March 2008
The monthly, members-only, e-zine keeps AATH members updated on the latest developments in the world of applied and therapeutic humor. Each link will open a new window for anything outside the AATH website. All web links below have been carefully checked and worked at the time of publication. If the link does not take you to the listed article, please contact the owners of that website about finding that article. Disclaimer: Published by Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. AATH accepts no responsibility for any claims, either expressed or implied, in this publication. The information and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of AATH, its officers, directors, staff, or members. |
Dear AATH E-Zine Readers,
Please email me at ezine@aath.org if you have an article, quote, etc. for future issues.
Thanks!
Chip Lutz,
Ezine Editor
Humor Research Laughter Is The Best Medicine — Science Daily (press release) - USA — Melissa B. Wanzer, EdD, professor of communication studies at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, has taken it one step further, with her research on how humor ...
PERCEPTIONS OF AUTHENTIZOTIC CLIMATES AND EMPLOYEE HAPPINESS ... — PERCEPTIONS OF AUTHENTIZOTIC CLIMATES AND EMPLOYEE HAPPINESS: ... Empirical research on authentizotic workplaces is scarce.
In Japan, laughter to be measured by 'aH' — AFP — it as a health and amusement gadget. Kimura said he planned to present his findings this summer to the US-based International Society for Humor Studies ...
Stress doesn't make staff unhappy reveals research — Portsmouth News — Stress is not a key factor in determining happiness at work, according to a major study by psychologists at the University of Portsmouth ...
Sultanoff, S. (July/August, 1992). The impact of humor in the counseling relationship. Laugh It Up, Publication of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor, 1. World Wide Web: http://humormatters.com/articles/therapy2.htm
Sultanoff, S. (July/August, 1994). Exploring the land of mirth and funny; a voyage through the interrelationships of wit, mirth, and laughter. Laugh It Up, Publication of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor, 3. World Wide Web: http://humormatters.com/articles/explorin.htm
Sultanoff, S. (2002). Integrating Humor into Psychotherapy. in Play Therapy with Adults. Ed. Charles Schaefer, New York, NY: Wiley and Sons.
Sultanoff, S. (1997). Survival of the witty-est; Creating resilience through humor. Therapeutic Humor, 11(5), 1-2. World Wide Web: http://humormatters.com/articles/resilience.htm
Sultanoff, S. (Summer, 1995). Using humor in crisis situations. Therapeutic Humor, Publication of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor, 9 (3), 1-2. World Wide Web: http://humormatters.com/articles/crisis.htm
Sultanoff, S. (Winter, 1999). Tickling our funny bone; humor matters in health , AhHa! Furthering the Understanding of Holistic Health, The Newsletter of the American Holistic Health Association, Vol. 5, No. 1, 4. World Wide Web: http://humormatters.com/articles/funnybone.htm
Sultanoff, S. (Fall, 1998). Humor and wellness: Melding the present and the future; Humor and heart disease, Therapeutic Humor, Publication of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor, 12 (5), 1-2. World Wide Web: http://humormatters.com/articles/heart.htm
"Laughter May Indeed Be the Best Medicine," ABC News, May 13, 2006. Research on the healing power of a good giggle.
MEMBERS in the NEWS:
Mary Kay Morrison Launches her book, Using Humor to Maximize Learning. The purpose of this book is to affirm, sustain, and encourage educators in the practice of humor not only as a personal tool to optimize a healthy lifestyle, but to maximize the benefits of humor in education. You can check it out at: www.questforhumor.com.
The Therapeutic Jester. San Jose Mercury News - CA, USA, Rabitz spreads his healing humor at the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford, the pediatric ward at San Jose's Good Samaritan Hospital and the Children's www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_8287878
Author teaches the humor of healing
Bethel Island Press - Bethel Island,CA,USA
According to Certified Laughter Leader Jenny Herrick, My whole purpose of giving talks around this country is this message: We are too serious.
Patty Wooten was featured in a 1-hour interview by Diane Brandon on Living Your Power, on January 22, 2008. To listen, find her interview archived at: http://www.modavox.com/Voiceamericacms/WebModules/HostModaview.aspx?HostId=381&ChannelId=5&Flag=1
"Laughter Yoga combines laughter with yogic breathing exercises. Jeffrey Briar was the Laughter Yoga Instructor featured on Oprah’s show in April and August of 2007 http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23050527-23272,00.html
Article re: Jeffrey Briar on Oprah’s TV show, now appearing in CNN, “what would you do to be happy?” article : http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/02/11/o.do.to.be.happy/index.html
HUMOR in the NEWS:
Just For Laughs: Try Getting Healthy
By: Matthew M. F. Miller Emotions trigger the release of neurotransmitters in the brain. These chemicals enter the bloodstream and plug into receptor sites on immune cells.
Guys, finding their way to a sense of humor. George Le Masurier Fortunately, we have a study done by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine to guide us in this quest for self-knowledge.
Unconditional laughter now on a CD — XPRESS - Dubai,Dubai,United Arab Emirates — Every first Sunday of May is celebrated as World Laughter Day. Clinical research on Laughter Yoga methods conducted at the University of Graz in Austria..
Health, Value, and Humor Work Best for Attracting Customers — QSR magazine — We found that nine of the top 10 quick-service ads focus on healthier and value meals and that humor is a major drive of ad response ...
Try to be funny, even if you’re not — Brazen Centrist - USA — This is probably part of women being hard-wired to select an appropriate mate; people who are funny are generally smart and creative people, because humor ...
The Magical Powers of Laughter — Healthy Wealthy n Wise - Kearneysville,WV,USA — More and more health professionals are teaching people how to use laugher therapy to cope in difficult or painful situations by using humor ...
Seniors prove laughter is the best medicine — The Courier News - Elgin,IL,USA — class through Sherman Health on how to create therapeutic laughter and laughter clubs through the World Laughter Tour Inc. More than 3000 laughter club ...
Happy managers perform better says new book — Trade Arabia - Manama,Bahrain — The book prescribes how managers’ jobs might be changed to enhance or avoid a decline in happiness because managers’ performance is impacting as never ...
Namibia: Clinic Clowns Spread Some Cheer Among Sick Children — AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA — Laughter is the best medicine - that's the motto of clinic clowns who cheer up hospital patients across the world. This movement was started in America by ...
Laughter Yoga! — WHSV - Harrisonburg,VA,USA — She says the idea is that laughing enhances your emotional, physical, and spiritual health, "I've just found that throughout my life, humor has helped me ...
Beating stress without trying — Sun.Star – Philippines — It seems laughter is the best medicine, at least when it comes to beating stress. That's because laughter makes the body produce endorphins, ...
The Healing Power of Laughter — American Chronicle - Beverly Hills,CA,USA — By Corinne Casazza What is an easy, fun and free way to improve your health and well-being? Well, laughter, of course. Laughing does more than just feel ...
Shake up your spiritual side — Times Educational Supplement - London,England,UK — I’ve invited a laughter therapist into school. Laughter is a very spiritual thing, because it’s an expression of who you are. It’sa window on your soul.
Clowns are good for health — OSU - The Lantern - Columbus,OH,USA — The members believe in the health benefits of humor and try to get patients to forget their troubles even if only for a little while, said Linda Stone ...
Laughter is sometimes still the best medicine — The Southern - Carbondale,IL,USA — When something trivial at work develops an ornery life of its own, it's a lucky workplace that has a person or two who can use humor to diffuse heated ...
Humor’s importance is no laughing matter — Providence Business News - Providence,RI,USA — To your continued health and well-being as a basket full of pills. Laughter and humor are not only good for people but they are healthy for companies.
Too much humor not good for advertisers — Munster Times - Munster,IN,USA — Carlson, a five-year member of the faculty at VU, says his research on why humor is an aid to human memory has shown that Super Bowl advertising is one ...
VIDEO: Is Laughter Really the Best Medicine? — Javno.hr - Zagreb,Croatia — Laughing causes the excretion of different hormones which are responsible for the increasing of the ‘wish for living’, happiness, but also the efficiency of ...
Go ahead and laugh off science — Seattle Times - United States — I remember one research article that said (and I am paraphrasing here) although humor is often used for healing, there is little scientific evidence to ...
Guys, finding their way to a sense of humor — Peninsula Gateway - Gig Harbor,WA,USA — A whole team of doctors funded by the National Institute of Health spent months figuring out that, while men and women use the same part of the brain to ...
Humor is healing in business, life — Arizona Republic - Phoenix,AZ,USA — Cousins proved that a big dose of positive thinking and laughter on a daily basis could contribute as much to your continued health and well-being as a ...
Talk highlights Army’s value of soldiers’ mental health status — Northwest Arkansas Times - Fayetteville,AR,USA — DeCoster talked to soldiers about suicide counseling and discussed with them the positive effects of exercising and laughter. He gave talks about anger ...
The World of HUMOR
Anger slows healing process after injury: study — AFP — PARIS (AFP) — The adage that laughter is the best medicine has been backed by an unusual investigation which says that people who seethe with anger take ...
Stressed out: Who is looking after HR? — HRZone.co.uk - Bristol,UK — But with three-quarters of employees saying stress adversely affects health, happiness, home-life and performance at work, it is important to try and deal ...
Play: The alternative to the treadmill-and-iPod workout — Seattle Times - United States — Forencich wants therapists, personal trainers and PE teachers to consider a more holistic approach that focuses upon "physical happiness" and promotes ...
Tickle the ivories to cure what ails you — Post-Bulletin - Rochester,MN,USA — Scientific research also shows that making joyful sounds is good for the body. Bolger-Taul, coordinator of humor and music at Saint Agnes, has put these ...
How to survive Valentine's Day — Times Online – UK — How much laughter is there in your relationship? a) We enjoy having fun together. b) We have all sorts of private jokes together. c) Life is so hectic ...
He Gave Southwest Its Wings — CNNMoney.com - USA — The company hires for enthusiasm and a sense of humor. Pilots crack jokes in flight as attendants sing instructions. Kelleher cultivated this culture with ...
Marriage list: Listen, learn, laugh, love — The Salinas Californian - Salinas,CA,USA — Humor can defuse tension, challenge arrogance and humble haughtiness, while softening anger, disappointment and sorrow. Heartfelt laughter is neither ...
Happiness at Work: Does it Matter? — New York Times Blogs - New York,NY,USA — An employee in an upbeat mood will help boost the moods of others — which is particularly important when that person is engaged with customers, client ...
Feeling down? Get happy, dammit! — MSNBC – USA — Much of the research coming out of the mushrooming "science of happiness” has found, however, that your mood is not necessarily one of them ...
Other Things Going On
We are happy to announce that the registration for the 8th International Summer School and Symposium on Humour and Laughter, from the 23rd to 28th of June, 2008 is now open. In fact the deadline for early registration is March 20th. Details and the registration procedure can be found at http://www.humoursummerschool.org/08/
Lots O'Blarney - Happy St. Patrick's Day
Q. Why can't you borrow money from a leprechaun?
A. Because they're always a little short.
Q. Why do leprechauns have pots o'gold?
A. They like to "go" first class!
Q. How can you tell if an Irishman is having a good time?
A. He's Dublin over with laughter!
Q. Why did St. Patrick drive the snakes out of Ireland?
A. He couldn't afford plane fare.
Q. What's Irish and stays out all night?
A. Patty O'furniture!
Q. How did the Irish Jig get started?
A. Too much to drink and not enough restrooms!
