BOOK DETAILS
L.A.U.G.H.: Using Humor and Play to Help Clients Cope with Stress, Anger, Frustration, and more
by Allen Klein
Wellness Reproductions Publishing
Spiral-bound. 90 pages. Includes CD of all exercises.
Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
Book Summary:
60 Therapeutic, Perspective-Building, Life-Changing Reproducible Activities
This book provides therapists and counselors with sixty, easy-to-use and effective activities to help clients let go of negative thoughts and behavior, alter their attitude, and find more humor in both their specific situation and in their life in general. Many of these time-tested exercises have been utilized over a twenty-year period in the author's keynote and workshop presentations to show audiences how to find and use humor in not-so-funny times. Humor can be a powerful therapeutic tool and this collection of unique, innovative activities/exercises will be a beneficial, new tool for counselors and therapists. Activities are reproducible.
For over twenty-years, I have been teaching audiences worldwide how to find and use humor to cope with stressful situations. Even though there is lots of laughter in my workshops and keynote presentations, the underlying message is serious. I discuss such things as, the Zen concept of letting go, about how our attitudes are the crayons that color our world, and about laughter’s role in loss.
This book is very much like that. Although the title and subtitle have the words “laugh”, “humor”, and “play” in it, many of the activities are not humorous or playful in and of themselves. The reason for that is that the aim of the activities is not necessarily to get people to laugh but to provide insights to help them clear the path so that laughter can come into their life more easily.
One more thing—before you delve into the book, I have a couple of caveats.
First, obviously, not all activities will be appropriate for every client. You know them better than I do. It is up to you to determine which activities are and which ones are not.
Second, some of the exercises suggest doing them as a role-play. Role-play can be a more powerful way of getting the message across but some people may find role-play too threatening. An alternate activity is provided. Again, the decision of how to do the exercise is up to you.
Table of Contents:
L = LET GO
Empty Your Cup
Are You Being Served?
Chinese Finger Trap
Letting Go Moving On
Living with Blemishes
Put It in Neutral
Forgive Others
Forgive Yourself
Angels Can Fly Because They Take Themselves Lightly
Temper Tantrum
Endings Can Also Be Beginnings
A = ATTITUDE
Be Willing
Intention
Not Knowing
Being Thankful
Count Your Blessings
Good News, Bad News
Opportunity Knocks
What Don’t You Want?
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Staying Unhappy
Look Again
What If?
U = YOU
Be Present
Pat Yourself on the Back
Put it in Perspective
Move Your Fear to the Rear
Voices of Doom
Lessons from Silence
Let’s Pretend
Stop and Smell the Roses
Supersize That!
Kvetch
Traffic Jams
Take Back Your Power
G = GO DO IT
Let the Play Begin
Toy Story More Toys, Less Stress
Puppet Power
Dress Up, Stress Down
Ask a Child
Ask a Teacher
Ask a Friend
Ask the Audience
Get Out of Your Rut
See It Another Way
Ch’lax
H = HUMOR EYES
Going After Laughter
Laugh at Your Stress
Laugh at Yourself
Reframe It
Humor Support System
What’s So Funny?
Humor Reminders
Red Nose Day
Open Your Humor Eyes
Life as a Country Song
Can’t Laugh? Smile
Celebrate!