[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _dynamic_attributes=”background_image” background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.63)” background_image=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9mZWF0dXJlZF9pbWFnZSIsInNldHRpbmdzIjp7fX0=@” background_blend=”overlay” custom_padding=”114px||36px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title date=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Poppins||||||||” title_text_color=”#FFFFFF” meta_text_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”21px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text ul_position=”outside” ol_position=”outside” ol_item_indent=”39px” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”a5692afb-547a-4b32-98a1-ca66f61e0673″ text_font=”Poppins|300|||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_orientation=”justified” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
I\u2019m sure you can think of times where you may have laughed so hard you cried, or your cheeks felt sore from smiling for so long. Maybe you remember the lightness you experienced in your body afterwards. Laughter is a powerful tool we all have available to us that can benefit our emotional and physical health. Laughter, like crying, allows us to release emotions and energy in a healthy way. When we laugh, it has been found that cortisol and epinephrine, two of the body\u2019s stress hormones, are reduced, which can help decrease the intensity of anxiety symptoms. When I am feeling stuck in an endless to-do list or overwhelmed with situations outside of my control, calling a friend or watching a funny dog video can feel like the reset I need. Contemporary research from positive psychology has found a correlation between positive styles of humor and lower perceived stress (Lonczak, 2023). The categorization of positive styles of humor refers to self-enhancing humor meaning humor that does not put yourself down or minimize any struggles you may be facing, but rather allows a reframe and reprieve from negative thoughts. Using humor can help problems feel less daunting, reframing them as obstacles to overcome rather than permanent, impassable \u201croadblocks\u201d. Along with reducing the level of stress hormones, humor can also increase the production of antibody producing cells, strengthening the immune system. The saying \u201claughter is the best medicine\u201d is clearly onto something when we are aware of all the impacts it has on our body\u2019s hormones and endorphins.<\/p>\n
While there are times and places that humor may not always be viewed as \u201cappropriate,\u201d therapy sessions do not fall into that category. That\u2019s right\u2014you’re allowed to laugh in therapy! Humor is a healthy way of expressing ourselves and coping with things we cannot fully make sense of yet. It may even allow you to feel safer with your therapist as your relationship develops<\/p>\n