Humor as a Therapeutic Technique

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Humor as a Therapeutic Humor as a Therapeutic Technique Technique

Joseph Farese LADC, TEAP Specialist

Suzanne Martin PsyD, Regional MHS


“My belief is that we are going to eventually discover that the most dramatic health benefits of humor

are … in the cognitive and emotional management that

humorous experiences provide.

- Steven M. Sultanoff, Ph.D.


How would you define How would you define therapeutic humortherapeutic humor??


Saper, Bernard (1990). The therapeutic use of humor for psychiatric disturbances in adolescents and adults, Psychiatric Quarterly, 61(4): 261-272.

Psychological Benefits of Psychological Benefits of HumorHumor

Stimulates alertness and memoryStimulates alertness and memory Enhances learning and creativityEnhances learning and creativity Promotes relaxationPromotes relaxation Promotes shift from negative to positivePromotes shift from negative to positive Outlet for expressing feelingsOutlet for expressing feelings Effective mode of communicationEffective mode of communication


Source: Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, 2004.

What we Know aboutWhat we Know aboutLaughterLaughter

Increases pain tolerance – laughter releases Increases pain tolerance – laughter releases endorphins in the brain that fight painendorphins in the brain that fight pain

Improves respiration and breathingImproves respiration and breathing Improves mental functionImproves mental function Exercises facial, abdominal, and chest Exercises facial, abdominal, and chest

musclesmuscles Relaxes muscles/decreases muscle tensionRelaxes muscles/decreases muscle tension


Saper, Bernard (1990). The therapeutic use of humor for psychiatric disturbances in adolescents and adults. Psychiatric Quarterly, 61(4): 261-272.

Other Health Benefits of Other Health Benefits of LaughterLaughter

Lowers blood pressureLowers blood pressure Decreases stress hormonesDecreases stress hormones Protects the heartProtects the heart Gives our muscles a workoutGives our muscles a workout Improves brain functionImproves brain function


Therapeutic HumorTherapeutic Humor What is it? What is it?


Humor as a Therapeutic Humor as a Therapeutic InterventionIntervention

1.1. Have humor in your repertoireHave humor in your repertoire2.2. Be willing to risk using the humor Be willing to risk using the humor 3.3. Have assessed the client's level of humorHave assessed the client's level of humor4.4. Be prepared to respond to the student’s reaction Be prepared to respond to the student’s reaction

to humorto humor5.5. Be capable of taking yourself lightly and your Be capable of taking yourself lightly and your

seriouslyseriously6.6. Use humor which is genuine and congruent with Use humor which is genuine and congruent with

who you are as a personwho you are as a person


Goal of Humor in TherapyGoal of Humor in Therapy


Assessment for HumorAssessment for Humor

First Consider:First Consider:

1.1. The target of humor (humor aimed at self, The target of humor (humor aimed at self, situations, and/or others)situations, and/or others)

2.2. The environmental conditions in which The environmental conditions in which humor is presented (with whom, at what humor is presented (with whom, at what time, and in what setting)time, and in what setting)

3.3. The specific individual's receptivity to humorThe specific individual's receptivity to humor


Assessing a Student’s Humor Assessing a Student’s Humor PotentialPotential

1.1. Observing their current uses of humorObserving their current uses of humor2.2. Soliciting the role of humor in the Soliciting the role of humor in the

student's lifestudent's life3.3. Observing the student's ability to Observing the student's ability to

laugh at him/herselflaugh at him/herself4.4. Observing the student's response to Observing the student's response to

the humor of othersthe humor of others


Types of HumorTypes of Humor PlayfulPlayful

SlapstickSlapstick

Self-deprecatingSelf-deprecating

SarcasticSarcastic

GallowsGallows


Playful HumorPlayful Humor


Slapstick HumorSlapstick Humor


Self-Deprecating HumorSelf-Deprecating Humor

Self-deprecating humor relies on the Self-deprecating humor relies on the observation of something negative about the observation of something negative about the

person delivering the commentary. person delivering the commentary.


Gallows HumorGallows Humor


Sarcastic HumorSarcastic Humor


Even Freud Recognized the Even Freud Recognized the Therapeutic Value of JokesTherapeutic Value of Jokes

Once a person can separate from their Once a person can separate from their problems, the problems become more problems, the problems become more manageable. manageable.


The Association for Applied and The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) is an Therapeutic Humor (AATH) is an

international community of international community of professionals who incorporate professionals who incorporate

humor into their daily lives. AATH humor into their daily lives. AATH is the leader in providing is the leader in providing

evidence-based information about evidence-based information about current research and practical current research and practical

applications of humor.applications of humor.

www.aath.orgwww.aath.org


Help Students Find HumorHelp Students Find Humor

Role modelRole model

Help them deal with stressHelp them deal with stress

Dress less seriouslyDress less seriously

Keep a toy on your deskKeep a toy on your desk

Laugh at Laugh at yourself


Handle Humor with CareHandle Humor with Care Use humor at the Use humor at the

expense of yourself or expense of yourself or a group you are part a group you are part of, rather than at the of, rather than at the expense of someone expense of someone else. else.

Don’t use humor when Don’t use humor when someone else is in so someone else is in so much pain that humor much pain that humor will not make them feel will not make them feel better.better.

Use humor that Use humor that anyone can enjoy. anyone can enjoy.


Is Humor an Is Humor an Employability Skill?Employability Skill?


HUMOR THERAPYHUMOR THERAPY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=IBl9HixeWf4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=IBl9HixeWf4


96% of Executives Choose 96% of Executives Choose Employees With Sense of HumorEmployees With Sense of Humor

CreativeCreative

Good Good CommunicatorsCommunicators

Team playersTeam players

Stress RelieversStress Relievers

Source: The Creative Group, A Robert Half International Company, 2004


““A good sense of humor is one A good sense of humor is one aspect of self actualization.”aspect of self actualization.”

- - Abraham MaslowAbraham Maslow


Resilience and HumorResilience and Humor

Humor not only helps relieve distress Humor not only helps relieve distress and fights environmental toxins when and fights environmental toxins when they occur, it also regenerates our they occur, it also regenerates our psychological "antibodies" so that the psychological "antibodies" so that the impact of the toxins is minimal. This impact of the toxins is minimal. This regeneration helps sustain resilience. regeneration helps sustain resilience.


Prevent BurnoutPrevent Burnout

Laughter helps protect the therapist Laughter helps protect the therapist from burnout and compassion from burnout and compassion fatigue.fatigue.


Therapeutic Humor Web SitesTherapeutic Humor Web Sites

American Association of Therapeutic Humor American Association of Therapeutic Humor (AATH) (AATH) www.aath.org

Humor Matters Humor Matters www.humormatters.com Jest for the Health of It. Jest for the Health of It. www.jesthealth.com Humor Research Humor Research www.humorrearch.org ((includes links to the International Society for Humor includes links to the International Society for Humor

Studies and the International Journal of Humor StudiesStudies and the International Journal of Humor Studies))

http://www.aath.org/

http://www.humormatters.com/

http://www.jesthealth.com/

http://www.humorrearch.org/

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

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Humor as a Therapeutic Technique

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