My humorous idea of a Farmville sequel and humorous comments from my friends. Photo taken by me.
Proverbs 17:22, “A
joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up bones.”
I enjoy a
good joke, a funny story, and puns that make people groan long and loudly. Therefore, it is no surprise that the section
of Thomas and Sosin’s (2010) book that deals with humor captivated my
attention. When appropriate, using humor
can help my client experience some of the psychological and physiological
benefits of laughter and help us develop a closer bond. A good joke can break the ice, after all. Humor would also allow me to see my client a
little more clearly, revealing a part of him/herself that could show me health
or dysfunction. With all of these
benefits, what could go wrong?
Unfortunately, plenty can go wrong.
Humor can be perceived as offensive or insensitive to one’s race,
values, beliefs, and more. Not only
that, but context is also an important factor in using humor. Thomas and Sosin (2010) list some helpful
guidelines for determining whether humor is appropriate for a given
moment. First, humor should be something
that helps establish rapport with the client.
Second, the counselor needs to know the client and whether the humor
would hurt or help the client. Third, humor
might not be merited for particular clients or situations. Fourth, humor should be used with an
intentional purpose in mind. Fifth, the
delivery method is important to staying appropriate. Personally, I would add a sixth one, being
that the counselor should know him/herself and whether humor is easily
delivered or always bungled. I think I
might use humor very sparingly as I often have a poor delivery, plus my puns
are meant to draw the ire of my crowd rather than to make them laugh. Getting a rise out of my clients for my own
amusement is certainly not ethical.
Humor if used appropriately sometimes lighten things up and may be very useful in the counseling process. It can be very therapeutic as you describe above . As i read your blog, some things come in mind on the importance of continuously assessing the client for the non- verbal cues that the client may be communicating. This will help the counselor understand how the client responds to the humor and it will give you an idea whether humor is appreciated or not. I also think it may be a good idea to have an action plan in case the humor is not well received. Lastly, as you mentioned above, knowledge of clients believes is vital emphasizing the need for cultural competence.
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ReplyDeleteI have to be very careful using humor, as I have found that sometimes people having different backgrounds don't always relate to the same things. I have found that people think I am funny when I am not trying to be. I also don't always understand other's jokes, either. But I have been in sad situations where a little humor can lighten things up enough to be bearable. I rarely use humor with anyone unless I know them quite well.
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ReplyDeleteHello Chris,
Humor can be a great strategy in some instances and in other it might cause discomfort. I definitely believe that this strategy requires a lot of discretion and professionalism form the counselor when being applied. The mental health professional must assure the main goal of using this strategy and must be able to measure the progress or effectiveness of it. Good post!