Joy Is a Superpower - Why Dr. Meena Julapalli Prescribes Play

In this conversation, I connect with Dr. Meena Julapalli—a pediatric dermatologist, founder of The Joyful Path, and one of the most joyful humans I’ve ever met. We talk about why she starts every visit with the question “What brings you joy?”, how summer camp shaped her approach to medicine, and how she’s redefining what healing really looks like. We dig into the difference between joy and toxic positivity, the role of play in building resilience, and how connection is at the heart of everything—from patient care to purpose. Meena shares her journey through burnout, her mom’s health crisis, and how that led her to build a life and practice rooted in curiosity, compassion, and community. If you care about kids, camp, medicine, or just being a little more human—this one’s for you.

I write a weekly newsletter about kids today. Find it and more at https://jackschott.com/

Listen on Spotify | Apple Music

Chapters

• 0:29 Intro & Resting Smiling Face
• 1:53 Why Joy Matters in Medicine
• 5:06 Finding Joy Through Hardship
• 9:10 What Her Clinic Looks Like Today
• 14:10 Fixing the System: Joy in Healthcare
• 18:00 Advice for Parents Facing New Diagnoses
• 20:41 Building vs. Finding Joy
• 28:53 Purpose, Ikigai, and Kids
• 34:04 Dr. Meena's Reason for Being
• 40:14 Why Camp is the Most Powerful Medicine
• 47:50 The Shift from 'I Can't' to 'How Can I?'
• 48:40 What is the Playmaker Project?
• 53:31 What You Learn in Playmaker University
• 55:42 Knitting, Taiko Drums, and Learning New Things
• 59:53 Self-Determination, Purpose & Joy