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From: Walt Manning
Date: 10/8/03
Time: 9:39:55 AM
Remote Name: 141.225.97.53
Thank you Keri for your comments and your questions. I agree with Bonnie that we take our cues from the client. Group sessions are often likely to head to humorous stories once people begin to feel secure in the group but it takes awhile until people begin to look at their past experiences as even a little humorous. Once the working alliance is developing during individual treatment humor is often part of the change process as together, the clinican and client discover new insights. I wouldn't "use" humor at all if I didn't feel comfortable doing it or if the timing didn't seem right. As with any technique, humor probably should be part of who you are and not what you do in therapy. But if you're comfortable looking at things from different angles humor will be there and you can model that for your client. As you suggested, I don't think you need to be a PWS to recognize the humorous possibilities during treatment. I don't think we are laughing at the person but the odd and interesting circumstances we can all find ourselves in. Thank you for your question Keri and follow up with this theme if I haven't completely answered you.