International Humor Association Takes Laughter Seriously, Lightly, and Medically

Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor to take all three views at annual conference in Austin, Texas, February 16-19, 2006

San Francisco.  November 17, 2005.  “A priest, a rabbi, and a minister go into a bar…”  “I just flew in from Miami…”  “Take my wife – please!” 

No, but seriously, folks.

Humor is a serious business, often medically necessary, and a time-honored pedagogical tool.  Humor is the lubricant that reduces stress, makes learning easier, and often contributes to the process of healing.  So say humor professionals at the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH), an international organization whose members include a broad spectrum of practitioners, from psychologists, physicians and clergy, to nurses, teachers and hospital clowns.

Several hundred members of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor will meet in Austin, Texas for their 17th annual conference, February 17-20, 2005, at the Austin Marriott at the Capitol, according to AATH president Allen Klein.  The international organization is dedicated to advancing the understanding and application of humor and laughter.

With the theme “HOT TOPICS IN HUMOR…Research, News, and ‘How-To’s’,” the AATH Conference will assemble a wide variety of professionals who use humor in their jobs to enhance work performance, support learning, and promote healing, whether physical, emotional, social, or spiritual. 

2006 AATH “Hot Topics” Conference Speakers

Featured speakers range from Heloise, the syndicated columnist and hintsmistress, to an Instructor in Psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School.

A comic writer with a larger purpose, speaker Heloise, of Hints from Heloise fame, received the inaugural Mental Health Mission Award from the National Mental Health Association for her outstanding contributions to mental health education.  She is a natural choice to speak on the applications of therapeutic humor.

Dr. Carl D. Marci, M.D., is the Director of Social Neuroscience for the Psychotherapy Research Program and Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Marci will present current research results from his projects on the physiology of laughter, the neurobiology of emotion, and the behavioral measures of depression in response to treatment.

Tou Ger Xiong is probably the only Hmong currently working as a comedian, storyteller and rap artist.  As a child, he emigrated with his family from Laos in 1973.  For the past six years, he has taken his comedy and storytelling “Project Respectism” on the road with its message of tolerance for diversity.

AATH member and Fort Worth Star-Telegram humor columnist Dave Lieber will offer his views as “The Yankee Cowboy Everybody Loves to Hate.”  A “liberal, divorced, Jewish Democrat from the Upper West Side of Manhattan,” Lieber revels in the amusing cultural clashes he has encountered in his adopted state of Texas. 

Other speakers include Christine Cashen, author of Get What You Want With What You’ve Got, along with comedian, talk show host, and native Texan, Suzie Humphries.

Attendees will hear Sally Baskey, author of Laughter, My Drug of Choice and Paul E. McGhee, Ph.D., who has spent 22 years conducting basic research on humor and laughter.

Two physicians, Greg LaGana, M.D. and Barry Levy, M.D. will present Damaged Care, their musical comedy about health care in America.

Closing the conference will be songwriter Jana Stanfield, known for what her fans describe as “psychotherapy you can dance to.”

In addition to general sessions, AATH members will be given the chance to network and participate in over 27 workshops presenting the latest information on therapeutic humor and its applications for the hospital, classroom, or workplace.

The public may attend the Conference.  Reservations can be made by contacting Karla Pollack at the AATH office, listed below.

Background of AATH

The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor was founded in 1987 by a group of healthcare professionals.  AATH is a non-profit professional organization that advances the understanding and application of humor and laughter for their positive benefits.  AATH provides and disseminates information about applied and therapeutic humor through conferences, publications, a website, and networking to a community from a wide variety of clinical, corporate, and classroom settings.  They include scholars, psychologists, counselors, allied healthcare practitioners, nurses, social workers, physicians, business executives, human resource managers, educators, clergy, hospital clowns, speakers, trainers, and others who incorporate humor in their work. Further information can be found at www.aath.org.

What is therapeutic humor?

Therapeutic humor is any intervention that promotes health and wellness by stimulating a playful discovery, expression, or appreciation of the absurdity or incongruity of life’s situations.

This intervention may enhance work performance, support learning, improve health, or be used as a complementary treatment of illness to facilitate healing or coping, whether physical, emotional, cognitive, social, or spiritual.

Who can belong to AATH?

AATH welcomes anyone who is interested in learning more about the application and benefits of therapeutic humor.

Why was AATH created?

• to educate health care, business, and education professionals about the values and therapeutic uses of humor and laughter.
• to develop, promote, conduct, and identify the need for research that further investigates the roles humor and laughter play in well-being.
• to encourage, support, and report on innovative programs that incorporate the therapeutic use of humor.
• to disseminate information about humor and laughter to its members through regular publications and educational opportunities.
• to function as an interdisciplinary network for its members.
• to be a clearinghouse for information on humor and laughter as they relate to well-being.

AATH Contact:
Karla Pollack, Executive Secretary, 5 Independence Way, Suite 300, Princeton, NJ 08540-6627.  Phone 609-392-3800 , Fax 609-392-0244, staff@aath.org  Web www.aath.org.

Press Contact:
Gary Carr, Rising Moon Marketing & Public Relations, (925) 672-8717, carrpool@pacbell.net