"This program is so well-paced, the information at a level that is accessible, the exercises meaningful."
Get Experiments with Joy Lab+ or through a podcast subscription
What are Joy Lab Experiments?Β
Joy Lab Experiments are a blend of practices such as guided meditation, visualization and homework assignments rooted science and over 30Β years of clinical experience. The work you do with Experiments are tied directly to each podcast episode andΒ help you understand your patterns, practice acceptance and letting go, and take meaningful actionβweek by week, Element by Element.
"Healing and growth don't need to be heavy and complex to be effective. With Joy Lab, the path is doable and sustainable."
β Henry Emmons, MD & Aimee Prasek, PhD, Joy Lab Co-Hosts
Identify What's Keeping You Stuck
Uncover the unconscious patterns and common obstacles contributing to chronic stress, anxiety, or low moods.
Practice Acceptance & Letting Go
Learn to release what no longer serves you through evidence-based practices that feel gentle, not forced.
Take Empowering Action
Create new patterns and pathwaysΒ that help you feel betterΒ and tap into the joy that's been there all along.
Build Lifelong Practices
Deepen your sense of connection and meaning with practices built on your unique strengths ratherΒ than a one-size-fits-all fix.
Monthly Elements of JoyβPractice makesΒ pattern
Following the rhythm of the podcast, each month, you'll explore anΒ Element of Joy that you can weave into your everyday life in realistic, motivating, and deeply meaningful ways.Β
Joy Lab'sΒ Elements of Joy aren't quick fixes. Quick fixes don't work for complex lives. Instead,Β the Elements help youΒ build a foundationΒ for a more joyful, resilient life.
Create positive momentum
As you strengthen one Element, the other Elements grow in your life too. That's the synergy that creates big, lasting changes. Inspiration deepens Gratitude. Awe expands Curiosity. Compassion amplifies Love. This is how Joy Lab creates transformation that actually sticks.
Examples of past ElementsΒ we've worked through (and that you get immediate library access to with Joy Lab+):
A rhythm that fitsΒ your life.
Joy Lab is built around a simple weekly rhythm. Each week, you'll listen, experiment, and grow. Everything is accessible right in the Joy Lab app [link to Joy Lab+Β section]Β or in your Joy Lab Podcast Subscription [link to subscription section]
01
Listen to the Podcast
Your weekly Joy Lab podcast episode is your built-in coach. Henry and Aimee guide you through each Element with science, humility,Β and real-world wisdom. About 20β30 minutes weekly.
02
Try the Experiment
Each episode is pairedΒ with a hands-on Experiment. These science-backed practices are drawn from mindfulness, CBT, and positive psychology.Β About 20-30 minutes, just once a week.
03
Feel theΒ Growth
Over time, small practices compound into profound change. The Elements support each other, the upward spiral builds, and your inner joy lights up naturally and sustainably.
Bonus - Donβt worry about missing out
Joy Lab doesn''t βstartβ on a particular date, Element, or Experiment. Instead we keep rolling week-after-week. That means no matter when you start yourΒ Experiments,Β you havenβt βmissed outβ on anything. Every episode and Experiment stands on their own, so we recommend you jump right into the most recent one. You can always repeat an Experiment or check out earlier Elements because you have full access to everything in your Library.
Everything lives in the Joy Lab app
The Joy Lab app is your home base. It's designed to be easy, intuitive, and encouraging. Track your progress through the Elements, access Experiments anytime, and celebrate milestones.Β That means your whole program is in your pocket whenever you need it.
Where modern scienceΒ meets timeless wisdom.
Joy Lab draws from four powerfulΒ pillars to support your whole self:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The gold-standard in evidence-based mental health treatment. CBT tools help you identify and reframe thought patterns that can drive stress, anxiety, and low mood. This creates the space you need toΒ respond to life rather than react to it.
Positive Psychology
Instead of only fixing what's broken, positive psychology builds on what's strong. Joy Lab actively cultivates strengths, values, and the conditions for genuine flourishingβnot just the absence of suffering.Β
Science of Mindfulness
Decades of research confirm that mindfulness can rewire the brain for more calm, clarity, and connection. Joy Lab goes beyond typical meditation approaches by offering a diverse toolkit of awareness practices that honor your unique interests and lifestyle.
The Wisdom of the Soul
Mental health goes beyond the intellect. Joy Lab helps you reconnect with your authentic, wise self through contemplative practices that help you quietΒ a busy mind and tap into a deeper sense of knowing and purpose.
| Most Mental Health Programs | β¦ Joy Lab β¦ | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 6β8 weeks | Ongoing |
| Weekly Time Ask | 2β6 hours/week | 40-60 minutes/week |
| Focus | What's wrong | What's strong |
| Tools | Primarily CBT or meditation | Diverse, flexible strategies supported by our four pillars |
| Goal | Reduce symptoms | Reduce symptoms, build resilience, tap into joy |
| Structure | Instructor-led | Self-guided, expert-led, community supported |
Tools for life, not just for now.
Joy Lab offers you the tools to not just feel better, but to live aΒ more authentic,Β joyful life.Β
How you'll grow:
Greater Self-Understanding & Self-Compassion
Practical Skills to Manage Stress, Anxiety, & Low Moods
Navigate Difficult Emotions and Tap into Your Resilience
DeeperΒ Connection withΒ Yourself and Others
Tap into your joy grid.
Think of Joy Lab as your personal joy charger. Inside you, there's an inner current of resilience, vitality, and wellbeing. It's always there, even when it feels far away. Joy Lab gives you the tools to reconnect with itβto find it on hard days, to deepen it on good ones, and to make it your default setting.
Ready anytime you need a lift in mood, energy, or spirit. That's theΒ powerΒ of Joy Lab.
β‘ Your personal joy charger
Expert Voices. HumanΒ Hearts.
Joy Lab is created and co-hosted by two leadingΒ mental health experts who blendΒ scienceΒ with soulΒ to help you cultivate more joy and make real, lasting changes.
Henry Emmons, MD
INTEGRATIVE PSYCHIATRIST &Β CO-HOST
Henry Emmons, MD is an integrative psychiatrist, author, and co-host of the Joy Lab Podcast. He is a recognized pioneer in the integrative mental health field, with a unique ability to blend neuroscience, mindfulness, and natural therapies to help people build resilience and rediscover joy. Dr. Emmons has authored several acclaimed books, including The Chemistry of Joy, The Chemistry of Joy Workbook, The Chemistry of Calm, and Staying Sharp. He has also developed nationally recognized programs such as the Resilience Training Program, A Year of Living Mindfully, and the Inner Life of Healers. Dr. Emmons has consulted with and served on the boards of diverse organizations that are pioneering more effective and holistic approaches to mental healthcare. He has helped thousands of people, many who have sought his care after feeling rejected and disempowered by medical systems that too often treat medication as the only path forward. Dr. Emmons is a highly-regarded speaker and educator who is dedicated to making holistic, evidence-based practices accessible so people can cultivate lasting resilience, deeper connections, and authentic joy.
Aimee Prasek, PhD
MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCHER &Β CO-HOST
Dr. Aimee Prasek, PhD is an integrative mental health researcher, educator, and co-host of the Joy Lab Podcast. With a focus on blending evidence-based science and soulful insight, she is committed to developing mental health resources that donβt just reduce symptoms, but that foster resilience and joy. Dr. Prasek holds a PhD with a research focus in integrative mental health interventions, an MA in health communications, and an MA in holistic health studies. Much of her graduate work was spent at the University of Minnesotaβs Center for Spirituality & Healing where she also served as a Dalai Lama Fellow. The global fellowship is personally authorized by the fourteenth Dalai Lama and cultivates leaders who integrate ethics, contemplative wisdom, and compassion into meaningful change. Her multidisciplinary training draws from mind-body practices and holistic health traditions, all informing her belief that mental health is less about βfixingβ and more about uncovering and building on what is already whole and joyful. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband, daughter, two rescue dogs, and many chickens.
What Joy Lab+ members areΒ saying:
"I am so grateful for Joy Lab. The Elements & Experiments speaks to me, and I finally feel like I am getting the answers to becoming the best version of myself. Especially the info around looping thoughts and being overly curious. I write down so much of what you say so that it really sinks in; it is all so valuable, and I get it. I'm doing the work, and it feels great!
"My favorite Experiment is to dialogue with my soul! The vivid imagery created when Dr. Emmons walks us thru the path, field, mountain lake is so helpful and makes the experience come alive.... Thank you for putting this whole series together! Itβs a wonderful journey!"
"I canβt tell you how incredible Joy Lab has been for me!!Β ... it has been so helpful to become mindful of my thoughts which really is the foundation for a happy, balanced life .... Iβm in the process of creating a new path."
We'll deliverΒ joy to your inbox!
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MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
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. Consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. See our terms for more information.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call theΒ NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 availableΒ Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. β 10 p.m., ET.Β OR textΒ "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMIΒ at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more.Β You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chatΒ 988lifeline.org.
Joy Lab is powered by Pathways North 501(c)( 3).Β
Joy Lab+
Joy Lab+ gives you access to weekly Experiments, the Joy Lab app, in-app Podcast (so you never have to leave your app), progress tracking,Β the full back catalog of Experiments, and more.
Joy Lab Podcast Subscriptions
Joy Lab Podcast Subscriptions give you access to Joy Lab Experiments right in your podcast listening app (e.g. Spotify or Apple Podcasts
