Nat Commun 7, 10996. Access here.
• Pema Chödrön quote: " To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest. To live fully is to be always in no man's land, to experience each moment as completely new and fresh. To live is to be willing to die over and over again."

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected].

Visit NAMI for more.

You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

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 is a bit dry, then listen in to this episode. We'll get a bit more clear on hope, understanding it as more than just "wishful thinking," but instead as a dynamic biological and cognitive process that is hard-wired into us for survival. This practical aspect of hope reminds us that with a little electrical check and some TLC, we can get hope to shine again within us.

About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek.

The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.

Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).

Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app:

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
• Harkin, E.F., Grossman, C.D., Cohen, J.Y. et al. A prospective code for value in the serotonin system. Nature (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08731-7

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected].

Visit NAMI for more.

You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

"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 the concept of self-limiting beliefs, particularly that notion 'I can't handle change.' We'll explore how such beliefs can be pervasive and detrimental, often rooted in early life experiences. Best of all, we'll offer some practical strategies for overcoming these beliefs.

About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek.

The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.

Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).

Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app:

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.

Full transcript and links mentioned here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected].

Visit NAMI for more.

You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

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 (seriously, just listen in and it'll make sense). Beyond that chicken talk, this episode is focused on our human potential for change and healing. We'll touch on neuroplasticity, epigenetics, and the motivational role of hope. We think you'll come away with a better understanding of how you're wired for change and can intentionally steer it towards greater wellbeing.

About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek.

The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.

Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).

Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app:

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab : Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
• Emotional Inertia: Feeling Dull & Disconnected [Joy Lab ep. 207]
• Zhang, X., et al. (2023). Overview of Avian Sex Reversal. International journal of molecular sciences, 24(9), 8284. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24098284
• Bian, Z., et al. (2024). Genetic predisposition, modifiable lifestyles, and their joint effects on human lifespan: evidence from multiple cohort studies. BMJ evidence-based medicine, 29(4), 255–263. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2023-112583
• Weger, U. W., & Loughnan, S. (2013). Mobilizing unused resources: using the placebo concept to enhance cognitive performance. Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006), 66(1), 23–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2012.751117
• Head to YouTube to see Haley's new spurs (16:28)
• Closing poem excerpt: Emily Dickinson, "Hope is the Thing With Feathers."

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected].

Visit NAMI for more.

You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

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 harmonious passions. Drawing on the research of Dr. Robert Vallerand, we'll talk about the impact these different types of passions have on our wellbeing. Harmonious passions enhance motivation, wellbeing, and a sense of purpose, while obsessive passions can lead to rigidity, negative emotions, and burnout. We'll even try a practical check-in method from Dr. Barbara Fredrickson to help us identify and cultivate harmonious passions.

About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek.

The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.

Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).

Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app:

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab : Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected].

Visit NAMI for more.

You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org