Humor Therapy Revealed
By: Greg Harms and Tyler Fortman
Humor therapy is a 25-cent term used to describe a therapeutic approach whereby an individual purposely embraces “the funny” in life. Many of our therapists encourage the use of humor therapy in the treatment of anxiety and depression for those seeking counseling services at our Chicago offices.
The great thing about using humor is that it has the potential for instantly lifting a heavy emotional load while creating a sense of perspective.
Humor Therapy Revealed
Humor can be used for a number of situations, such as when you make a mistake or experience something undesirable. For example, if you are in college and earn a low score on an exam, you might try to find the irony in the situation. Another example might be getting passed over for a job but finding the irony in the situation.
We recognize that humor is not appropriate for all situations. When someone dies for example, humor may have to take a back seat for a bit as part of the grieving process. With that shared, even the most difficult life experiences can benefit from a quick moment of laughter. Being able to get to an emotional place where you can access humor takes time. You also need to have a certain kind of mindset that affords a kind of mental permission slip to “go there”.
What follows are 7 ways you can engage in humor therapy in your own life. Pick one or two for starters and then as time goes on, add more. You might be surprised at how easy it is for you to find the funny in different situations and ultimately, get your giggles on.
Are you ready? Let’s jump right in!
1. Learn not to take life too seriously
All of us start out in life as a block. Over the course our lifespan, we develop and grow. Part of that process involves making mistakes – both big and small. Remember perfection in all things is the stuff of fantasies because all of us have flaws. Try to keep this in mind when you think about things you have done wrong in the past. By doing so, you help to bolster your self-esteem and self-concept.
2. Find one funny thing a day
Humor is around us all the time if we look for it. One way to find the funny in your day is to practice some form of mindfulness based meditation. This can help you examine and accept the numerous thoughts that pass through your consciousness each day. Believe it or not, some of those thoughts are probably quite funny. This one takes a bit of practice so consider jotting down any mental imagery as part of the process.
3. Improve your imagination and creativity
The relationship between your imagination and creativity are virtually inseparable. Just take a look at the tabloids at your local supermarket and notice the freakish headlines: Aliens eat newlyweds! You can be sure whoever writes those kinds of articles have a strong sense of humor, which is empowered by creative thinking. What kind of silly story can you dream up and perhaps start to journal about? You might be surprised what you are capable of penning when you put your mind to it!
4. Start a joke/cartoon swap with a friend
One of the best ways to dial up the humor in your life is to reading the funny pages. This can be accomplished the old fashioned way by picking up a copy of your local newspaper. You can also do this using numerous online forums. We recommend staring a weekly exchange with a friend or two and trading cartoons or jokes. It’s a great way to enhance your relationships with others and helps to tickle your funny bone!
5. Hyper-exaggerate
Have you ever noticed that comedians tend to begin their monologue with a personalized comment or statement? “I knew a guy so ugly that when people saw him …,” and a call comes back from the audience, “How ugly was he?” The comedian might come back and say, “This guy was so ugly that his picture is next to the word ugly in the dictionary.” This is an example of hyper-exaggeration. It takes time and skill to build this one but if done correctly, it can bring on the laughs – for yourself and folks you make up your circle of support.
6. Build a humor library
One of the best ways of coping with sadness, anxiety and stress is using humor. Many people find it helpful to have a set of concrete resources available to help lighten a difficult situation. Why not designate one area of your closet, cabinet or shelf to house funny things. Here, we are talking about movies, books, pictures and so forth. As time goes on, you can add to your humor library and then call upon what is necessary should the need arise.
7. Access your humor network
Do you have people in your life who are naturally funny? If the answer is yes then you are ahead of the game! Make sure you spend time with this person regularly and let them know how they make you laugh. FYI: If the answer to this question was no, perhaps you should think about cultivating relationships with people who can help encourage the giggles. This point is particularly true if most of the folks in your life are the serious type.
Humor Video
In the spirit of humor, we are making available a video below that features one of the most widely celebrated comedians of all time – Bob Newhart. Many people do not know this but Bob Newhart happens to be one of Chicago’s very own! He grew up in Oak Park, Illinois and attended Loyola University.
The video below is called Stop-It Therapy. It aired on SCTV on Fox several years ago. Keep in mind this is not how therapy is conducted in the real world! Notice the use of satire and irony as you watch.
Final Thoughts
One of the things we like to say here at 2nd Story Counseling is simply this … without laughter, there would be only tears. If given a choice, wouldn’t you rather be laughing? We hope you found this post useful.
If you are interested in learning more about how to introduce greater laughter and joy into your life through the transformational process of therapy, please give us a call at 773-528-1777 or send us a private note via our online contact form.
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