Joy Lab Podcast

Joy Lab Podcast

Hosted by: Henry Emmons, MD and Aimee Prasek, PhD

Welcome to the Joy Lab Podcast, a podcast that goes beyond your ears, working to help you uncover and foster your most joyful self. Hosts, Drs. Henry Emmons and Aimee Prasek, bring you the ideal mix of...

All Episodes

Episodes

124. Equanimity, Mental Health, & Five Pathways to Inner Calm (special replay)

Feeling stressed lately? Our stress responses are being activated by a lot of stressors floating around lately. That's why we wanted to replay this episode that digs more into stress and reclaiming balance. As we'll...
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123. Colds, Viruses, & Depression

In this episode, we're talking about the relationship between viruses and depression. We'll cover how viral illnesses can negatively impact mood, how this process is completely natural, and how it can go awry. We'll...
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122. Social Media: Moving Out of Social Comparison & Into Social Savoring

In this episode, we discuss the impact of social media on mental health, focusing on the concepts of social comparison and social savoring. One route that social media can take to tank our mood has to do with social...
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121. The Spring-Time Mood Change to Know About

In this episode, we discuss the variations of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and mood shifts that surface in different seasons... particularly the less-talked-about shift that can happen between mid-February and...
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120. Our Tendency to Dwell on Negative Info + Self-Acceptance Meditation (special LIVE replay)

In this episode, we're replaying a special LIVE chat from our Natural Mental Health Resilient Community. In this chat, we briefly talk about what resilience is and how self-acceptance and connection are critical...
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119. Food: What to Add vs What to Take Away

Fad diets generally focus on foods to ban from your plate. It's an approach that can lead to an effect we get into in this episode called the "what the hell effect." And it's spot-on. So, how can that effect be...
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118. How to Savor Uncertainty

In this episode, we're talking about the relationship of joy and uncertainty. Uncertainty usually gets a bad rap, but we're wired to navigate uncertainty far more elegantly than we might believe. We'll highlight how...
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117. Movement and Exercise for Mental Health

In this episode, we explore the power of movement and how it differs from exercise. Why distinguish between the two? Because movement can offer unique benefits for mental health and overall wellbeing. Drawing from...
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116. The Practice of Savoring (special replay of the best dopamine hit)

In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of 'savoring,' an often-dismissed element of joy, packed with transformative potentsial. We'll highlight how savoring is an essential aspect of emotional regulation, a...
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115. Four Factors for Better Sleep

In this episode, we discuss the importance of sleep for good mental health. We'll dig into the psychobiological model of sleep to help identify some tailored strategies you can use to improve your sleep. The factors...
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114. Tap Into Your Inspiration (special replay)

In this episode, we're revisiting an older episode on the power of inspiration. Inspiration is a powerful aspect of personal growth and mental health and there are ways we can nurture the inner-aspects of this element...
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113. The Downsides of Self-Care

In this episode, we explore some downsides of self-care. This knowledge is key because self-care is often marketed as a luxury, while distracting from our most basic needs. We'll talk more about the problems of...
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