Counselors, Clergy, and Clowns Converge for Conference on Laughter
Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor Annual Conference to meet in Florida, February 17-20, 2005
San Francisco. December 1, 2004. Dr. Patch Adams, the physician who uses clowning as a way of healing, and whom Robin Williams played in the movie of the same name, is a member. So is Saranne Rothberg, founder of the Comedy Cures Foundation and a recent guest on ABC's "Good Morning America." So are the "Bumper T" Caring Clowns of Barrington, NJ.
Several hundred members of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) will hold its 18th annual conference just outside Tampa at the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa in Safety Harbor, Florida, February 17-20, 2005, according to AATH president Shirley Trout, PhD. The international organization is dedicated to advancing the understanding and application of humor, laughter, and play.
With the theme "RESORT TO HUMOR..For Stress Relief and Success Strategies," the 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. AATH members include psychologists, physicians, nurses, teachers, corporate trainers, clergy, and hospital clowns, to name a few.
This year's Conference brings together AATH members for networking, sharing Best Practices and Strategies, and participation in over 25 workshops presenting the latest information on therapeutic humor and its applications for the hospital, classroom, or workplace.
The public may attend the general sessions of the Conference. Reservations can be made by contacting Karla Pollack at the AATH office (see below).
Featured speakers will include organizational consultants and trainers, humorists, an actor and children's songwriter, and several "Certified Laughter Leaders."
Speaker Saranne Rothberg, MS is founder of the Comedy Cures Foundation, an organization which grew out of her own successful struggle with breast cancer and her discovery of the healing power of laughter.
Patricia Wheatley Burt, JCLPD uses humor in teaching corporate managers and is the author of "Talking through my Hat." She is a producer and writer for the BBC. David Glickman is a song parodist and "corporate comedian." Dave Lieber, president of Comedy at Work , teaches people to find humor in everyday situations and use it to accomplish their goals.
Peter Alsop, Ph. D. is an educational psychologist, film actor and director, and winner of six Parents' Choice "Best Children's Album" awards. Lou Heckler, CSP is a motivational trainer and former talk show host who teaches the usefulness of humor. Brad Montgomery, CSP is a humorist motivational speaker and magician working in corporate settings.
Tim Gard, CSP , is an authority on stress reduction through humor, who teaches people how to unlock their own comic vision to improve relationships and turn adversity to their advantage. He is scheduled to perform his "Concerto for Noseflute."
Background of AATH
The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor was founded in 1987 by a group of healthcare professionals, mainly nurses. AATH is a non-profit professional organization that advances the understanding and application of humor, laughter, and play. 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 life and work and are not necessarily served through other organizations. 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 Contacts:
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 .
Roz Trieber, MS, CHES, NFL, The Naturally Funny Lady, 3740 Greenway Lane, Owings Mills, MD 21117. Phone: 410-998-9585, roztrieber@jest4success.com .
Press Contact: Gary Carr, Rising Moon Marketing & Public Relations, (925) 672-8717, carrpool@pacbell.net
