Working with Humour in Psychotherapy
Published in: The Palgrave Handbook of Humour Research, Springer, 2021
Malik A. (2021) Working with Humour in Psychotherapy. In: Vanderheiden E., Mayer CH. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Humour Research. Palgrave Macmillan, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-78280-1_25
Abstract
It is believed that the best way to break the ice between group members is humour. Social psychologists have found humour to play several functions for the individual at societal level. Research in the realm of positive psychology has highlighted on the different types of humours and its impact on wellness and illness. It emphasises both the functional and dysfunctional effects of humour and its manifestation in different psychopathologies. In the realm of psychotherapy, studies suggest laughter to allow for increased trust between the client and the therapist, reducing client tension, breaking client resistance and generating catharsis. That said, the scepticism around the use of humour in the psychotherapeutic setting still exists. This chapter aims at understanding humour from different theoretical perspectives and how it showcases in the psychotherapeutic settings. Selected case vignettes have been supplemented to highlight how humour manifests and impacts the various processes in psychotherapy.