the positive power of humor school counselors

7/29/2019 The Positive Power of Humor School Counselors

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The Positive Power of Humor

Rosemarie D. Poverman,MSW,LCSW28 Union Ave.Manasquan, NJ 08736732 223 1477www.rosemariepoverman.com


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Humor is an Opener

When you choose humor you choose to see the world from

a different perspective


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Creating an Optimal Counseling

Climate

Much in the delivery of social services

concerns itself with the state of themind. Therefore, it is vital to understand

how to positively enhance the state of

mind (for the service-recipient and the

service-provider) to create an optimalclimate for maximizing the delivery and

utilization of such services


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Not New

For many years, since Norman Cousins

published his book Anatomy of an Illness(1979) researchers in the health care field

have established connections between

humor, laughter and health, including

mental health (the state of mind).


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The Humor Mindset

When we speak of humor in this sense it is not

only about being funny as in comic. It is

more. It is about humor as a state of mind. It is

about an attitude and outlook of lightness,

playfulness and joy. It is about the ability to flex

the mental perceptions which frame lifes

challenges, ordinary and extraordinary. Beingable to engage such a humor mind set helps one

to:


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A Humor Mind-set helps to:

Improve attitude & mood.

Generate options & spark creativity.

Reduce anxiety & manage stress.

Cope with change.

Connect with others.

Defuse anger & develop resilience. Maintain motivation.

Raise self esteem and self empowerment


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Oh The Places You Will Go

Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!

Today is your day

You're off to Great Places

You're off and away! You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact

and remember that Life's

a great balancing Act.


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YAHOO

You Always Have

Other Options


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REBT/CBT enabled by Humor


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Using Humor in Counseling I*

Plan your humor and be prepared to use itspontaneously.

Be willing to risk using humor.

Assess the students level of humor andhis/her ability to accept and integrate

humorous interventions. Be prepared to respond to his/her reaction to

the humor


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Using Humor in Counseling II*

Be capable of taking yourself lightly and your

work seriously. Use humor which is genuine and congruent.

In all counseling, especially with adolescents

it is essential that the counselor be genuine.

*Adapted from Steven M Sultanoff, [email protected] Irvine California
http://[email protected]/http://[email protected]/


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MOOMBA

MY ONLY OBSTICAL MUST BE ATTITUDE


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HUMOR MINDSET SKILLS

Look for the humor in a negative situation.

Focus on your successes, no matter how small. Simplify. Let go of unimportant things.

Detach. Take a mental step back from difficult situations.

Get flexible. Restructure perceptions to maximize choices.

Lighten up. Avoid being overly serious about yourself.

Seize every opportunity to laugh. Allow joy. Happiness can exist for no reason or without a

prerequisite such as the right time or place.

Remember ...trouble is unavoidable, misery is optional...


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Thermometer or Thermostat?


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Sett ing the Cl imate

I have come to a frightening conclusion.I am the decisive element in the classroom.It is my personal approach that creates the climate.

It is my daily mood that makes the weather.

As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a childs lifemiserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.

In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisiswill be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or de-humanized.

A quo te from: Between Teacher and Child (Haim Ginott)


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The Magic of a Smile

Smiling is infectious You catch it like the flu Whensomeone smiled at me today I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner And someone saw my grin Whenhe smiled I realized

I'd passed it on to him

I thought about that smile Then I realized its worth, A singlesmile, just like mine

Could travel round the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin, Don't leave it undetected Let'sstart an epidemic quick, And get the world infected!


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THE VALUE OF HUMOR & LAUGHTER

IN THE SCHOOL SETTING I

Humor makes class (life, work, school) more

interesting.

The job of the teacher is to get students laughing

and when their mouths are open to give them

something on which to chew.

Humor helps both students and teacher enjoy

class (life, work, school) more.

Laughter (lightheartedness) reduces tension and

anxiety.


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II

Humor motivates and energizes.

Humor gives a hook on which to triggerrecall.

Humor encourages creativity.

Humor helps students (staff) accept new

ideas (change).


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III

Laughter helps build relationships.

It is really difficult for a student orcolleague to turn off and become hostilewhen they are regularly enjoying a goodlaugh with one another.

Laughter (laugh at self) helps show thatmistakes are a normal part of learning.

Humor provokes thought.


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IV

Laughter improves health (stress

reduction). Everyone appreciates a sense of humor

(match.com)

Laughter feels good


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It only takes a small change to make a

BIG difference -


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CAVIATS OF USING HUMOR IN THESCHOOL SETTING

Everyone (especially students) may not understand thedifference between positive and negative humor.

Students sometimes look at laughter as a signal to get ofcontrol.

These guidelines help to use humor most effectively:

Dont try too hard.

Do what fits you and your personality.

Dont use private humor that leaves some people out.

Make humor a regular part of class (life, work, school)rather than something special.

Make humor relevant.

Humor can sometimes be distracting when it bears nonatural relationship to the situation or issues at hand.


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10 Ways to Kill A Schools Spirit

1. Keep your mind rigid at all times.

2. Never let options get in the way of old thinking.

3. Use sarcasm & put downs to beat others. 4. See laughter & light-heartedness as a waste of time.

5. Over react to negatives so they can be set in stone.

6. Be sure to be trivial & lose the big picture.

7. Be overly serious & disconnected.

8. Blame-storm. 9. Rely on dark forecasts to fend off positive thinking.

10. Punish others for their creativity & humor.


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Save the Counselor !

Adapted from Happiness Tips: Tal Ben-Shahar

1. Give yourself permission to be human.

2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure andmeaning..

3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on ourstate of mind, not on our status or the state of our bankaccount.

4. Simplify!

5. Remember the mind-body connection.

6. Express gratitude, whenever possible.


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Bibliography: Humor in Psychotherapyand Counseling

On The Web

Resources for on going and current research in using humor in thebehavioral and medical sciences

Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor

www.aath.org

The Humor Project Inc.

www.humorproject.com

The International society for Humor Studies

http://www.hnu.edu/ishs/

.
http://www.aath.org/http://www.aath.org/http://www.humorproject.com/http://www.humorproject.com/http://www.hnu.edu/ishs/http://www.hnu.edu/ishs/http://www.hnu.edu/ishs/http://www.hnu.edu/ishs/http://www.humorproject.com/http://www.humorproject.com/http://www.aath.org/http://www.aath.org/


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Bibliography: Humor in Psychotherapyand Counseling

In Print

Araoz, Bordan, Gladding et al, Humor in Counseling (Practice &Theory Journal of Counseling and Development) Sept. 2006

Carr, Alan, Positive Psychology, Florence Kentucky: RoutledgePublishers 2004

Dobson, Keith S., Evidence-Based Practice of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, New York, NY: Guildford Press, 2009

Elkind, David, The Power of Play, Cambridge, MA: De Capo Press,2007

Ellis, A. Overcoming resistance: A rational emotive behaviortherapy integrated approach, New York: Springer 2007

Martin, Rod, The Psychology of Humor: An Integrative Approach,Philadelphia, PA: 2007

Schaefer, Charles E., Play Therapy With Adults, Hoboken, NJ:John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004 (Integrating Humor intoPsychotherapy Sultanoff, Steven M)


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Bibliography: additional in print

Brinkman & Kirschner, Dealing with People you Cant Stand New York,NY: McGraw Hill 2002

Burgess, Ron, Laughing Lessons Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing2000

Loomans, Diane & Kolberg, Karen, The Laughing Classroom Tiburon, CA:

H J Kramer, Inc., 1993

Lundberg, Elaine & Thurston, Cheryl Miller, If Theyre Laughing They JustMight Be Listening Fort Collins, CO: Cottonwood Press, Inc., 2002

McKay, Gary & Dinkmeyer, Don, How You Feel Is Up To You Atascadero,CA: Impact Publishers, Inc., 2002

Maginn, Michael Managing in Times of Change New York, NY: McGrawHill, 2007

Metcalf, C.W., Lighten Up Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.,1992

Paulson, Terry L. Making Humor Work Menlo Park, CA: Crisp

Publications, 1989

Seligman, Martin, Learned Optimism New York, NY: Pocket Books, 1990

Silberg, Jackie, The Learning Power of Laughter Beltsville, MD: GryphonHouse Inc 2004

the positive power of humor school counselors

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