Joy Is Also Wisdom: A Practice with Dr. Monika L. Son
In these turbulent times, many of us are feeling burned out, overwhelmed, and focused on what needs to be done. Dr. Monika Son reminds us that joy is a critical practice for our wellbeing, for sustainability, and for liberation. Joy is our birthright.
Not just the big joys, but the everyday ones. In this episode, Dr. Son offers a heart-felt practice to help us (re)connect with everyday joy.
Dr. Monika Son (she/her/ella)
is an educator, consultant trauma-informed facilitator and sacred guide and space holder, with over two decades of experience at the intersection of psychology, education, and social justice. She is also a longtime student in the Soto Zen Buddhist lineage and a graduate of the Upaya Zen Center’s Buddhist Chaplaincy program, where she serves as a mentor for current students. A trained psychologist and expert facilitator, Dr. Son works to create spaces that are values-centered, prioritize relational care and respect for the dignity of all beings. Her spiritual care focuses on stewarding resilience, compassion, and meeting the truth of suffering in these times, including cultivating healing from systemic oppression, fostering collective accountability, joy, and vision. As a native New Yorker, daughter of Dominican immigrants, and mother of two mixed-race sons, Monika embodies a deep commitment to belonging and lineage.