LaughBox: Recent Episodes
Chip Lutz
This Special Edition of Laughbox is for Steve Wilson to hand off the Internatioinal Humor Month to Drew Tarvin. Enjoy the history of National Humor Month with Larry Wilde and others in the story of how humor was proven to be the best medicine (and continues to be ).
Steve Wilson, known as the “Cheerman of The Bored” and the one and only “Joyologist”, is the founder of World Laughter Tour, Inc. and has trained 7,000 laughter therapists.
He is the author of seven books and dozens of articles and blogs, and is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning humor expert. As one of America's top-rated professional speakers, Wilson offers popular programs on joy, motivation, teamwork, health and humor. He has also served as a design consultant and spokesperson for the SunChips Laughalizer campaign.
In addition, he earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, and the Rire d'Or Award (Golden Laughter) from L'Ecole Internationale Du Rire et du Bonheur. He is President of the Laughter Arts & Sciences Foundation (501.c.3) and has been featured in numerous radio & TV talk shows and other media around the world.
Dani Klein Modisett is the Founder/CEO of the award-winning company bringing comic relief to those facing Alzheimer’s, Laughter On Call. LOC was launched to help her mother who became depressed facing the disease. In the ensuing 6 years the company has grown to help all people feeling isolated. To date it has trained thousands of caregivers and worked with over 600 companies around the world including META,
Amazon, Capital One, Bristol Myers and FEMA. LOC has been featured in The Washington Post, The London Times, The NY Times and AARP Magazine. Dani is also a comedian/actor and author of the books, “Afterbirth: stories you won’t read in a parenting magazine (St. Martin’s Press) “Take My Spouse, Please.” (Penguin Random House) a part-memoir, part how-to for creating shared laughter to keep your marriage happy and healthy. Dani taught Stand-Up at UCLA for 10 years and has coached keynote speakers, business leaders, and Congressional candidates to use more humor in their communication. She has been a keynote speaker at Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, Dartmouth Entrepreneur Forum, CALA, ICAA and UCLA.
She has run workshops at Stanford, MIT, Columbia, Duke’s Fuqua and Harvard Business School where Laughter On Call is currently a case study. Her writing has appeared in AARP, NY Times, LA Times, Parents Magazine and many websites. Her many podcast appearances include Stanford’s “When I’m 64,” and “The Tony Robbins Podcast.” Before becoming an entrepreneur, Dani was an actor who appeared on Broadway and many TV shows including “Law & Order,” “The Lottery,” and “Las Vegas,” for NBC. She was listed in Forbes 50>50 in 2023.
Dani Klein Modisett
Laughter On Call
Founder/CEO
(213) 840-6798
Named Forbes 50 over 50
Author Take My Spouse, Please
Andrew Tarvin is the world’s first Humor Engineer teaching people how to get better results while having more fun. He has worked with thousands of people at 200+ organizations, including P&G, GE, and Microsoft.
In 2025, Andrew became Director of International Humor Month for AATH.
Combining his background as a project manager at Procter & Gamble with his experience as an international comedian, Andrew’s program are engaging, entertaining, and most important, effective.
He is a best-selling author, has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and TEDx, and has delivered programs in 50 states, 18 countries, and 3 continents. He loves the color orange and is obsessed with chocolate.
https://www.aath.org/humor-month
https://www.humorthatworks.com/
Dr. Sam Shay, DC, IFMCP is a functional medicine expert, speaker, and comedian who has helped countless individuals optimize their health through personalized, data-driven strategies. Specializing in energy optimization, brain health, and overcoming fatigue and stress, Dr. Sam combines his health expertise with his unique comedic perspective to make health transformation accessible, engaging, and empowering.
His 25+ years of experience have led him to create the Neuro-Harmony Model, a comprehensive framework designed to nurture and optimize mental, emotional, and physical health. He uses this model to provide clear, actionable strategies to help professionals manage stress, boost focus, and sustain high performance in demanding environments.
Dr. Sam also uses his platform to support professionals navigating the unique challenges of high-stakes careers, offering tools to maintain balance and resilience while achieving their goals. Drawing on his deep understanding of functional medicine, he blends humor and science to empower individuals to tap into their full potential in work and life.
Dr. Sam has been featured on over 100 podcasts and stages, sharing his transformative approach to unlocking human potential and helping professionals thrive through functional medicine.
Dr. Shay also shares practical health insights in his stand-up comedy, making health transformation fun and relatable. His one-hour comedy special, "NeuroSpicy: Love, Life, & Comedy on the Spectrum", shares his journey and includes powerful insights on embracing neurodiversity.
Website: www.DrSamShay.com
Genetics program: https://go.drsamshay.com/sp-dna-decoded
Facebook: www.DrSamShay.com/sam.shay.792
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/tenpointwellness
Mike Goodwin is a refreshingly funny comedian, keynote speaker, and content delivery coach. His signature bowtie represents his expectation-defying brand of comedy that leaves a variety of audiences - from churches to corporate events to swanky galas - laughing hysterically and completely inspired, without a foul or vulgar word spoken.
A native of Camden, South Carolina, Mike holds a master’s degree in Education from the University of South Carolina, is a veteran of the U.S. Army, and a former primary and secondary education professional. He infuses his varied life experiences into his act, making him relatable to audiences from all walks of life.
Using his ability to merge leadership and laughter, Mike is a powerful communicator whose primary goal is to leave places and people better than he found them. The TEDx speaker has appeared on America’s Got Talent, Dry Bar Comedy, Today Show, Lifetime, BET, Amazon Prime,TBN, Daystar, USA, the Word Network, Circle TV, and SiriusXM.
A southern gentleman with a curious mind, love for people, and heart for God, Mike Goodwin is in a class all his own. He resides in Columbia, SC with his beautiful wife Rozalynn and their two children.
mikegoodwin.com
We are so excited to welcome Chris Duffy, Creative Extraordinaire to the podcast! We had so much fun and we hope you get some giggles from this episode. Chris Duffy is a comedian, television writer, and radio/podcast host. Chris wrote for both seasons of Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas on HBO, executive produced by John Oliver. He’s the creator/host of the streaming game show Wrong Answers Only, where three comedians try to understand what a leading scientist does all day, in partnership with LabX at the National Academy of Sciences. Chris is both a former fifth grade teacher and a former fifth grade student. contact: ChrisDuffyComedy.com
I am an Executive Coach, Trainer, Speaker, and Humor Ambassador.
I specialize in translating evidence-based techniques into actionable
tools for teams. I have 25+ years of leadership experience in
multinational companies and organizations. s and individuals, focusing
on mindset shifts, communication, and leadership skills. I hold
workshops integrating humor and improv with psychological research to
enhance creativity, flexibility, and performance.
I hold presentations and workshops at international conferences. My
passion is helping people laugh more and complain less.
As a speech coach, I supported 100+ presenters for TEDx and
professional conferences.
I am a member of the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor
(aath.org), the Applied Improv Network
(https://www.appliedimprovisationnetwork.org/), the International
Society for Humor Studies (https://www.humorstudies.org/) and
Toastmasters International.
My links:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bea-bincze-pcc-actc-dtm-4679bb13
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bea.bincze
Company: https://businesscoach.hu/en/humor/
For over forty years, John Johnson (Simply Saint Nick) has been a character actor and historical presenter, notably bringing the role of Santa Claus to life in the most authentic way. His debut on stage (and as Santa no less) was at the age of six in an elementary school production of “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Since then, John has gone on to study acting with the Alban Arts Academy in Saint Albans, West Virginia. He has also attended classes taught by such artists as Pam Chibora, Leah Turley, Sean Watkins, Adam Bryan, Marlette Carter, and Kelly Strom. He has performed regionally in such shows as “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” as Father Christmas (2011), “Miracle on 34th Street” as Kris Kringle (2012), “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus” as Nicholas (2013), and “Adventures in Santa Claus Land” as Santa (2019). He has also performed the role on local television commercials and on various Christmas specials regionally.
But it isn’t his acting abilities that make Santa John unique. Rather, it is his great faith in Christ – the Reason for the Season. Yes, John has always portrayed the role from the Christian perspective which goes all the way back to Nicholas of Myra (270-343AD). Nicholas was the prototype of the Santa we know and love today. Santa John has studied carefully over his lifetime both the history and the traditions of the character that he portrays. His portrayal emphasizes service to Christ, love, joy, peace, and hope – the bedrocks of the season. Couple these things with the fact that Santa John truly loves children, maintains a jolly demeanor, and a deep love of the role and you have something special in him. The additions of real whiskers, custom tailored suits, and real accessories make Santa John someone to believe in. In 2023, Santa John even wrote a book about his life, his faith, and role as Santa Claus. It is available at Westbow Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christianbooks.com. Click the title to get a copy of “Simply Saint Nick: My Life as a Real-Life Christian Santa Claus.”
Amazon link https://a.co/d/97qKnNo
Interview with the Christian Chronicle, December 2023 https://christianchronicle.org/peace-on-earth-and-goodwill-to-men-christian-santa-professes-christ/
https://simplysaintnick.com/
Marco was born in Chicago but has also lived in Mexico City and San Antonio. He holds two bachelor’s degrees in English and Psychology, as well as a Master of Jurisprudence. With 15 years of experience in the corporate sector, his roles have spanned product management, operations, governance, and call center positions.
In 2011, after the birth of his first daughter, Marco began to feel ill. For nine years, he was told it was anxiety, but nothing seemed to help. It wasn’t until 2020 that he was finally diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. From 2011 to 2022, Marco struggled with agoraphobia, but with the help of medication, therapy, and supportive friends, he was able to overcome these limitations.
During his time at home, Marco began writing a collection of fictional short stories. Originally, he intended to gift the stories to his daughters, the youngest of whom was born in 2013. However, after sharing the stories with friends, he was encouraged to consider publishing them.
In 2023, the stories were published as a novel titled Within Normal Limits. Shortly after its release, the novel became an Amazon Best Seller in the Multiple Sclerosis category.
The novel follows a fictional version of Marco as he navigates struggles with religion, relationships, fatherhood, and connecting with others who are also dealing with their own solitude.
After the publication, Marco began doing readings. Though the book is quite sad, Marco (the author) is not, which led to the readings evolving into comedy routines. This eventually opened the door for Marco to participate in stand-up comedy around town.
Book Synopsis:
This gripping collection of stories tells the story of Marco, a young man diagnosed with multiple sclerosis who must confront the harsh reality of his prognosis. Set against the backdrop of a life being slowly taken away from him, the reader is taken on a journey of strength, courage, and resilience as Marco learns to appreciate the beauty of life. With his relationships pushed to the limit, Marco must find the courage to face his illness and discover the weight of hope.
https://www.wnlmarco.com
https://www.instagram.com/wnlmarco
https://a.co/d/8ITF5BA (Amazon link to purchase, although folks can get it through Target, Barnes and Noble, and a ton of other online retailers).
Since his first open mic in 1999, Marc Yaffee has turned his love of stand up in to a thriving career. Stand up comedy has led Marc to perform in diverse locales far and wide around the globe. Marc’s 20 year comedic career has taken him across four continents, 11 countries and 43 states.
Marc’s past performance venues includes a tool shed in Iraq, atop a large rock in the Sierra Nevada Mountains for a Tribal celebration, and on board an Alaska Airlines flight to Fairbanks. Whether it’s a Las Vegas showroom, a cruise ship theater, or a tribal gymnasium, Marc Yaffee comes ready to connect with his audiences and deliver all-out laughs.
Marc Yaffee’s Career
Marc Yaffee was the founder and co-star of the Pow Wow Comedy Jam. It featured performers at the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), and top tribal casinos across the land. In 2010, Pow Wow Comedy Jam was named NIGA Entertainers of the Year. Additionally, it was also feature that year on the Showtime special Goin’ Native. This was a ground-breaking achievement, as it was the first-ever cable special showcasing an all Native American lineup.
Marc Yaffee’s TV appearances also include; PBS, The Latino Laugh Festival, Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen and FNX Network’s, First Nations Comedy Experience. His comedy special, Marc My Words, is a mainstay on the streaming site Nativeflix.com.
Recently, his new Dry Bar Comedy Special, Mid-Laugh Crisis showcased his “funny, not filthy” comedy style that has earned him a growing appeal among stand-up fans. Additionally, the special recently went viral and has garnered much attention as well.
Marc Yaffee has performed six times overseas for Armed Forces Entertainment. This includes the Pacific, Europe, the Far East and Middle East. He won the Ventura Comedy Festival in 2012 and is a former writer for laugh.com.
Marc’s wide experience has made him a hit with audiences of all types. His fans range from comedy club Millennials to casino showroom Baby Boomers. Marc skewers sacred cows, dissects societal stupidities, and confronts our common frustrations, all with humanity and humor.
Marc’s Podcast “How Does That Happen”
Marc Yaffee created the How Does That Happen Podcast in late 2018. How Does That Happen came about from Marc’c fascination with extreme people. More importantly, it came from those driven to seek out or survive record breaking behaviors that most people would never consider doing, and others many couldn’t imagine existed.
How Does that Happen spotlights not only the craziest record holders but wannabe-record holders and should-be record holders. Marc Yaffee and his co-host, Dave Mencarelli, interview men and women who’ve claimed some of the most unusual records. Additionally, the podcast highlights people whose “achievements” aren’t in any record books, but in Marc’s opinion, should be.
Examples of guests include a comedian who performed stand-up shows 1002 consecutive nights in a row. Most recently, a female competitive eating champion came to chat. Marc Yaffee has also interviewed a man trying to become the worst rated Uber driver. Marc Yaffee’s How Does That Happen podcast is two extremely regular guys interviewing some not-so-regular people. It’s a ton of fun and we hope you’ll check it out here.
Website: https://laughwithmarc.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaughWithMarcYaffee/
Twitter: https://x.com/MarcYaffee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcyaffee/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MarcYaffee
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcyaffee/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marcyaffeecomedy
Book Marc for your event! https://laughwithmarc.com/contact-marc-yaffee
Dr. Brad Miller on the Cancer and Comedy Podcast.
A month after retiring from a 43-year career as a pastor Dr. Brad Miller was diagnosed with cancer. His reaction was to laugh to keep from crying. He responded by combining his ministry experience with his doctoral degree in life transformation and his love of comedy to create the Cancer and Comedy Podcast designed to help people impacted by cancer (and other diseases) to heal with hope and humor. Dr. Brad launched the Cancer and Comedy Podcast in August 2023 and received the Best faith-based Comedy Podcast for 2023 Award by Spark Media. Dr. Brad Miller is available for speaking, consulting and coaching in matters related to leveraging humor and hope in the healing process.
Dr. Brad Miller
Brad@DrBradMiller.com
https://cancerandcomedy.com/follow
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbradleymiller/
https://www.facebook.com/cancerandcomedy
https://www.youtube.com/@CancerandComedy
https://www.facebook.com/bradmiller2000
Blog Post from Senior Living Guide Podcast where I was a guest
https://www.seniorlivingguide.com/i-will-not-let-cancer-define-me/
PodINDY.com is a one day conference on the topic "How to Profit from Podcasting: Amplified with AI" and features presentations by Podcast Hall of Famer Dave Jackson, the author of "Profit From Your Podcast," and Dr. Craig Van Slyke, Technology Professor from Louisiana Tech University, and creator of the "AI Goes to College Podcast." The live event is 9AM ET November 9, 2024 and virtual tickets which include the replay recordings are available for $27 at PodINDY.com.
As Brad mentioned, here is The Five-Day FREE "Healing through Hope and Humor" Course will Help You Cope with Cancer on Your Terms!
https://cancerandcomedy.com/free
Please share with your friends or anyone in need.
Wolf Brown is a native american stand-up comedy from the village of Bapchule located on the Gila River Indian Community. His style of comedy includes one-liners, story telling, and roasts. Being versatile in both comedy club and reservation humor. He is has become a rising star in the Arizona comedy scene as well as becoming a casino favorite.
His jokes are relatable to everyone, telling the struggles of a rezzy native in a modern world. He recently went viral on tiktok. You can follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Tictok @gilariouswolf. His comedy album Gilarious (pronounced "hilarious") was just released Sept 30th 2024. Link to all socials https://linktr.ee/gilariouswolfLink to steaming of album https://wolfbrown.hearnow.com/
Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CSP, CPAE is an international speaker, successful author, master neuroplastician, brain-based coach, and neurohumorist (she lives at the intersection of humor and the brain). Karyn is the global authority on high performance humor and her undertakings include her TEDx talk—How Humor Saved the World. As a neurohumorist, Karyn’s career resides at the intersection of humor and the brain, helping high performers achieve greater influence and optimum health through the art and science of applied humor. Karyn is one of 275 professionals (and one of only 62 women) in the world to be inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame. Karyn speaks internationally to organizations that grasp the important role that humor plays in business, health, and life. Among her 800+ clients over 35 years are the Mayo Clinic, AARP, NASA, and the Million Dollar Round Table.
Website: https://www.karynbuxman.com/
Chris Palmer is an author, speaker, wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, educator, professor, and grandfather. He dedicated his professional career to conservation but now devotes his life to end-of-life activism. Bloomsbury will publish his 10th book, Achieving a Good Death: A Practical Guide to the End of Life, on October 1, 2024. He is a trained hospice volunteer and founded and runs an aging, death, and dying group for the Bethesda Metro Area Village.
He serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Montgomery Hospice & Prince George’s Hospice (MHI), is vice president of the Board of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Maryland & Environs (FCAME), and serves on the Advisory Council for the Maryland Office of Cemetery Oversight (OCO). He also serves on the Boards of Final Exit Network, Hemlock Society of San Diego, and Funeral Consumers Alliance. He is on the Bethesda Metro Area Village Board and, until recently, was a Board member of the Green Burial Association of Maryland.
Chris and his wife, Gail Shearer, created and funded the “Finishing Strong Award” with the Washington Area Village Exchange (WAVE) to encourage villages to hold more discussions about end-of-life issues. WAVE is the largest regional village organization in the nation.
He frequently gives presentations and workshops to community groups on aging, death, and dying issues.
Chris is also president of the MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation, which produces and funds IMAX films on science and conservation issues. MacGillivray Freeman Films is the world’s largest and most successful producer of IMAX films.
For over thirty-five years, he spearheaded the production of more than 300 hours of original programming for prime-time television and the IMAX film industry, which won him and his colleagues many awards, including two Emmys and an Oscar nomination. He has worked with Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Jane Fonda, Ted Turner, and many other celebrities. His IMAX films include Whales, Wolves, Dolphins, Bears, Coral Reef Adventure, and Grand Canyon Adventure.
During his filmmaking career, he swam with dolphins and whales, came face-to-face with sharks and Kodiak bears, camped with wolf packs, and waded hip-deep through Everglade swamps.
His books include Finding Meaning and Success: Living a Fulfilled and Productive Life, published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2021. Proceeds from all of Chris’s books fund scholarships for American University students.
Starting in 2004, Chris served on American University’s full-time faculty as Distinguished Film Producer in Residence until his retirement in 2018. While at AU, he founded and directed the Center for Environmental Filmmaking at the School of Communication. He also created and taught a popular class called Design Your Life for Success.
Chris and his wife, Gail, have lived in Bethesda, Maryland, for nearly 50 years and raised three daughters. They now have nine grandchildren. Chris was a stand-up comic for five years and has advanced degrees from London and Harvard. He has jumped out of helicopters, worked on an Israeli kibbutz, and was a high school boxing champion. Chris is currently learning to juggle, draw, dance, play tennis, and play the piano. He loves standing on his hands for exercise, keeps a daily gratitude journal, and has a 30-page personal mission statement.
More information on Chris:
Chris’s filmmaking career began in 1983 when he founded National Audubon Society Productions, a nonprofit film company and part of the National Audubon Society, which he led as president and CEO for eleven years. In 1994, he founded National Wildlife Productions, a nonprofit multimedia company and part of the National Wildlife Federation, which he led as president and CEO for ten years.
His first two published books were on wildlife filmmaking: Shooting in the Wild in 2010 and Confessions of a Wildlife Filmmakerin 2015. They were followed by Raise Your Kids to Succeed: What Every Parent Should Know in 2017 and Now What, Grad? Your Path to Success After College(First Edition in 2015 and the Second Edition in 2018). In 2019, he wrote College Teaching at its Best: Inspiring Students to be Enthusiastic, Lifelong Learners, and in 2021, he wrote Finding Meaning and Success: Living a Fulfilled and Productive Life. Rowman & Littlefield published his last five books.
His next book, for Bloomsbury Publishing, is Achieving a Good Death. Bethesda Communications Group published Love, Dad in 2018, a 700-page book of his letters to his daughters, and Open Heart: When Open-Heart Surgery Becomes Your Best Option in 2021, a book co-written with his daughter Christina (a family doctor). Chris and Christina have written half a dozen books for children on health-related issues.
Chris gives pro bono presentations and workshops on various topics, including how to live a meaningful and successful life, aging well, achieving a good death, living well to die well, medical aid-in-dying, decluttering and death cleaning, completing advance directives, writing memoirs, composing legacy letters and ethical wills, funeral planning, green ways of body disposition, and hospice care. In 2015, Chris spoke on wildlife filmmaking at TEDxAmericanUniversity. While teaching at AU, he was a stand-up comedian and performed regularly in DC comedy clubs for five years. In 2017, he founded and now directs a group on aging and dying well as part of the Bethesda Metro Area Village, where he serves as a Board member.
Chris was honored with the Frank G. Wells Award from the Environmental Media Association and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Media at the 2009 International Wildlife Film Festival. In 2010, he was honored at the Green Globe Awards in Los Angeles with the Environmental Film Educator of the Decade award. In 2011, he received the IWFF Wildlife Hero of the Year Award for his “determined campaign to reform the wildlife filmmaking industry.” In 2012, he received the Ronald B. Tobias Award for Achievement in Science and Natural History Filmmaking Education. In addition, he received the 2014 University Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching at AU, the 2015 University Film and Video Association Teaching Award, and the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival.
In his twenty years before becoming a film producer, Chris was an officer in the Royal Navy, an engineer, a business consultant, an energy analyst, an environmental activist, chief energy advisor to a senior U.S. senator, and a political appointee in the Environmental Protection Agency under President Jimmy Carter.
Chris holds a B.S. with First Class Honors in Mechanical Engineering, an M.S. in Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture from University College London, and a master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University. He was also a Kennedy Scholar and received a Harkness Fellowship.
Born in Hong Kong, Chris grew up in England and immigrated to the United States in 1972. He is married to Gail Shearer and is the father of three grown daughters: Kimberly, Christina, and Jennifer. He and Gail have endowed a scholarship for environmental film students at AU to honor Chris’s parents and encourage the next generation to save the planet.
christopher.n.palmer@gmail.com
www.ChrisPalmerOnline.com
Shelia M. Kennison is Professor of Psychology. She earned her Ph.D. in Psycholinguistics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and bachelor’s degree in linguistics and psychology from Harvard University. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Psychonomic Society. She has authored numerous works including academic journal articles and a textbook on the development of language. Her psycholinguistic research has focused on sentence processing in English as well as a variety of other languages, including Arabic, Spanish, German, Japanese, Chinese, and Finnish.
Buy her book on Amazon
https://amzn.to/3X4Ytwg
More about Shelia
https://experts.okstate.edu/shelia.kennison
Kyle Edgell started drawing caricatures in a bar. For fun. She never considered the talent she had to capture a likeness and connect with people a product to be “sold”…until a life-changing request to draw at a company picnic as entertainment allowed her to gift the drawings to her subjects and be paid for it. Her insight and ability to encourage others through her art and humor grew into a career that has spanned over 20 years.
Edgell has a gift for presentation that instigates laughter, whether in a homeless shelter or attending conferences at 5 star Resort Hotels. Her philosophy of life and art has helped her meet the daily and unexpected challenges of cancer, the death of loved ones and ADD.
She now creates multifaceted presentations that incorporate live drawing, speaking, message visualization that will help your team translate obstacles into opportunities. When optimism is rekindled using humor and creativity it will inspire practical strategies that will energize your corporate culture.
Kyle Edgell is an Artist, Speaker and Entertainer with a little bit of wit. She received her BFA from Syracuse University and lives in Roanoke Virginia. She is a member of the Association for Applied Therapeutic Humor.
https://www.kyleedgell.com/
Funny Man Mike Cotayo is a comedian who knows how to take the stage by storm. His unique blend of silly, smart and dark humor leaves audiences in hysterics, while making others snarf drinks through their nose. Funny Man Mike promises to have you coming back for more.Mike Joins Jim-Bob Williams and Katy BEE to discuss comedians with disabilities, what's funny about a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), and his amazing history of standup. Have a listen to this wonderful guy! He's pretty funny!
@mikecotayo on the socials
www.funnymanmike.com
Combining tax & humor? No tax authorities and practitioners implement that in the world, until Danny Septriadi starts it out! As a tax practitioner & academia, Danny has been using humor in his 30 years professional life. Experiencing humor as a resilience tool himself, he then founded the first world-record library of humor studies & Indonesian humor institute (IHIK3). Danny wants more Indonesians use humor as a life skills, also to enhance their creativity, critical thinking, communication, & leadership skill. Joining with Danny is Ulwan Fakhri, IHIK3's humor researcher. Both of them are the pioneers and Certified Humor Professionals from Indonesia. Danny, Ulwan, & IHIK3 have been publishing humor studies books in Indonesian language, like Humor at Work (bit.ly/HumorAtWorkIHIK3) & "Humor is a Serious Thing" (bit.ly/humorituserius). More titles coming -- like on leadership and so on! Get to know IHIK3 (and how it's pronounced, PS: it sounds like laughing) here:- ihik3.com- linkedin.com/company/ihik3- instagram.com/ihik3- x.com/ihik3
Christiana Frank is a certified speaker, coach, consultant, program developer, and mentor. Since 1999, she has been helping corporate teams, educational institutions, and mental health facilities connect to themselves, each other, and the world at large. Founder of KidScape Productions and with a strong passion for helping all ages, you can typically find Mrs. Frank in areas of wellness and empowerment, applying evidence-based approaches that draw from modern-day neuroscience and psychology. Since 1999 she has been designing and leading training’s with a mindful approach to collaboration, communication, and creativity. Mrs. Frank’s passion is deeply rooted in facilitating teams and individuals to communicate effectively and feel confident with ambiguity and change.
https://christianafrank.com/
christiana@christianafrank.com
Meet Stefano Iaboni, a comedic performer from Rome who turned his love for the arts into a global adventure. Starting in circus school in Holland, Stefano soon found the weather and cuisine lacking. He relocated to Barcelona, where he immersed himself in the vibrant scene of nouveau clowning, collaborating with legends like Johnny Melville and Jango Edwards. For a decade, Stefano thrived in Barcelona, engaging in theater, film, and street performances. He even launched his own sketch comedy cabaret. Ever eager to learn, he studied stage and film acting and taught at the "Nouveau Clown Institute-Barcelona." Today, Stefano splits his time between Portland, USA, and Europe. He leads team-building, experiential training and workshops, in a way that allows fun, laughter and discovery so that teams can boost creativity, bonding and over all well being. www.stefanoiaboni.com971-276-5109
info@stefanoiaboni.com
LinkedinInstagram
Known for his singing voice and impressions, Joey Gaynor is an actor, comedian and writer living in Los Angeles via Newark, New Jersey. After eight years on the road, Joey's break through came in the concert movie, "Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen" with Bill Hicks, Chris Rock and Tim Allen. A regular at the Comedy Store, Joey's performed with Richard Pryor, the Smother's Brothers, Sam Kinison, George Lopez, Billy Gardell and many many others. He's also appeared in the films "The Five Heartbeats", "All I Want For Christmas" with Leslie Nielson, the documentary "I am Sam Kinison" and the most popular episode of "Unsolved Mysteries" 'The Ghosts of the Comedy Store'. He's appeared on numerous sitcoms, "The Parenthood" with Robert Townsend and "Boy Meets World". He's also appeared on drama series like "ER" & "House MD". As a writer Joey wrote for the Tom Joyner Morning show and he co-wrote with Charles Kaufman the cult hit "Ferocious Female Freedom Fighters" and his recording of Frank Sinatra singing the theme from "The Addams Family" for Rhino Records is still is played on digital and terrestrial radio for over 35 years!
"After spending most of his life raising kids and working in the financial industry, Roland is spending the rest of the time here on earth focused on the Heart of the Fathers Foundation project. The foundation is focusedon helping grandparents to have an effective connection with their grandchildren. Just like FDR says, "We cannot alwaysbuild a future for our youth, but we can always build our youth for the future." Roland's favorite place to hangout is Facebook. Follow him at the Connection Grandpa Facebook group and join himin his journey to being a very effective grandpa. "
Join us as we chronicle the 2024 AATH Conference with first hand interviews, sounds from the actual conference and some opportunities to giggle and guffaw!
Hear from some of the keynote speakers, breakout rooms and takeaways from this year's conference!
We are unable to name all of the amazing folks that are on this, and we would like to thank all of the organizers for making this amazing conference happen!
Special thanks to INSYNC Photography and Design for their amazing photography! Our AV crew was also spectacular as usual!
For images and more info about the conference head to
https://www.aath.org/
https://www.facebook.com/healthyhumor
Ros Ben-Moshe is a Laughter, Wellbeing and Positivity author, academic and practitioner. She is Adjunct lecturer at the School of Public Health and Psychology at La Trobe University, Melbourne, where she coordinates the Australian-first Laughter, Resilience and Wellbeing online short course for professionals. Her latest book, The Laughter Effect – How to Build Joy, Resilience and Positivity in Your Life will be translated into 8 different languages. It follows her highly acclaimed first book, Laughing at cancer – How to Heal with Love, Laughter and Mindfulness. Ros is frequently sought after for her expert opinion on radio, TV and mainstream media. She has written for publications such as The Canberra Times, Huffington Post, and Wellbeing Magazine. More: https://ros-benmoshe.com
Richard Hawk
The Leading Expert on Making Safety FunIt’s rare to find someone who is both a safety professional and an entertaining speaker and trainer. Richard Hawk has been in the safety and health field for more than 30 years. He spent 15 of them as a safety professional in the nuclear industry and as a safety advisor on constructions projects. Richard’s background also includes theater, where he toured with acting companies and wrote a musical which was produced by Emerson College in Boston. His depth of knowledge and extensive experience make for content-rich, behavior-changing learning programs that are truly “fun.”
Safety ExpertRichard holds numerous safety and technical certifications from various organizations including the National Safety Council (NSC), the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), and The National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists (NRRPT). He stays on the leading edge of the safety industry through his interactions with thousands of leaders in hundreds of organizations in a wide array of industries. These include energy, manufacturing, chemical, construction, healthcare, technology, retail, food services, transportation, government, and education.
Safety Industry AuthorSince 1999, Richard’s bi-weekly Safety Stuff e-zine acts as a clearinghouse for the best ideas from thousands of safety professionals around the globe. He is the author of four popular books: Spice It Up! 52 Easy Ways Turn Your Safety Meetings From Bland to Grand, The Safety Leader’s Guide Book, Just Imagine!, and 250 Super Bright Safety Meeting and Promotional Ideas. His articles are regularly published in safety magazines, and he is a monthly columnist for the U.S. national safety magazine —Safety & Health.
Safety Speaker, Trainer, and CoachRichard has a talent for connecting with people from diverse backgrounds and industries. His experiences as a union and nonunion employee, manager, safety leader; and now successful business owner, give him the insight to relate to people at all levels, from new employees to CEOs, truck drivers to scholars.
He has been a featured speaker at international conventions for Fortune 500 companies’ safety leaders; he’s presented to engineers and plant managers in India and Dubai, Canadian CEO’s as well as Japanese technicians. He has been a popular keynote speaker three times at the NSC’s Annual Congress & Expo, the largest annual safety convention in North America.
Richard is an avid pool player and an accomplished musician and songwriter. He lives in Southern New Jersey with his wife, Jackie.
Email: richard@makesafetyfun.com
Website: https://www.makesafetyfun.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/makesafetyfun
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/makesafetyfun
safety #humor #funny # educational #Podcast #play
Gina Ramsey, based in Superior, WI, is passionate about making a difference through humor, inspiration, and connection. Her book, "Burnt Gloveboxes: Embracing Life When It Goes Up In Flames," humorously navigates life's unexpected moments. Celebrated for her on-demand singing impersonations and love of screaming rubber chickens, Gina infuses her presentations with memorable charm. Let’s go on a journey of blending humor, positivity, and actionable strategies for manifesting success and well-being.
LINKS:
Website: http://www.ginaramseyauthor.com
Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/ginaramseyauthor429
Mike Lukas grew up in Cleveland and was a successful internationally touring comedian and improvisor (NBC, Comedy Central, Second City, CBS Radio, A&E) for twenty-four years before he decided to hang up his clown shoes and give writing a full time go.
Now hammering his keyboard out of Dallas, Mike co-raises his two babies when he’s not pumping out sports blogs, short stories, novels, and non-fiction books that unlock the secrets of the universe.
Website: https://funnymuscle.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeLukas4
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mikelukas
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mike.Lukas4/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-lukas-writer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlukas1111/
Paul Osincup, CHP is a Keynote Speaker, Humor Strategist, and Past President of AATH. Paul's global mission for workplace happiness has provided him the opportunity to work with hundreds of organizations like the U.S. Airforce, Google, Discover, and the Harvard Kennedy School of Leadership. He's also the author of the forthcoming book The Humor Habit: Rewire Your Brain to Stress Less, Laugh More, and Achieve More'er which is available for preorder now and releases on April 23! Paul's work has been highlighted in the New York Times, Forbes, and on his mom's refrigerator. Preorder The Humor Habit now! Connect with Paul on: InstagramFacebookLinkedInXTikTok
Our New Year Episode is a repost of Adam Williams of the Live a Beautiful Life Podcast interviewing Katy BEE about Joy First Foundation.
https://www.liveabeautifullifepodcast.com/
photo by Nick Le
A place to explore the many paths that lead to living a beautiful life.
For more information on Joy First Foundation - head on over to https://www.joyfirst.org/
Adam is a musician and vocalist who created this podcast to study emotions in an in depth way with high empathy and understanding. His podcast covered subjects like death and dying, self-doubt, addiction and recovery, trauma recovery and more.
His new song Healing is out and can be found here:
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/dN-7ge0voro
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3hkulId6joIUevsb0ESeLE?si=78e8449d82164a12
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/healing/1606394176?i=1606394177
If you feel you need a healing, listen to the song!
His YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@adamwilliamsmusic9928?si=f9tNy-drj9bJiy7i
He has an amazing voice, and a deep interest in the human condition and connecting us.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamreedwilliams/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adamreedwilliams
In the name of FUN and PLAY we repost Jess Ruggieri from episode 47 with Chip Lutz, Enjoy!!
"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game." - Michael Jordan
Are you ready to have some fun? I am but, then again, I'm always up for having some fun. But did you know that fun can be functional in improving employee productivity and engagement?
This episode's guest, Jess Ruggieri, is the Director of Inclusion at the Fun Department and she specializes in helping organizations do just that...using play to enhance the culture and create places where people want to be. We talk about a lot of cool stuff in this episode but, more importantly after listening to it, you're going to walk away with some strategies you can employ RIGHT NOW to make a difference for you and your team.
This is our last episode of the calendar year. Thanks for being a great audience and please don't forget to register for the AATH conference, April 4-7th 2019 in Chicago Illinois. You'll get more information on how to use humor and meet cool people like Jess. Check us out at www.aath.org.
More on Jess....
Jess Ruggieri has found her place as the ambassador of inclusion at the fun dept., a training and coaching company driven by the implementation of "innovative solutions for a happier, healthier, more connected workplace.” Featured on various news and media outlets, the fun dept.’s clients range from Fortune 100 companies to those with as few as 10 employees and is partnered with Zappos’s training company, Delivering Happiness.
Jessica's history with the fun dept. goes back nine years when the founder, Nick Gianoulis, went out of his way to work from her coffee shop. “I simply wanted to create a fun and welcoming environment for both my staff and my customers,” she said. It took Jessica nine years to make a career jump. With her extensive experience in management, psychology, interpersonal communication, organizational processes, training & development, and having received her Master’s in Health Promotion and her certification as a Health & Fitness Coach, Jessica landed her dream job—utilizing her passions and skill sets to impact company culture.
“It is a simple and unique systematic approach where we teach companies how to design appropriate ‘play’ techniques to connect and de-stress employees.” Jessica and the fun dept. team have been “playing it forward” to improve work environments for customers, employees, and the bottom line!
Connect with her direct!
jess@thefundept.com
cell 302-383-9934
thefundept.com
@jdruggieri
www.linkedin.com/in/jdruggieri
Roberta is the 2023-2024 president of AATH! Hail to the Chief! LOL
Sign up for her free weekly newsletter, Laughter Rocks! at: www.laf4u.com
Roberta Gold is a Recreation Therapist and a Certified Humor Professional who founded Laughter for the Health of it in 1985 with one mission: To empower everyone to have a more positive outlook by seeing the humor instead of the horror in our world.
Roberta’s Background
Roberta Gold is a Recreation Therapist and uses humor therapeutically. Her proprietary program, Laughter for the Health of it has helped countless businesses, healthcare facilities, schools, organizations, and many others to realize that laughter truly can be the best medicine for whatever ails you, your colleagues, your associates, your family, your staff and your friends.
She is a Certified Humor Professional (CHP) with more than 30 years of experience as a keynote and breakout speaker, as well as a consultant which many have come to rely on, for her insight and instruction on how to invoke humor into personal or professional settings in order to improve communication. Roberta facilitates interactive staff retreats, and has served as a de facto conflict resolution assistant for dozens of organizations. Roberta is an advisor for the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor’s Humor Academy (www.aath.org).
Roberta also:
- Teaches classes for domestic violence survivors providing ways to laugh again.
- Custom tailors her presentations to the specific needs of each organization, such as:
- Life Is An Attitude
- Game Changing Tactics For Life Changing Moments
- The Family That Laughs Together Stays Together
- Humorizing Ways to Resolve Classroom Conflicts and Build Self Esteem
- Too Many Hot Peppers? Use Humor to Cool the Fire and Improve Communication
- Fear Factor Breakthrough: Using Humor to Face your Fears and Phobias
Roberta’s Writings
Her book:
- The Family that Laughs Together… A Quick Guide to Sanity When You Feel Like Screaming
- Laughter Rocks! Tips & Tools to Keep Your Cool and Have a More Positive Mindset
A published author of numerous articles and a contributing author in over 12 books including:
- The Power of Transformation: Reinventing Yourself
- The Community Book Project – 20/20 Vision
- Your Glasses Are on Top of Your Head: Tales of Life, Longevity and Laughter
See more books she is a contributor in on her author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/robertagold
To learn more about Roberta, or more importantly learn how to nurture your own “Humor Bone” contact us today.
Dave, an award winning film and television writer, cartoonist, author, musician and voice actor, has had his writing compared to the likes of Ray Bradbury and David Lynch and his cartoon work to that of Charles Schulz, one of Dave’s idols. As senior writer and head of cartoons at National Lampoon, he put out two best-selling cartoon collections while handling writing and cartooning for the flagship magazine. He was also involved with Comic Relief. His early work includes art for Tim Allen and Robert Wuhl’s HBO specials and, as cartoonist and writer for Tiger Beat's Superteen Magazine he created the popular cartoon Toon Groupies©. Dave’s character Snuggy Bear© was licensed for multiple brands including children’s eyewear by Crystal Clear Vision Group, selling out worldwide after a highly successful premiere in NYC at the International Vision Expo. Dave is also the creator of the popular Hackidu characters for Everybody Loves Raymond.
Dave has illustrated several popular children’s books including Bellaboo, the Purple Princess written by General Hospital star Nancy Lee Grahn and The Lemming Shepherds, distributed throughout China and Taiwan and is being adapted into a feature film. He illustrated and helped edit the book Full Frontal Tenudity from famed comedienne Judy Tenuta. Dave’s own book, Brain Explosion (Bear Manor Media Publishing), a collection of his cartoons and writings from his National Lampoon days has become a best-seller and is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Dave's kids show, Professor Creepy's Scream Party(c) had huge premieres at the 2013 Phoenix Comic Con and Son of Monsterpalooza convention in Burbank, CA. It has been receiving rave reviews and was written up in iconic Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine (April, 2013). Professor Creepy won the Bronze trophy at the 2014 International Independent Film Awards and was an official selection in the 2014 R.I.P. Horror Film Festival. The pilot was picked up for airing on the Monster Channel, August, 2017 and in 2018 was the top show on Roku's Around the World in 80 Screams, airing on 28 networks on Halloween. Dave’s documentary, From Cheesecake to Cheesecake: The Joy Harmon Story (WGAw), about the life of 1960's film/TV icon Joy Harmon, won the 2013 Hollywood & Vine Film Festival and was a top five finalist in the prestigious 2014 Taste Awards and won the Silver trophy at the 2014 International Independent Film Awards.
Dave’s sitcom pilot Against Type, starring Roland Kickinger (Terminator Salvation), Stephen Furst (Animal House) and ICarly's Jennette McCurdy, aired domestically in over forty US markets and was picked up for international distribution by the Global Broadcasting Company in Spring, 2010, CETV (Chinese Entertainment Television) and The Dish Network's Simply Kids channel in 2011. It was also a finalist in the 2015 Taste Awards. Dave is a successful infomercial writer/director in China and his voice work can be heard on the SyFy Channel films Path of Destruction and Lake Placid vs. Anaconda and in the animated series Alien House, co-starring Kim Possible’s Christy Carlson Romano and the new series Cozmo's. Dave was also a celebrity judge on ICN TV China’s top rated talent competition show, American Stars. He is in the classic rock documentary What is Classic Rock (2018) and entered his documentary Ask Me if I C.A.R.E. into festivals. In October, 2016, Dave's song, I am A Zombie, charted on kids syndicated radio network JenniRadio. In June, 2018, Dave's script for the short film, Selfie, was selected for the 2018 AT&T Create-A-Thon, beating out over 500 scripts to get into the finals. The film was shot at Warner Bros. In 2019, Dave played guitar on the single, Running, by actor Larry Thomas (Seinfeld's The Soup Nazi). Dave's weekly national horror radio show, Cemetery GoGo, began airing on WRSG 91.5 FM December 14th, 2019. In December, 2020, and was picked up in June, 2021 by WAKI FM radio. Dave's children's book, Bag Boy and Sweet Slob(c) was released by Headline Books Inc publishers and is now available worldwide on Amazon and wherever books are sold. In February, 2021, Bag Boy and Sweet Slob won the Reader's Favorite 5 Star Award and honorable mention at the 2021 San Francisco Book Festival in June. Against Type and Professor Creepy's Scream Party were picked up by Amazon Prime TV in December, 2020. In September, 2021, Bag Boy and Sweet Slob won the Bronze Medal at the 2021 International Book Awards sponsored by Readers' Favorite.
UPDATE: Dave's syndicated hit radio show, Cemetery GoGo(c), airs on radio stations around the country including WAKI Radio out of Anapolis, Maryland, Classic WJEG in West Virginia, WBNY 91.3 FM out of Buffalo, NY and WCMO 98.5 FM out of Marietta, Ohio. His hit Spotify podcast, Bitching with Bitchy the Clown(c), is on multiple platforms and is being adapted into a TV talk show. Brain Explosion is being adapted into a TV sketch comedy show. Dave's original songs, The Visitor and Elementary in the Cemetery (recorded by Bitchy the Clown) are included in the soundtrack of the indie horror movie, Slice, which premiered at the legendary Chinese Theatre in Hollywood November 16, 2022.
Other credits:
Wrote theme song for Special Olympics, which named several of their teams after Snuggy Bear©. His cartoon work is part of the Charles M. Schulz (Snoopy) museum in Santa Rosa, CA and the Haig Museum of Cartoons in New York. Former song writing partner of the late Albert Hague (Fame, How the Grinch Stole Christmas). A direct descendent of Vlad the Impaler (inspiration for Dracula). An avid golfer, Dave has been sponsored by Roger Dunn Golf Shops. On the board of the prestigious Environment of People Foundation. Coached basketball with legendary UCLA coach Jim Harrick and former LA Lakers and Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy.
website and more info:
https://psychedelia1.wixsite.com/snuggybear
Katy has always used humor to diffuse stress and anxiety of patients but was intrigued to learn more of the practice of Laughter Yoga when her work started an Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. She traveled three hours to participate in several programs before taking the leap into becoming a Laughter Leader, and then after a few years to become a Laughter Teacher. Katy is known as the Laughing Nurse. With a quick wit that creates laughter, patients and staff feel welcomed and engaged in their own journey. With a magnetic, captivating and high spirited style, participants after a session comment on how they feel calm but energized through the use of this Mirthful Medicine.
Katy believes in education and that stress management is important as stress is a risk factor for job satisfaction. Working in healthcare has always been stressful but since COVID started it has elevated the stress and disconnect to new levels never seen before. For this reason, healthcare teams are currently at high risk and needing tools in order to survive these trying times.
Laughter is a simple and fun tool for reconnecting teams, reenergizing staff, and reducing stress for health professionals in the workplace. Three separate studies have shown that regular laughter sessions increased Workplace Wellbeing by connecting people. It increases oxygen in our lungs by 25% which when distributed to the body cells improves energy levels and also to the brain which helps us think more effectively. And a 45 minute session of Laughter Yoga decreased participants' stress by up to 65%. A Sgori study on using comedy to make participants laugh and be happy showed that they work more productively due to improved morale.
Katy Maag BSN, RN, CCRP is a Registered Nurse in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit where she assists heart patients in stress management and heart health education. She is a Stress Management Coach, Laughter Therapist and Teacher, a Member of the American College of Cardiology, American Association of Cardiac Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and active in advocating for Heart Health and Mental Health for healthcare teams and patients at a national level. She has been nominated as a Nurse of Hope and presented several times for The Ohio American Association of Cardiac Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
https://www.kmwellnessconsulting.com/
“We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.” —Joseph Campbell
Steve Wilson returns to LaughBox with Katy BEE and Jim-Bob Williams to talk about the inception and history of laughter clubs and what “Good Hearted Living” can do for us with six practices!
Since its inception, World Laughter Tour has been recognized as a significant global influence in the practical applications of laughter and humor for health and world peace. Steve Wilson is a very popular and talented Certified Speaking Professional, experienced educator of mental health professionals, member of key professional organizations such as Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH), International Society for Humor Studies (ISHS), and the American Humor Studies Association (AHSA), as well as having been the 2010 recipient of the Doug Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award, and Rire d’Or Golden Laughter Award in 2007 from the French School of Laughter and Well-Being.
He still maintains a very active presence in WLT and will often answer phone calls and inquiries, as well as making himself available to trainees, attendees, the media, or other interested parties who wish to speak with him personally.
Connect with him at: www.worldlaughtertour.com
Megan Bendtzen is the CEO and Founder of TheDoctorofFun.com. A former Fortune 100 Work Zombie 😆, she walked away from her 25-year corporate career to bring new life to the world she left when she discovered the Prescription for Happiness and the Cure for the Common Life!
Megan’s mission is to help individuals and organizations inject more fun into their lives and work so they are more engaged, energized and happier! Using her unique P.L.A.Y. to Win Approach, she teaches how to use Fun as a professional tool to increase productivity, profitability and improve overall mental wellness.
She is a Speaker, Consultant and Fun Specialist inspiring audiences to get serious about fun! She is the Creator and Host of a groundbreaking Personal Development Game Show, the first virtual show of its kind to feature a live virtual studio audience, while uniquely integrating Neuroscience and Funology in designing the games to improve mental health and wellness for the players AND the viewers! Her program, “Get in the Game Show” has gained national recognition and is featured as a recurring segment on ABC reaching millions of viewers.
Megan has studied Communication, Leadership, Personal Development, and Relationships for over 20 years and has worked with thousands of people successfully delivering countless impactful seminars to an array of esteemed clients including recognized industry leaders.
Her work has been featured on ABC, NBC, Fox, iHeart Radio, The List TV Show, The Unstoppable Female Entrepreneur Summit and many other media outlets and podcasts, showcasing her ability to bring positive change through the transformative power of fun.
Your free entry into Megan's FUNSHOP! https://thedoctoroffun.mykajabi.com/funshop
Website: TheDoctorofFun.com
Follow her on social media!
LinkedIn Tik Tok YouTube Instagram Facebook
Allen Klein is a Jollytologist® and “Ambassador of Light” who shows audience’s worldwide how to use humor and positivity to deal with life’s not-so-funny stuff.
He is a TEDx presenter on the power of intention and the author of over 30 books including the best-selling book, The Healing Power of Humor, as well as Embracing Life After Loss, and The AWE Factor, which SpiritualityandPractice.com called “One of the Best Spiritual Books” the year it was published.
(https://www.allenklein.com/books.htm)
Comedian Jerry Lewis has said that Klein is “a noble and vital force watching over the human condition.” More information about Klein can be found at www.allenklein.com
Nancy Norton is an award winning comedian and keynote speaker who
presents "The Power of Humor"
She is the first woman to win the Boston Comedy Festival, then the very
next year, placed first in the Seattle International Comedy Competition,
the first woman to win that since 1985 and then, for Humility, placed
3rd in South Dakota. (LOL)
She is a former Nurse who now heals with humor, her new Podcast:
Tromedy, spelled TROMEDY. (I like to spell it for obvious reasons)...is
Transmuting Trauma using Comedy.
Find Tromedy online wherever you find your podcast.
https://open.spotify.com/show/749BXG5Z0uWTQjsJIi35Kd
No Matter What, Keep Laughing!
Nancy Norton
Stay AWAY from Home Mom
NEW DRY BAR Comedy Special - SUPER DORK
2021 Best of the Fest Show with Jay Leno at The Burbank Comedy Festival
2019 Champion of the Seattle International Comedy Competition
2018 Winner of the Boston Comedy Festival FIRST WOMAN TO EVER WIN IT!
2016 Grand Slam Storytelling Champion of Truth Be Told
www.nancynorton.tv
nancy@nancynorton.tv
Phone: 303-803-8824
Standup Comedian for Clubs and Corporations with over twenty years
Headlining experience
Professional Speaker: The Power of Humor Laugh and Grow Rich
Enjoy the many benefits of Humor for business, stress management and
health enhancement... WHILE learning and laughing
Team Building Improv workshops
May You Be in the Present Moment...for Now.
Tim is a firefighter and a curator of side jobs. From operating a Paleo bakery to implementing an electric powered, residential landscaping company, there are a lot of things he has said, "Yes, and!" to.
Adding something is important to him, so is his passion to expand access to improv comedy and improvisational creativity. He is currently performing with Daniel Lee White's Bring Your Own Improv in Warwick, RI. This performance group allows volunteers in their short form games. Come and Play! https://bringyourownimprov.com/ Another project is an Instagram account called Potato Based Economy. Subjects like economics, industry, nutrition, community, and more, are explored through the lens of the potato. Also, food. https://instagram.com/potatobasedeconomy?utm_source=qr&igshid=NGExMmI2YTkyZg%3D%3D Tim thanks you for reading this, and hopes that you get a chance to care for yourself today. You are a resilient human being, and thank you for the hard work that you do! For more information on Tim's current projects check out his Medium profile at timothykillilea.medium.com and at Instagram @timothykillilea Cheers!
This episode, we revive the Chip Lutz interview with the one and only Allen Klein! Yes, Allen, Jim-Bob and I would love to do a follow up interview with you! Meanwhile, enjoy this vintage episode one more time!
Go back in time in this episode to the humble beginnings of Chip Lutz as he just started the Laughbox Podcast.
Enjoy the intro, and the deep velvet voice of Chip as he interviews Allen Klein.
Allen Klein!? Yes! This week I got to talk the THE Allen Klein, CSP and AATH Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. Allen is (what I consider) a humor pioneer. His classic book, The Healing Power of Humor, has been a staple for anyone interested in humor as a study for the past 30 years. It was that book and Allen himself, that first brought me to AATH. In this episode we talk about how Allen first got interested in humor and how his application of humor has evolved over the years. We share some laughs and strategies that can be used right now for YOU to make a difference in your own life using humor. A little more about Allen…. Allen Klein, MA, CSP* (aka "Mr. Jollytologist®") is an award-winning professional keynote speaker and best-selling authorwho shows audiences worldwide how humor can help them deal with everyday trials and tribulations as well as triumphing over tragedy.
Klein's books have been published in eight different languages (English, Spanish, Danish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Hungarian, and Turkish) with over 500,000 in print. Make sure you check out more about Allen at http://www.allenklein.com/.
For a complementary Humor Journal with ten humor prompts to help recognize the fun and funny in daily life so that you can grow your humor muscle and experience more joy, go to https://joy.funandfunnier.com
website: https://bonitajoyyoder.com https://www.facebook.com/bonita.yoder.5 https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonitajoy/
youtube handle : @bonitajoy full youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/@bonitajoy https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN_Ypu7rOnkzEPIKrWaUs8w Instagram handle: @iambonitajoy https://www.instagram.com/iambonitajoy/ Bonita Joy's vision is for people to experience moments of joy in their work, relationships and daily lives regardless of their circumstances. A“recovering attorney" turned conference weaver, she emcees events along with her ventriloquist puppet friends to enliven events so that attendees are engaged and have fun. She is also a Company Culture Crasher who helps businesses bring more humor into their culture.
Bonita Joy is the author of the forthcoming book: Tickle Their Funny Bone: Use Humor to Leverage Your Presentations.
You can reach Bonita Joy at: BonitaJoySpeaker@gmail.com or call her at (785) 550-4944
Helloooo, I am Lynn Perreault, Ph.D., Founder of Laughter Business Academy (2010), Positive Business/Community/Health/Social Psychologist (2005), Qualified Uppiness Trainer (2022), Certified Laughter Yoga Leader & Teacher (2008), and Applied Improvisation Practitioner (1990). My mission is to raise the economy for laughter, humour and improv practitioners all around the globe.
Laughter Business Academy is an online business incubator and accelerator for therapeutic humourists, applied improv trainers, happiness consultants, freelance humourists, and laughterpreneurs who want to make a good 6-figure living. Since 2010, our programs have helped thousands of clients in 20 countries.
How to make money as a humour or laughter professional: https://www.laughterbusinessacademy.com/moneyflow-intro
Connect with me: https://linktr.ee/lynnperreault Book a meeting with me if you want help with how to make $10,000 at a time in your work! Book here: https://calendly.com/laughterbusinessacademy/15min or reach out by email: dr.lynnperreault@gmail.com.
Bobby Benavides has been doing comedy for several years in West Virginia. He has a wife and four kids, all of which, he practices his material on, regularly. When he isn’t doing comedy he is an air guitar enthusiast. He mainly specializes in slow jams, and will perform at weddings. He enjoys reading a good book, and drinking great coffee, but has settled for books about bears who live in a tree house, and instant coffee, as of late.
https://bobbybcomedy.com/
https://www.facebook.com/bobbythoughts
https://www.instagram.com/bobbybcomedy
https://twitter.com/thebobbybcomedy
https://www.youtube.com/@BobbyBComedy
https://www.tiktok.com/@bobbybcomedy
Email:
thebobbybcomedy@gmail.com
Merch:
https://bobbybcomedy.square.site/
Bobby's Podcast:
Taking Up Your Time with Bobby Benavides
Comedy podcast
Frank began his media career in writing and production at SNL. He's won 30+ awards for writing/producing comedy videos for HBO, Showtime, CBS, PBS, Comedy Central and more. He launched the world’s first mobile comedy channel, featured on the front pages of Forbes, the LA Times, and in the Wall Street Journal and the NY Times. Former Adjunct Professor in Web Video at USC, UCLA and Chapman University. Certified Humor Professional through the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor.
https://www.laughmd.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/laughmd/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054551585386
Doug Fletcher Lifetime Achievement AwardWe reposted the very first Laughbox episode to honor Chip Lutz as the recipient of the lifetime achievement award in 2023
Thank you, Chip!
Are you wondering about AATH? This is a brief descriptive episode about the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor and the pilot episode of Laughbox!
The Doug Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to either a member or non-member in recognition of his or her
- Dedication and service to AATH, and/or
- A significant contribution to the understanding and application of humor and/or laughter over an entire career with a definable body of work through one or more of the following: speaking, teaching/training, research, publications, and professional practice.
Stay Tuned for new episodes starting in June!
Sending a big thank you to all the organizers of the 2023 conference in Mesa, Arizona! What an amazing experience!
https://www.aath.org/
If you have ideas about how we can fund this podcast, please send an email to:
info@aath.org
Join Jim-Bob Williams and Katy BEE as they chronicle the 2023 AATH Conference with first hand interviews, sounds from the actual conference and some opportunities to giggle and guffaw!
Hear about some of the keynote speakers, breakout rooms and takeaways from this year's conference!
For images and more info about the conference head to
https://www.aath.org/
https://www.facebook.com/healthyhumor
Carla H Brown is a dynamic force for laughter, levity and joy on the planet! A self-proclaimed, recovering serious person, Carla chose to seek out more joy, after experiencing an auto-immune illness, which left her temporarily paralyzed. This slowing down gave her the opportunity to be fully present with the fear, worry, self-hatred and suffering going on in her mind, affecting her body. The experience gave her a passion and joy for living life to its fullest, knowing that life can turn on a dime.
The intention of her company, Living From Joy Coaching and Training, is to offer practices and tools to cultivate more joy in the body and less fear.
Through her grief counseling, she offers opportunities to welcome the disowned parts of oneself that become emotionally abandoned and rejected, through the hardships of life.
She calls this Emotional Hygiene, encouraging her students and clients to meet the cast out parts, tend to the grief, embrace the darkness and step into greater embodiment of love and joy, while releasing the habit of fear.
As a joy coach, grief counselor, health advocate and transformational teacher, Carla offers therapeutic, dynamic and fun in-person and online events, trainings and workshops, focusing on cultivating more joy, authenticity and connection within.
Her recent claim to fame was winning the 2022 American Laughing Championship, and coming in 4th place in the world! She facilitates weekly online laughter classes, GriefYoga®, and the popular Joy Reboot, as well as working with clients one-on-one to liberate fear and embody more joy.
Her next class series, due out later this summer, offers group support for those going through health challenges, to cultivate more joy and resiliency. Her infectious laughter and humorous spin on life’s transitions will leave you giggling with delight!
https://www.facebook.com/carlajoygirl
https://www.instagram.com/laughterjoycoach/
https://livingfromjoy.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUrKyn8DnetRfQgAueGHwOA/videos
https://linktr.ee/laughterjoycoach
Robin Phoenix Johnson
President, HEAL*ARIOUS, Founder Best Medicine Brigade
After more than 20 years of military service, Lieutenant Colonel Robin Johnson, USA, Ret., discovered her new mission in improving people, organizations, and communities with humor.
- Level II Certified Humor Professional (Association for the Applied & Therapeutic Use of Humor
- Comedy Bootcamp Instructor, Armed Services Arts Partnership
- Volunteer at Charleston VA Hospital
- HEAL*ARIOUS programs facilitator
- Stand-up Comedian/Voted Best Charleston Comic 2022
- Motivational Speaker
- CEO, Best Medicine Brigade
- Executive Producer
- Manager for Ashley Gutermuth
https://healarious.org/
https://bestmedicinebrigade.com/
https://www.facebook.com/bestmedicinebrigade/
https://www.instagram.com/bestmedicinebrigade/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-johnson790/
Izzy Gesell is an “organizational alchemist” who helps people navigate their internal logjams
and emerge more confident, spontaneous and effective. Through keynotes, workshops and
coaching sessions, Izzy delivers meaningful material in an enjoyable way. His unique
approach to personal and organizational development is rooted at the intersection of Improv,
Facilitation and Coaching.
Among the first to use Improv Theater concepts as tools for personal and organizational
learning, he is the author of “Playing Along: Group Learning Activities Borrowed From
Improvisation Theater,” Instructional Moments: Facilitating with Applied Improv The
Resilient Caregiver: A Path to Manage Stress & Change Through Humor & Play & a co-
author of Humor Me: America’s Funniest Humorists on the Power of Laughter,
His video course for LinkedIn Learning, “Leading With Applied Improv,” was their first on the
topic and their first shot as a live-action workshop. His other LinkedIn courses are “Humor in
the Workplace” and “Building Your Team.”
Izzy has earned the CSP (Certifed Speaking Professional) designation from National
Speakers Association. Less than 15% of NSA 4,000 members are CSPs. He also has a BA in
Psychology, an MS in Education and a P…. that’s 1/3 of a PhD.
Offer for Listeners: Use coupon code 15offreads for 15% off any book in my shop:
Let’s Connect!
Linkedin Izzy Gesell
Facebook IzzyG & Co
Twitter: @improvizzy
This episode is a flashmob game show starring Mary Kay and Don Morrison and members of the Humor Academy and graduate Certified Humor Professionals.
Mary Kay Morrison - Founder
Jim-Bob Williams - CHP
Katy BEE - Level 1
Don Morrison - Level 2
Fatima Ahmed - Level 1 and Peace Scholar
Roberta Gold - CHP and Advisor
Kyle Edgell - CHP
Cathy Grippi - CHP and Recruitment
Mary Jo Neil - Level 2
Joy Baldoz - Level 3
Colleen Cook - CHP
Bea Bincze - Level 1
Florence Ditlow - New Candidate
Roland Thompson - New Candidate
Amy Standridge - Level 2 - helping with advertising
At the Humor Academy, you’ll take a deep dive into all things humor with an inclusive and supportive cohort of professionals, and you’ll learn from some of the finest experts and comprehensive texts in the field. The Humor Academy uses a collaborative learning environment with participants representing a variety of occupations including (but not limited to) health and wellness, business, education, mental health, spirituality, performance, writing, speaking, and training.
The Humor Academy is a one-of-a kind, three-year, college-level program focused on the science, benefits, and application of humor. Each level of the Humor Academy lasts one year, and those who complete all three years earn the distinction of Certified Humor Professional (CHP). Continuing education credits are available through the Humor Academy, as well.
What’s it like?At each level, you’ll:
- Attend the 1-day Humor Academy pre-conference meeting and the 3-day AATH conference
- Participate in at least 8 video meetings with your cohort over the course of the year
- Complete other assigned work, based on the syllabus
You’ll also complete various readings, and at Level III, you’ll get to participate in monthly calls with global humor thought leaders. You’ll enhance your knowledge, refine your humor skillset, and can even get funnier! At each level, you’ll focus on a central theme:
- Level I: Study of the theory and application of humor
- Level II: Develop and execute a humor project - check out recent projects here
- Level III: Demonstrate leadership in the field of applied and therapeutic humor
Kate McGlynn, aka Katy BEE is a first year Humor Academy student with AATH and the founder of a new Non-profit Joy First Foundation - https://www.joyfirst.org/ - which is dedicated to bringing, evoking, creating, and offering joy to all living beings. Joyful Moments are online and in-person spontaneous moments appreciating and being grateful to others with standing ovations, surveys, gifts, like noses, kazoos, awards, certificates, and more. Joy FIrst also offers donated clown visits to organizations supporting families, and kids in need, like senior centers, shelters, police stations, veterans services, and random people because EVERYONE needs a Moment of Joy. The Tour of Joy is ongoing and you can support the tour as spontaneous moments are being offered from her trailer, on the road, or with Joy Ambassadors. You can also be a host, or a joy ambassador and collaborate with Joy First Foundation. She also offers Laughter Yoga, Juggling and Hula Hoop Shows, Joy Coaching and more!
Scroll down for all the Joy First Links to Follow
Cathy Grippi - Joy Ambassador - Laughter Yogi https://laughteryogavenice.com/I am living proof that the application of applied and therapeutic humor can help to heal the mind, body and soul!At the age of 60, while feeling depressed, physically unwell and living in a new state, I needed to find ways to be of service and to find joy - seemingly an impossible situation to change having a negative mind set.And then I found Laughter Yoga!
Olivia Vo - Joy Ambassador - Laughter Yogi and Social Strategisthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviavo-savvysocialpro/https://www.youtube.com/@oliviasavvyproAlso in the first year Humor Academy! I am a 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐯𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭 for Heart-Centered Creative Entrepreneurs I enjoy working with established business owners to enhance their online presence to increase their social currency, "𝐑𝐎𝐈 𝐨𝐫 𝑹𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆" in their respective communities.JOY FIRST FOUNDATION LINKSFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoyFirstFoundation/Twitter: https://twitter.com/makejoyfirstInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyfirstfoundation/Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joyfirstfoundationYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@joyfirstfoundationPaypal donation link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=XG4FTEZUKTZXWVenmo donation link: https://account.venmo.com/u/KateMcGlynnEMAIL: info@joyfirst.org OR katy@katybeellc.com
Forget flying, invisibility or teleportation – the best superpower to covet is humor. Jennifer Keith’s superpower has been and always will be humor – in many forms.
As a certified Humor Professional and current president of the international Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, Jennifer discovered the brain remembers two things – trauma and humor. Using her G.R.I.T. method of using humor to process trauma and loss, Jennifer finds ways to fix the funny bone and find the funny faster when surrounded by disappointing and upsetting events. If your brain is remembering the difficult times anyway, why not cushion them with a little bit of light, levity, and laughter?
Jennifer has degrees in English, journalism, theatre, technology, and educational leadership, proving that she doesn’t want to nor should any of us grow up or stop learning. This published author and newly-TEDx’d speaker encourages you to take funny bone breaks – integrating humor into daily life, career, and family situations which can transform situations from barely tolerable to memorably positive.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferjkeith/
https://www.facebook.com/jenniferjkeithauthor/
Fixingthefunnybone.com
Jenniferjkeith.com
Daughter - E.G. Keith - age 12, author of Havoc and Serenity in The Magics series
egkeith.com
Reverend Artist Barbara Ann Michaels. Jester of the Peace, is a clown theater performance artist and Ordained Interfaith Minister. Her mission is to put humor, art and love back in the medicine cabinet for generations to come. She founded an online town for humor and wellness including House of Holy Humor, the non-religious congregation for humor for wellbeing, Humor Arts Museum, for uplifting humorous art in all media, the It's Funny Now Library, a global video story bank of true tales were hard when they were happening, yet are funny to the tellers now, the Love Letter Lounge Post Office and more to come. She has been an audience-interactive performing artist for over 30 years, presenting and educating at the nexus of humor, art and love at most places people gather for a good purpose: Museums, Universities, Galleries, Galas, Festivals, Trade Shows, Conferences, Theaters and in the Streets - around the world. She also is an award winning wedding officiant, performing over 550 ceremonies for creative couples. She is a graduate of Brown University, Massachusetts College of Art, and One Spirit Interfaith Seminary. At the time of this recording, House of Holy Humor is in residence through Chashama at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City, uplifting commuters with positive participatory arts experiences, Humor Arts Museum is going into its fourth online show, on contemporary humorous sculpture and photography, and It's Funny Now is being studied at Lahore Leads University in Pakistan, with story sharing programs launching with Let The Girl Be in Uganda, and high schools in New York, USA. Join at http://JesterOfThePeace.com Contact: Barbara@JesterOfThePeace.com Jester of the PeaceIG: https://www.instagram.com/jesterofthepeace/FB: https://www.facebook.com/JesterOfThePeaceLI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesterofthepeace/TW: https://twitter.com/JesterOfPeace House of Holy Humor:IG: https://www.instagram.com/HouseOfHolyHumorFB: https://www.facebook.com/HouseOfHolyHumor Humor Arts Museum:IG: https://www.instagram.com/humorartsmuseum/FB: https://www.facebook.com/HumorArtsMuseumLI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humor-arts-museumTW: https://twitter.com/HumorArtsMuseum
Dr. Lois Holzman and her East Side Institute colleagues and associates bring human and community development to the forefront of culture and social change through grassroots, performance activism worldwide. Trained as a developmental psychologist at Columbia and Rockefeller Universities, Lois is a leading proponent of a social therapeutic psychology of becoming —which she’s dubbed “non-knowing growing.” She has written 8 books, including Performing Psychology: A Postmodern Culture of the Mind and The Overweight Brain: How Our Obsession with Knowing Keeps Us from Getting Smart Enough to Make a Better World. Her most recent project is a “different kind of advice column,” she calls “Dear Developmentalist.” She invites letters from all feeling stuck, stymied and wanting to grow.
LoisHolzman.org
LoisHolzman.org/the-developmentalist/
EastSideInstitute.org
TheDevelopmentalist
LoisHolzman
PerformanceActivism
SocialTherapeutics
The Lead with Levity Podcast shows leaders (like you!) how to create space for humanity in business so you can have a fun, safe, and supportive company that people love.
If you want to create the kind of work environment that your team can get excited about, where people feel valued and connected, then this is the show for you.
Dr. Walker has dedicated her career to helping organizations revamp their cultures to improve morale, productivity and profit. After doing this work for 10+ years, she noticed a core cultural differentiator in organizations that truly thrived…. Levity—those moments in the day that are uplifting.
Now, she works to instill levity in every organization. With the help of the Lead with Levity team, Dr. Walker will help you build a magnetic culture that people love with the REVEAL|EMPOWER approach. Our approach will help you REVEAL hidden stressors and opportunity zones in order to EMPOWER your people to thrive personally and professionally.
https://leadwithlevity.com/
AATH's Sue Stevenson returns to the Laughbox podcast with a new book! Sue is a certified brain-based coach working with decision-makers, C-suite executives, professionals, solopreneurs, speakers, and coaches. She uses a varied and effective neuroscience-based skill set, that includes positive intelligence, applied and therapeutic humor, social learning, and peak performance strategies.Sue is best known for facilitating learning and positive change through brain-based coaching and consulting by utilizing the latest research in neuroscience, strategic humor management, and positive psychology to help leaders realize their full potential and success.Her new book: "Impossible to Possible: Neurostrategies for Healing, Humor, and a Reimagined Life," describes her personal journey for success. Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/eJbhXb5
Sue serves as an Ambassador for The Academy of Brain Health and Performance (Harvard) and she has achieved an International Coaching Federation (ICF) Credential as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC).She also serves on the board for The Invisible Disabilities Association and The Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor and is a Certified Humor Professional.She is also the co-founder of The San Diego Brain Club, which is now in its 13th year. Buy her book on Amazon! https://a.co/d/eJbhXb5Listen to Episode 31 with Sue here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-xi3ap-864f4eSue Stevenson, B.ED, FCIPD, PCC, RPCCCEO/Founder, Lifted Fog LLCGlobal Executive Coach, Brain-Based Facilitator, and Consultant858 344 4632www.liftedfog.com
Based out of Chicago, Raghu has been making people laugh all over the country since 2010 with his saucy comedy. He shamelessly shares the humorous side of the various roles he plays as a husband, father and son. From being an Indian American to all the nuances ( or pile on) that life brings he leaves no stone unturned. He also recently taped his first comedy special with Dry Bar Comedy. Upcoming shows:12/15 - 12 Comics of SNF - 8:00 pm Free ShowTwo Brothers Roundhouse 205 N. Broadway Aurora, IL 12/22 - Big break Comedy Holiday Club - 8:00 pm Free show 4000 N. Sheridan Rd. Chicago, IL 12/23 - Digs on Canal - 7:00 pm 316 Canal St Lemon, ILGet tickets and more info here - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/473720850817 Comedy special:https://www.drybarcomedy.com/raghua
Michael Kerr is a Canadian Hall of Fame speaker who travels the world researching, writing, and speaking about inspiring workplace cultures and businesses that leverage their humor resources to create outrageous results. He is also the author of eight books including The Jerk-Free Workplace: How You Can Take the Lead to Create a Happier, More Inspiring Workplace and The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses Are Laughing All the Way to the Bank. You can sign up for Michael’s weekly newsletter Inspiring Workplace at www.MikeKerr.com.
Inspiring Workplaces YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeaRB1AE5C_RWBjK87wwRYg
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkerr3/
Kathy Laurenhue heads Wiser Now, Inc., a multi-media publishing and staff development company focused on wellbeing in aging that aims to be practical and lighthearted in everything it produces, including her award-winning e-newsletter, Wiser Now Wednesday. Wiser Now also provides dozens of online courses, webinars, and other services to a variety of clients in the U.S. and, in the past, Australia. Her brain-stimulating writing includes more than a thousand trivia quizzes, word games, discussion topics, and imaginative/ reminiscence exercises that are available in both downloadable print and themed slide show formats. She is the author of five books, including, Creating Delight – Connecting Gratitude, Humor, and Play, which essentially sums up her life and work goals. Learn more at www.WiserNow.com or email Kathy@WiserNow.com
Trained as an actress and theatrical director, Marian has spent over 30 years designing and delivering playful social therapeutic workshops and programs.
An accomplished improvisational actor, Marian has performed improv comedy with This is Your Ridiculous Life and The Proverbial Loons, stand-up comedy at Caroline’s Comedy Club (NYC), and traveled to Central America exploring humanitarian clowning with her clown mentor, Dr. Patch Adams. A lifelong community organizer, and longtime builder of the nonprofit All Stars Project, Marian has taught improvisation to non-actors of all ages from the poor communities of color at the All Star’s free university-style school in New York City. She is a co-founder and Artistic Associate of the Castillo Theatre.
As a faculty member of the East Side Institute, her joyful and philosophical sessions during International Class residencies have impacted activists, educators and scholars from around the world who are looking for ways to infuse their work with the power of performance.
She is the co-author (with Carrie Lobman) of “Playing Around with Changing the World,” a chapter about this work in The Applied Improvisation Mindset, Bloomsbury Press (2021).
Her website: https://www.marianrich.com
Her next workshop - Collage Play: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/collage-play-tickets-429349735617
Info about Nippy Bottoms Is Not Going Back to Normal: https://www.marianrich.com/blog/nippy-bottoms
The East Side Institute International Class https://eastsideinstitute.org/study/international-class/
The Global Play Brigade
https://www.globalplaybrigade.org/
AATH Interviews Naomi Shafer of Clowns Without Borders
Where other resources are scarce, Clowns Without Borders makes laughter abundant. These professional clowns and circus artists perform in refugee camps, conflict zones, and sites of natural disaster.
Read our take on if Laughter is the Best Medicine (https://clownswithoutborders.org/is-laughter-the-best-medicine-these-clowns-say-absolutely/
Visit our website to learn more about the transformative power of play. https://clownswithoutborders.org/
Take our Laughter Challenge to experience for yourself why laughing matters
Follow along Facebook https://www.facebook.com/clownswithoutborders.usa
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/clownswithoutborders/?hl=en
Of coure, you can give the giggles to a child fleeing from war by making a donation
Better yet, make it a habit by joining the Joymaker's Club. https://clownswithoutborders.kindful.com/?campaign=1207434
Link for the laughter challenge:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/RXudxI8/laughterchallenge
Introducing the CHIN group, Creative Humorists Inspiring Noodling. These are a bunch of AATH members of all levels joining together as a result of wanting to connect creatives, humor, and community! Listen as they describe the feeling of an AATH conference, discuss their experience in the Humor Academy, try and come up with ways to solve problems with humor, and just laugh and have fun. Giggle with the CHINS!
Dick Hardwick, Corporate Comedian, and Clean Comedy! He has won the Gong Show twice, was a Star Search winner for one week and he talks with us about his history as an entertainer. Discussing his experience with such legends as Jerry Van Dyke, Jimmy Buffet, Reba McEntire, performing with Disney and at the Grand Ole Opry! Have a laugh and have a listen!
Serhiy Velichanskyi is a Ukrainian professional improviser and started Improversity as a way to help ESL teachers use improv and humor in teaching English. His plans were interrupted by the invasion of Ukraine. Here he discusses how to improvise with war and find humor in difficult situations. Katy BEE and Jim-Bob are very grateful for this interview and learned some Ukrainian language in the process!
Follow the link to learn more about Improversity! https://improversity.org/
Jim-Bob Williams and Katy BEE interview Dutch Martin this month about his history as a comedian and all of his other amazing talents. Dutch Martin is in year 2 of the Humor Academy and started out running! He has studied improv, and taken many stand up classes and even added some humor to his yoga classes! He is a talented DOD professional in Northern Virginia, as well as a licensed hypnotist, yoga instructor, NLP practitioner (almost) and a great stand up comedian with an international way of looking at life.
For the past five years or so, Chip Lutz has driven the AATH into some amazing places, as past president, founder of the Humor Round Up and the man who made this Laughbox Podcast! In this episode he hands off the reigns of this glorious audio experience to Jim-Bob Williams and Katy BEE.
Chip Lutz, who is he? Well, we stole this directly from his website (link below). Listen as he describes his next life steps during this podcast!
Who is this Guy? Lieutenant Commander Chip Lutz, USN(Ret), MSEd, CSP, is the President and founder of Unconventional Leader, LLC and has 30 years of solid leadership experience. A retired Navy Officer, he has had two command tours and also served as the Director of Security for Naval District Washington, DC during September 11th 2001. In that capacity, he was responsible for the safety and security of 25,000 people on 6 different Naval Installations in the National Capital Region during one of our Nations most trying times.
A seasoned educator and trainer, he is currently adjunct faculty for two different universities and has taught over 20 different classes in leadership, management, human resource development, and organizational behavior. He is the author of 5 books, is the father of 4 children, has 2 grandchildren, is the youngest of 6 children and remains, to this day, his mother’s favorite child.
Having spoken professionally full time since his retirement from the Navy, Chip has travelled all over the United States, sharing his message of leading unconventionally to organizations, associations, and military units. One of his favorite engagements was when he had the privilege of speaking to the team members at Sargento Foods (because he got a cheese gift basket).
Chip is a leader who has been there, done that, and has the uniform to prove it! He works with leaders who WANT to lead better, get more done, and leave a legacy. He is where theory meets application.
“If you want others to follow…GO FIRST!” -Chip Lutz
https://www.unconventionalleader.com/
Jim-Bob Williams
Hi, I’m Jim-Bob Williams. Executive Humor Advisor at Jimusho LLC
Jimusho = Japanese word often used for office, especially a talent office. I’m kind of a one-man show and Jimusho LLC allows me to use those skills professionally.
I try to build bridges between people and between organizations. If you came to my house you would find prints of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Wheeling suspension bridge, and the I-64 bridges over the Kanawha River in Charleston WV.
https://jimushollc.com/
Katy BEE - Clown, Life Coach, Play Specialist, Humor Academy Noobie, Improvisational Pro, and Aspiring Funny Person - And Jane of All Things Joyful
Katy BEE is so excited to join the American Association of Therapeutic Humor as a multi-lingual, heartfelt, performance activist, presenter, public speaker, video creator, avid traveler, and joy facilitator, with a background of experiences ranging from traditional acting to professional clown, circus artist, mime, and improviser.
She is seriously interested in the benefits of humor for survivors of trauma, team building, facilitation, and creating safe spaces for expression and collaboration in any language for all ages.
In case you didn’t know, She’s a certified Laughter Yoga Practitioner, Life Coach, Neurolinguistic Programming Coach, Aerial Yoga Instructor, Social Media Marketer, has a BFA in Performance Art, and soon to be a certified yoga instructor.
She just graduated from the "International Class" with the East Side Institute out of NYC and creates with The Global Play Brigade, and Clowns of America International. She also is working with the Purpose Alliance to create support sessions for Ukrainian Refugees and Hosts.
She invites others to join her in co-creating an amazing world of love, fun, play, joy, and wellness in every possible aspect of life.
https://katybeellc.com/
We all have a story but sometimes we might not think that anyone wants to hear it OR we're scared to tell it. There's power in your story...for you and those around you.
On this episode I get to talk with story telling maven, Johanna Walker, about how to step up, step out, and step into sharing you....and your story. ENJOY!
More on Johanna....
Johanna is the fear-blasting, storytelling maven for coaches, consultants, leaders and change-makers. As a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, she’s presented for corporations, non-profits, start-ups and community organizations, helping audiences develop authentic presence as speakers, find the ideas they want to be known for, and craft those ideas into compelling presentations.
She’s also the founder of Craft Your Talk, a transformational speaker coaching program for emerging speakers, and The Speaker’s Playground, an unconventional training program where entrepreneurs and community leaders become confident and memorable speakers. She is the co-founder of Boulder’s Story Slam, where audience members come to the stage to tell true stories about their lives. In addition to her work as a speaker and coach, Johanna has written and performed solo theater pieces that she’s toured throughout the US and Canada.
Check her out on her website here: https://www.johannawalker.com/
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Jill Knox was a light to the world and had a positive impact on everyone she met. She not only served as President and board member of the Association but also was critical in the development and continuation of AATH's Humor Academy. On this episode of Laughbox, AATH remembers Jill. We share some stories, some memories and even some laughs.
Jill Poole Knox August 1, 1948 - January 16, 2021
Jill Poole Knox, 72, of Oceanside, CA, passed away on January 16, 2021 from complications related to type 1 diabetes. Jill was born on August 1, 1948 in Pittsburgh, PA, where she lived until 2007 when she moved to Oceanside. She graduated from Edinboro University (PA) with a Bachelor of Science in Education, and taught in public schools for 18 years with a specialization in special education.
She dedicated her life to service and took on leadership volunteer roles at church, school and community organizations throughout her life. In her second career, Jill forged a path focusing on the therapeutic and healing dimensions of humor and laughter, and became active in the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH), for which she served as president from 2013-2015. She was a Certified Humor Professional and Certified Laughter Leader, and she passionately believed in the important role that therapeutic humor and laughter can play in building a more peaceful world.Her contagious joy and zest for life continue on in her loved ones and the many lives she touched.
She is survived by her mother, Anna Lou Poole; her siblings Craig Poole and Wendy Devlin; her husband of 46 years, Charley Knox; their daughter, Stephanie Knox Steiner, Stephanie's husband, Greg Steiner, and their daughter, Daphne Steiner; and her son, Will Knox and his wife, Shalee Sucher.
She was predeceased by her father, David James Poole and her brother, Mark Poole.Celebrations of her life will be held in Pittsburgh and San Diego when it is safe to gather again. In the meantime, the family is inviting donations to be made in her name to the AATH Jill Knox Peace Scholarship Fund.
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
If you're like me, you've had those experiences in your life where you were sure that something BIGGER was happening but it was difficult to wrap your head around it. Those are the moments were AWE was a factor...it took your breath away...it made you think...it put you in the moment that you needed to be in (perhaps at that moment).
On this episode, I talk to my good friend, Allen Klein, about his new book, The Awe Factor, and we talk about all of those moments. More importantly, we talk about how those moments can contribute to a better life, better well being, and better relationships. I LOVE THIS GUY...and YOU will too! Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from a master...and garner your AWE! Make it a factor in your life!
More on Allen...
Allen Klein, MA, CSP* (aka "Mr. Jollytologist®") is an award-winning professional keynote speaker and best-selling author who shows audiences worldwide how humor can help them deal with everyday trials and tribulations as well as triumphing over tragedy.
Allen is the 2009 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor.
Klein's books have been published in eight different languages (English, Spanish, Danish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Hungarian, and Turkish) with over 500,000 in print.
Get the AWE FACTOR HERE!
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
WOW! What a great time I had talking with Kathy Klotz-Guest on this episode. We talk improv, we talk comedy, we talk leadership...we talk about it all! I think you'll dig her too...Check it out!
More on Kathy...
Kathy Klotz-Guest, MA, MBA combines her business and comedy backgrounds to teach leaders, teams, and professionals how to use humor to enhance their business and personal lives. A former Silicon Valley marketing executive and improv comedian for over 20 years, she has been featured in Forbes and The Huffington Post. Inc.com named her last book, “Stop Boring Me!” a CMO must-read on improv and humor for storytelling and creativity.
A bay area native who trained at ComedySportz and at LA’s Second City, Kathy has also performed stand-up all over the country (now on Zoom) including at The Improv, Funny Bone and Flapper’s. She teaches improv (virtually), and loves doing storytelling slams whenever she can. Kathy still makes her kid laugh, though that window is closing rapidly.
Socials:
Twitter / LinkedIn: @Kathyklotzguest
Facebook: fb.com/kathy.klotzguest
Insta: @klotzguest
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
First, let me apologize for not putting more episodes up as of late. I started a full time school program and have been trying to get a good rhythm down on life. But....I don't get paid for this so....here we are.
This episode is rock solid. Jeff Harry is a man after our own heart. He believes in the lighter side and you'll find that out as we delve into the inner workings of his work. ENJOY!
More on Jeff:
Jeff Harry shows individuals and companies how to tap into their true selves, to feel their happiest and most fulfilled — all by playing. Jeff has worked with Google, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, the NFL, Amazon, and Facebook, helping their staff to infuse more play into the day-to-day.
Jeff is an international speaker who has presented at conferences such as INBOUND, SXSW, and Australia’s Pausefest, showing audiences how major issues in the workplace can be solved using play. Jeff was selected by BambooHR & Engagedly as one of the Top 100 HR Influencers of 2020 for his organizational development work around dealing with toxic people in the workplace. His play work has most recently been featured in the NY Times article: How Do We Add More Play To Our Grown-Up Life - Even Now. He has also been featured on AJ+, SoulPancake, the SF Chronicle, and CNN. While we spend most of our time pretending to be important, serious grownups, it's when we let go of that facade and just play, that the real magic happens. Fully embracing your own nerdy genius — whatever that is — gives you the power to make a difference and change lives. Jeff believes that we already have many of the answers we seek, and by simply unleashing our inner child, we can find our purpose and, in turn, help to create a better world.
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:
Website: RediscoverYourPlay.com Instagram: @jeffharryplays Twitter: @jeffharryplays LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-harry-6991a94/ Medium: @jeffharryplays YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jchuche TikTok: @jeffharryplays
“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength."—Maya Angelou
Are you as tired of watching the news as I am? Then....we've got something completely different to approach on this episode of Laughbox!
On this episode, I get to talk to my good friend, Lisa Koenecke...."The Inclusion Ally!" Within our association, we do a really good job of bringing everyone into the fold but, as you know, we are a bit different as a group. Most organizations are still playing by the playbook they were given in the 80's and Lisa's mission is to change that with humor and education.
I had a great time talking with Lisa and I know you'll like her too!
ENJOY!
More on Lisa...
As an experienced and energetic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) professional speaker and facilitator, Lisa specializes in counteracting unconscious bias and LGBTQ+ inclusion in business. Her impact is amplified through strengthening each person’s allyship. With a demonstrated history of working in secondary education and a passion toward community and social services, she is an expert in counseling, crisis intervention, educational leadership, and program development.
After receiving her Diversity & Inclusion certification from Cornell University, Lisa launched her Inclusion Ally business. Being an expert in LGBTQ+ issues has allowed her to present in 20 states and keynote numerous school counseling conferences.
Lisa’s speaking style can best be described as dynamic, energetic and interactive. After 12 years of being a middle school counselor, she is now an adjunct instructor at Lakeland University training the next generation of school counselors.
Connect with Lisa HERE!
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain and play with it." - Charlie Chaplin
If you're like me, you've been in the house for about a month and maybe finding the funny to cope is becoming a little harder to do. Don't fret....we at AATH have your back and have decided to bring another expert on the show to share his wisdom on how to cope during the coronavirus!
This episode brings the wit and wisdom of Dr. Steve Sultanoff. Steve has been on the show before and, if you've heard him, you know that HE HAS GOT THE GOODS! We talk about how to deal with anxiety, hope, despair and (of course) humor. I know you're going to get as much out of this episode as I did so ENJOY!!
More on Steve...
Steven Sultanoff, PhD is a psychologist, professor (Pepperdine University), professional speaker, past president of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH), and internationally recognized expert on therapeutic humor. He has offered over 300 live continuing education and training workshops as well as creating numerous online programs on a variety of clinical topics including clinical supervision, cognitive behavioral therapy, humor, and emotional intelligence. With over 30 years in the therapeutic humor field, he has authored many innovative articles and written a pioneering chapter on Humor in Psychotherapy. Dr. Sultanoff has appeared on The Morning Show, STARZ, Lifetime, and PBS and is frequently quoted in publications such as Time, Prevention, USA Today, Forbes, etc., and has received the AATH “Lifetime Achievement Award.” He provides live and online therapeutic humor continuing education (www.aatbs.com), and his web site (humormatters.com) offers a wealth of information on therapeutic humor.
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
I have four children and love them all, however, I usually loved them more when we had some time apart. I couldn't even imagine if I had to teach them something.....they'd still be in remediation.
If you're in that boat, DO NOT FRET! We, at AATH, have brought together some experts on how to get the job done, have fun, and make the learning stick (and keep your sanity in the process).
If you'd like more resources on using humor, play or laughter in the learning process, contact us on our website: www.aath.org. We've got your back!
Our panel in this discussion...
Mary Kay Morrison
http://www.questforhumor.com
Jennifer Keith
www.facebook.com/keithtec
Jana Greco
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"He who laughs, lasts." –Mary Pettibone Poole
Yes, my friends, we are living in interesting times. What does the future look like? None of us know and that can be very disconcerting. One thing we know will remain is our ability to laugh.
Although life right now is anxious and uncertain, one of the interesting byproducts is how humor is helping people cope. We, at AATH, have always known that humor is the great emotional equalizer and so we've brought together some of our best and brightest to discuss not only the how of humor but also the why. I hope you get as much from our panel of experts as I did and keep sharing those memes!
ENJOY!
Our Guests:
Dr. Ed Dunkelblau
http://teacheq.com/
Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CHP
https://www.karynbuxman.com/
Dr. Melissa Mork
www.melissamork.com
Dr. Heidi Hanna
https://heidihanna.com/
Paul Osincup
https://www.paulosincup.com/
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin
I've titled this episode "It's About Time" because it is about time that I aired it! My own mistake. David and I had a great conversation at the conference last year and then I lost the interview. Well, actually, I misplaced it. Then....the other day...I found it! YAHTZEE!!
David and I discussed a lot of interesting humor related topics but what was most interesting is how he uses humor to engage his students and help them learn. Fascinating conversation with a very smart guy!
ENJOY!
More on David (in his own words)..
Howdy! I lecture at Texas A&M University in the Department of Communication. I have been dubbed both the ‘humor guy’ and the ‘intercultural dude’ by our course coordinator, and I am proud to embody that persona. My goal as an educator is to make learning a fun and worthwhile experience. Using humor, graphic facilitation, and my personal (and sometimes embarrassing) experiences, I help students retain information and remain engaged in the class.
Check out David's website at: http://www.davidtarvin.com/
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" – Hippocrates
I love to eat! What can I say? Most days, I wake up thinking about what I'm going to eat the rest of the day and (quite possibly) tomorrow!
I'm really excited to share the interview with this episode's guest, Dr. Glenn Livingston. Glenn shares his own journey with food addiction and binge eating and how you can get past that to never binge again! I know you'll love Glenn as much as I did!
ENJOY!
More on Glenn...
Glenn Livingston, Ph.D. is a veteran psychologist and is the Author of the hugely successful book Never Binge Again, with over 600,000 Amazon Kindle downloads. Glenn hs incredible leadership experience, he was the long time CEO of a multi-million dollar consulting firm which has serviced several Fortune 500 clients in the food industry. Disillusioned by what traditional psychology had to offer overweight and/or food obsessed individuals, Dr. Livingston spent several decades researching the nature of bingeing and overeating via work with his own patients and a research program with more than 40,000 participants. This has transformed the lives of many individuals. He is not promoting a specific diet, rather helping people to develop a mindset that allows them to overcome what leads to overeating and avoid it! Having himself once been obese, this is a journey Glenn knows well.
Glenn is has a daily bloggers post with Psychology Today and you've likely seen his work in many major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Sun Times, The Indiana Star Ledger, The NY Daily News, American Demographics, ABC, WGN, and/or CBS radio, or UPN TV and many more.
Connect with Glenn here: http://www.NeverBingeAgain.com
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"Follow your inner moonlight; don’t hide the madness.”– Allen Ginsberg
Here we go! Are you ready? Did you know we're in the fourth year of the podcast? I learn a LOT from my guests...just like you do. And, this episode is no different!
On this episode, I had the great privilege to talk with David Rendall. He's the author of four books and, although we don't talk about just one in particular, he shares his philosophies that are intertwined in them all. If you've been told to be something you're not, you have to listen to this episode. Be you and shine!
ENJOY!
More on David...
During the last fifteen years, David Rendall has spoken to audiences on every inhabited continent. His clients include the US Air Force, Australian Government, and Fortune 50 companies such as Microsoft, AT&T, United Health Group, Fannie Mae, and State Farm.
Prior to becoming a speaker, he was a leadership professor and stand-up comedian. He also managed nonprofit enterprises that provided employment for people with disabilities.
In between presentations, David competes in ultramarathons and Ironman triathlons.
David has a doctor of management degree in organizational leadership, as well as a graduate degree in psychology.
He is the author of four books:
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The Four Factors of Effective Leadership
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The Freak Factor
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The Freak Factor for Kids
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Pink Goldfish
Connect with him....
David Rendall
+1 919 222 6295
dave@drendall.com
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"Laugh as much as possible, always laugh. It's the sweetest thing one can do for oneself & one's fellow human beings." –Maya Angelou
WOWZA! I love talking to people that stretch my brain and that's what happened on this episode. It's not a surprise because our guest, Dr. Heidi Hanna, is one of the smartest people I know!
Heidi and I talk about some of the new research she is doing in the world of humor and the brain so grab something to write with and on....you're going to want to take notes!
We didn't talk about it on the show but Heidi has a special offer for those who sign up for her Stress Summit. If you sign up and email her, she'll donate some money back to AATH and you'll also get a copy of the book, What's So Funny About Stress (which she co-authored with Karyn Buxman). We'll have a link to sign up here later but you can reach the destination from her website listed at the bottom of the show notes.
ENJOY!
More on Heidi...
Dr. Heidi Hanna is the Chief Energy Officer of Synergy Brain Fitness, a company providing brain-based health and performance programs to individuals and organizations, a Founding Partner of the Academy for Brain Health and Performance and a Fellow and Advisory Board Member for the American Institute of Stress. She is a NY Times bestselling author who has written seven books, including The Sharp Solution, Stressaholic, Recharge and What’s So Funny About Stress?
Heidi has been featured at many global conferences including the Fortune Magazine Most Powerful Women in Business Summit, ESPN Leadership Summit and the Million Dollar Round Table. Her clients have included Google, Starbucks, Microsoft, Principal Insurance, Morgan Stanley, Ameriprise and WD40 as well as the PGA Tour and the National Football League. Heidi is also a National Board Member and Certified Humor Professional with the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor although she won’t admit she’s funny.
Connect with her at: https://heidihanna.com/
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"A person’s maturity consists in having found again the seriousness one had as a child, at play." -Frederic Nietsche
First things first.....are you registered for the conference? If not, WHY NOT!? If not today, WHEN!? Get it done! You don't want to miss out on the opportunity to laugh, learn, and connect!
In this episode, I had the great pleasure to talk with Marcey Rader and discuss her book, Work Well, Play More! She shares some great tips on integrating health, wellness and PLAY into your everyday life. I know you'll like it!
ENJOY!
More on Marcey..
Marcey Rader is an Amazon best-selling author, sought-after productivity coach, accredited health and wellness expert, and renowned keynote speaker. As the founder of Marcey Rader Coaching and the Work Well. Play More!® Institute, she helps individuals and businesses kick their lifestyles back into balanced gear – without sacrificing health. Marcey knows first-hand that self-management is essential to success in life and business.
After a case of high-stress, high-performance, corporate burnout triggered three autoimmune diseases, Marcey established her productivity coaching business. Her unique expertise has turned the spotlight on the intersection between business productivity and wellness, making better use of our most valuable asset – our health.
Working with a diverse range of businesses and individuals, she applies proven health and wellness principles to help clients find real balance, purpose, and success in work and life. As a high-impact speaker, she packs presentations with actionable advice and real-world wisdom. Her speaking roster's alive with engagements for Fortune 100 companies, startups, and everyone in between. From North Dakota to Dubai, manufacturing to biotech. Audiences learn to escalate their energy, conquer the calendar, master tasks, and extinguish email.
She is the author of Beyond Travel: A Road Warrior's Survival Guide and Hack the Mobile Lifestyle: 6 Steps to Work Well and Play More! Her latest book, Work Well. Play More! Productive, clutter-free, healthy living - one step at a time goes beyond the inspirational narrative to focus on simple, tangible tools and practical steps for gaining time and decluttering the body and mind.
To learn more about Marcey Rader, visit https://www.marceyrader.com/
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"The human brain is a most unusual instrument of elegant and as yet unknown capacity." - Stuart Seaton
One of my New Year's goals was to spend more time in the present.....but my brain keeps getting in the way! How about you? Do you want to be mindful, meditate or just calm the monkeys in your head? If so, this episode will get you there!
This episode's guest is Ariel Garten. She is the creator of a product called, Muse, and it can help YOU train your brain. Ariel and I talk about Muse but we hit a lot of other reasons you should train your brain. Take a listen...she's amazing!
ENJOY!
More on Ariel...
Ariel Garten is probably one of the most interesting people you will meet. She is a psychotherapist, Neuroscientist, mom, former fashion designer, and the female founder and visionary of an amazing and highly successful tech start-up Muse.
Muse tracks your brain during meditation to give you real-time feedback on your meditation, guiding you into the “zone” and solving the problem most of us have when starting a meditation practice. Muse lets you know when you are doing it right.
When Ariel is not reading brains (literally) or investing in, inspiring and advising other start-ups and women in biz, you can find her on stages across the world, from TED to MIT to SXSW. She inspires people to understand that they can accomplish anything they want by learning what goes on in their own mind.
Check out MUSE and get a discount with the Ambassador club here: https://muse.getambassador.com
Connect with Ariel here: www.choosemuse.com
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
So the server asked me what I wanted and I said that I'd take a full order of happiness. It's what is on today's menu!
On this episode, I had the great pleasure to talk with Sean Webb about his books on mind hacking happiness. I won't bore you with my version of what we talked about because it PALES in comparison to the actual interview. But....you can take this to the lavatory, it is pretty awesome. He has done the research and we get to benefit from it!
ENJOY!
More on Sean...
As the author of a book that was used to influence millions of voters in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election through social media disinformation campaigns (without his knowledge), Sean Webb probably knows the human mind as well as anyone can. From his work in logically modeling human emotions for the world of Artificial Emotional Intelligence, to his real-world practice as an author, speaker and guide to helping individuals supercharge their minds and lives with the knowledge of how their mind works, Sean pushes the bleeding edge of mind sciences to the next level.
Over the last 20 years, Sean has become one of the world’s leading experts in how the human mind works, particularly in the area of human emotions, the driving force and motivation of all human actions globally. His work is used by universities and engineering firms to teach emotional intelligence, the foundations of artificial emotional intelligence, and his discoveries have proved so effective, that his work is currently being turned into programs to address addiction management and the mitigation of PTSD after early amazing successes within those applications.
As an alumnus of Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technologies Development Center, Sean has spent years solving complex systems problems for cutting edge technology and supercomputing companies. His latest complex system solve is associated with the mind; how to model mind processes, how to manipulate mind output, and how to use those disciplines to our collective human advantage. His heart lies in this last portion of the project; teaching individuals about our minds so as to understand the thought processes that steal our happiness and block our ability to enjoy life. He loves sharing the practical neuroscience of how to hack the mind to generate happiness from within without any strings attached, and without changing any of life’s external conditions. He has indeed discovered a new door into the deep mind manipulation, where only practiced meditation and psychedelics have been able to take us before.
Sean has spoken at Science of Consciousness, Science and Nonduality, UNC, UGA, ASU, Emory, Georgia Tech, for numerous multinational corporations, and at NASA. Check out Sean’s work at MindHackingHappiness.com.
Sean and his wife are licensed foster parents, and are active in numerous children’s and animal charities.
Check Sean out HERE!
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
“We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.” —Joseph Campbell We're back for season three and kicking it off strong! New intro, new outro and a great line up of guests....starting off with Steve Wilson!
Steve and I have a great conversation about his journey from psychologist to Joyologist and what joyology is all about. He shares some history about how far therapeutic humor has come and how far we have to go. I know you'll dig it as much as I did!
Also, I must give a big SHOUT OUT to my brother, Pete Lutz, for re-doing the intro/outro for me. He has his own podcast called the Narada Audio Radio Drama. If you like old time radio shows, check it out on iTunes here!
ENJOY!
More on Steve...
World Laughter Tour, Inc., is the brainchild of psychologist and self-proclaimed “Joyologist” Steve Wilson, who describes his role as “Cheerman of The Bored.” The creation of World Laughter Tour was an idea that came to him during a 1998 lecture tour to India, after participating in the Juhu Beach Laughter Club at the Arabian seaside in Mumbai. In India, Laughter clubs were referred to as ‘Hasya Yoga’.
Nevertheless, for Steve Wilson, this first introduction was the spark to initiate a clear vision of bringing Laughter Clubs to the United States, of course with certain adaptations to suit the Western mentality. As he imagined, certain laughter and attitudinal practices could be systematized and taught as a means to influence health and peace, while promoting happiness and longevity. Hence, he sought out to connect with these gurus, recognizing the enormous potential that existed in applying a systematic approach to laughing without using jokes, under the guidance of a trained leader and motivator.
Struck by a noble impulse, Steve flew an Indian physician to the United States, whereupon he delivered a series of lectures and demonstrations. The reaction to a laughter exercise program in the U.S. was both startling and telling, growing instant curiosity and support from the participants and the media. With the encouragement of his wife, Pamela, the World Laughter Tour was officially launched in July of 1998.
It took about a year to put together the first laughter tour in the USA. Thanks to the generosity and sponsorship of Dr. Valeriana Moeller, president of Columbus State Community College, The World Laughter Tour had a very successful kickoff on May 27, 1999 in Columbus, Ohio. The tour traveled to 14 cities for the next 7 weeks, demonstrating the method to diverse audiences.
Since its inception, World Laughter Tour has been recognized as a significant global influence in the practical applications of laughter and humor for health and world peace. Steve Wilson is a very popular and talented Certified Speaking Professional, experienced educator of mental health professionals, member of key professional organizations such as Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH), International Society for Humor Studies (ISHS), and the American Humor Studies Association (AHSA), as well as having been the 2010 recipient of the Doug Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award, and Rire d’Or Golden Laughter Award in 2007 from the French School of Laughter and Well-Being.
He still maintains a very active presence in WLT and will often answer phone calls and inquiries, as well as making himself available to trainees, attendees, the media, or other interested parties who wish to speak with him personally.
Connect with him at: www.worldlaughtertour.com
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Run Amok" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"It is in games that many men discover their paradise."
- Robert Wilson Lynd
Here it is...our last episode of the season. I take the summer off so I can play a bit more, which is AWESOME because we're hitting a bit of that in this episode.
In this episode, I had the great pleasure to talk with Mary Couzin. Mary is a super cool person and has it going on. She invented (yes, invented) the Chicago Toy and Game Fair and is a game developer herself. We talk about her journey in the world of toys, games, and play as well as why it's such a passion for her.
I know you'll dig this episode as much as I did! CHEERS!
More on the Toy and Game Fair...
Chicago Toy & Game Group We promote play and innovation through events listed below (over 2 Billion media impressions in Nov); monthly e-newsletters reaching over 250,000 people - industry, consumers, educators, inventor, bloggers, Scouts, traditional and social media. www.chitag.com.
Join our Toy, Game & Play Innovators Network here on LinkedIn!
ChiTAG Events:
Chicago Toy & Game Fair Largest public toy/game fair in North America. Meet your consumers! The biggest and most cost effective focus group anywhere. The traditional/social media and bloggers love this event - they attend to report what's hot for the holidays. Early open to media/trade. Emphasis on interactive/hands-on and meeting inventors at Navy Pier the weekend before Black Friday. www.chitag.com
Inventor & Innovation Conferences with top industry executives. Learn, network, pitch your ideas to dozens of companies. www.chitag.com/conferences
Toy & Game Innovation Awards Dinner, the TAGIEs, celebrating inventors www.chitag.com/tagies
PlayCHIC pairs haute couture fashion designers with toy and game brands to create media worthy playful runway looks. www.chitag.com/playchic
Educator Conference for teachers to incorporate play in the classroom. www.g4ed.com
Star Wars Character Breakfast
Young Inventor Challenge www.chitag.com/yic
ChiTAG year round activities include:
Hosting Pub Events/Get-Togethers around the world. Play in Education, PIE, website, newsletter and conference www.playineducation.com Specialties: Connecting people, helping toy and game inventors, promoting inventors and play to the public anywhere and everywhere we can, bringing play and games into the classroom and libraries, quality fundraising (www.gamesforfundraising.com)
“Life keeps throwing me stones. And I keep finding the diamonds.” – Ana Claudia Antunes
Once in a while you get the opportunity to meet people whose joy is so genuine it can't help but inspire you. That's how it was when I first met this week's guest, Shauna Bruce-Hamburger.
Shauna doesn't let anything in life hold her back. She and I talk about overcoming life's challenges and how you can bounce back and live a life filled with real joy. I had so much fun with Shauna that I didn't want the conversation to end...and neither will you.
ENJOY!
Shauna has always been known as a person who inspires many with her life through her contagious joy, encouraging spirit and positive attitude. Shauna's experiences have given her the heart, desire and wisdom to help others become free from the limitations that hold them back from living a life of their highest potential.
Shauna is a life-coach, teacher, author and inspirational speaker. She holds a B.S. in Wellness Management, is a Certified Health Minister, as well as a Certified Conscious Body Coach. Shauna owned “A Touch of Life” Massage Therapy & Wellness Center for over 8 years and teaches various health/wellness classes all around her area.
Shauna's abilities as a life-coach, teacher, author and inspirational speaker, bring healing, hope and truth to those around her everyday. Because of the issues she has faced around living with Spinabifida, as well as how she learned to live above those circumstances, Shauna is committed to promoting greater purpose and fulfillment in life by helping her clients uncover their highest potential and bring balance of body, soul and spirit.
Check her out on her website: https://www.divinepotential.com/
“The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That’s all there ever is.”
- Eckhart Tolle
Are you really busy? Do you spend most of your time thinking you don't have enough time to do all the things you want to do? Do you wish you could just take a moment to enjoy a moment when you have that moment? YOU'RE NOT ALONE!
We all live busy lives and it is becoming increasingly difficult to be present when you have the opportunity. In this episode of Laughbox I had the opportunity to talk about all of life's distractions and how to get past them with mindful leadership expert, Daphne Scott.
Daphne is an incredible guest with great energy! She shares some great strategies on how to be mindful, less stressed, and really connect with the team members around you.
I know you'll put this one at the top of your replay list. CHEERS!
More on Daphne...
Dr. Daphne Scott brings two decades of real world coaching and corporate development experience to her work with organizations. She combines strong leadership abilities with highly-trained facilitation skills to bring individuals and teams into greater relationship, creativity, and ultimately, success.
Daphne is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), certified Hendricks Coach, a founding member of the Conscious Leadership Group, and a member of the International Coaching Federation. She has studied with top-level executive coaches, consciousness experts, and organizational psychologists. She also holds a Masters Degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a Doctorate of Science in Physical Therapy from Andrews University. Daphne was previously the Director of Leadership Development at Athletico Physical Therapy and is the Chief Cultural Officer at Confluent Health.
Some of Daphne’s strongest skills come from her training with the Second City Improvisational Conservatory Program. She draws from her unique background in theater and physical therapy to bring engaging embodiment and team-building elements to her coaching.
Daphne is no stranger to the perceived daily challenges that stall teams and delay leaders. Responsible for team success herself, Daphne understands the fear that grips leaders, taking them into stagnation and stress. She enjoys working with clients who are committed to leaving old paradigms behind and who are willing to allow themselves to experience life as a journey for their highest learning. Daphne currently facilitates quarterly and monthly trainings for clients around the world and works closely with team leaders in various organizations.
Check her out at: http://daphne-scott.com/lhh
"Laugh as much as possible, always laugh. It's the sweetest thing one can do for oneself & one's fellow human beings." - Maya Angelou
Have you got a big thought? Have you ever contemplated taking your big thought and putting together a TEDx talk? I've mulled over both of those questions (but usually stop at the first).
On this episode, I talk to long time friend, Debra Joy Hart, about her journey with designing and delivering a great TEDx talk last fall. She shares the trials, tribulations, triumphs and how you should go about putting it all together.
We had a great time and I know you'll enjoy it as much as I did.
CHEERS!
More on Deb..
Debra Joy juggles her skills as a humorist, author, TedX speaker, nurse, clown and minister speaking around the world to corporations, colleges, healthcare settings and religious/spiritual organizations. Her infectious spirit, laughter and wit are just a few of the tools she has in her clown medicine bag.
Watch her TEDx HERE!
“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” — Lyndon B. Johnson We are just a little over a week post conference and I'm still reeling from all of the great information I learned and relationships that were built! It's hard to go back to regular life after a life altering experience like the AATH conference!
In this episode, I'm talking to my good friend, Dr. Tina Hallis. Tina is a scientist who turned her focus towards positive psychology and hasn't turned back since. We talk about her journey, easy tools you can use to improve your life and what the positive edge means to you (and the people around you)!
ENJOY!
More on Tina...
Tina Hallis, Ph.D. is excited to help people and organizations be more positive so they can enjoy better lives and more success. She is a professional speaker, author, and founder of The Positive Edge. Tina is certified in Positive Psychology through the WholeBeing Institute, an Authorized Partner for Everything DiSC®, and a Professional Member of the National Speakers Association. She is the author of Sharpen Your Positive Edge: Shifting Your Thoughts for More Positivity & Success.
Tina worked for 20 years in biotechnology before discovering a new science in 2011 called Positive Psychology that focuses on how we can all live our best, most meaningful lives. Seeing the powerful impact this information has on improving people and organizations, Tina decided to create her own company, The Positive Edge so she can improve the quality of people’s lives and their workplaces.
Connect with her here:
Tina Hallis, Ph.D. Positivity Expert, Speaker, Author The Positive Edge p: 608.448.3576 f: 608.355.0800 w: ThePositiveEdge.net e: Tina@ThePositiveEdge.net
HOORAY FOR HUMOR MONTH!
What are you doing to celebrate Humor Month? Me? I'm going to the AATH conference AND I'm talking with cool humor people...like my guest this week, Andrew Tarvin.
Drew has been on the show before and in this episode we talk about his new book, Humor That Works. This is, honestly, one of the best books I've read on the application of humor in the workplace. It's smart, research based, and has stuff you can use right now to make a positive difference for yourself and your team.
ENJOY!
Get his book HERE!
More On Andrew....
Andrew Tarvin is the world’s first Humor Engineer teaching people how to get better results while having more fun.
Through his company, Humor That Works, Andrew has helped more 25,000 people at 250+ organizations—including P&G, GE, ESPN, Microsoft, the U.S. Navy, PepsiCo, and the International Association of Canine Professional—learn to be more productive, less stressed, and happier. Combining his background in business with his experience as an international comedian, his programs are engaging, entertaining, and effective.
Prior to starting his company, Andrew was a top-rated project manager at Procter & Gamble, managing million dollar projects for a $350 million business. He is also an accomplished comedian, having performed in more than 1,000 shows all around the world.
Andrew is the best-selling author of Humor That Works: 501 Ways to Beat Stress, Increase Productivity, and Have Fun at Work, has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and FastCompany, and his TEDx talk has been viewed over 100,000 times. He has delivered programs in 50 states, 18 countries, and 1 planet (Earth). He loves the color orange and is obsessed with chocolate.
Check him out on his website (and bring him in to speak!): http://andrewtarvin.com/
"That's your best friend and your worst enemy - your own brain." -Fred Durst
What's holding YOU back? If you're like me (and I'm guessing you are) it's you. I can be my own worst enemy in doing what I need to do and getting where I need to go.
As luck would have it...my guest this week, Michele Molitor, specializes in getting at the root of the issue and helping people rewire their brain FAST...some would say rapidly.
We hit a lot during the course of our conversation and I know you'll dig every minute of it! ENJOY!
More on Michele...
Michele is the founder and CEO of Nectar Consulting Inc., and co-author of the best-selling book “Breakthrough Healing”. She works with executives and entrepreneurs bringing over 25 years of experience, intuitive insights and strategic business savvy to their success. She is an expert at enhancing the capacity of leaders, to build high performing teams and exponentially increase bottom-line results.
Michele’s unique Rapid RewiringTM approach is a culmination of years of study in the realms of emotional intelligence, neuroscience, organizational psychology and Rapid Transformational Therapy. She helps catalyze shifts in thinking and eliminate mental/emotional blocks to rapidly rewire your brain for greater con dence and success.
As a nationally recognized speaker, certi ed executive coach, Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) practitioner, change management consultant, trainer, and writer, Michele’s passion for helping amplify natural talents and expand leadership is conveyed through all aspects of her work and writing.
Connections and FREE STUFF!
Michele's Contact Details:
Email: michele@nectarconsulting.com
Phone: 510.731.8725
Skype: mcmolitor
Website: https://www.nectarconsulting.com
Blog: https://www.nectarconsulting.com/brain-candy/blog/
Latest Best Selling Book: “Breakthrough Healing” - http://bit.ly/BreakthroughHealingBook
Social Channels:
Twitter: @michelemolitor https://twitter.com/michelemolitor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MicheleMolitorCoach
LinkedIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michelemolitor/en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/michelemolitor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rapidrewire/
Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/michelem2629/rapid-rewire-coach/
FREE GIFT OPTIONS FOR YOUR LISTENERS:
- Free TRAINING: 5 Steps To Confidently Excel In Your Career (Without Ever Feeling Like A Fraud) http://www.nectarconsulting.com/free-training/
- Free EBOOK: Saying No With Grace and Grit lead page: http://bit.ly/SayingNoWithGraceandGrit
- Free eBOOK: Tapping Into Your Power & Presence lead page: http://bit.ly/TappingYourPowerNPresence
“When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves.” – Jack Kornfield
I spend a lot of my time around technology. I've never considered myself a techno-guy but I am a consistent user. As a user, technology can also be a distraction. This week, we learn about leveraging it!
My guest on this episode is Robert Plotkin. Robert has not only a tech background but also a martial arts background, which make him uniquely qualified to put the two concepts together to show how we can use technology to actually increase our mindfulness practices.
I had so much fun talking with Robert and learned a whole lot in the process. Take some time to listen to this episode so you can learn to integrate technology into your mindfulness practices rather than having it distract you.
ENJOY!
More on Robert...
Robert is the Founder of Technology for Mindfulness, a leading blog and Top 40 iTunes podcast on science, technology, and mindfulness. In his Tap Into Mindfulness program, he teaches people how to be less distracted by their smartphones and how to retake control over their time to be more focused, productive, and creative. His unique approach to technology and mindfulness stems from his combination of expertise in technology (as an MIT-educated computer scientist), decades of experience with Japanese martial arts, and training in Mindfulness- Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). He has written seven books on the social impact of computer technology, is a co-founder of the Hack Your Mind program at MIT, and the host of the Technology for Mindfulness podcast.
Connect with him on his website: http://technologyformindfulness.com/
“I am a brain, Watson. The rest of me is a mere appendix.” - Sherlock Holmes
We are rolling quick into the last few weeks that are available to register for the AATH annual conference. You won't want to miss out on this opportunity to learn, laugh, and be around people who get the joke! You can get details about the conference at www.aath.org. It's the 4th through the 7th of April so hurry up and get it done!
Are you ready to get your mind blown? Then prepare....because on this episode I'm talking with the incredible Ann Betz about humor, your brain, and your brain on humor. Is that a duplicate or two different topics? You'll have to listen to find out!
Ann is one of our AMAZING speakers at the conference this year. She doesn't share her keynote in this interview but gives us a teaser about what you can expect from her in solid content.
ENJOY!
More on Ann....
Ann Betz, CPCC, PCC, CNTC, is the co-founder of BEabove Leadership and an international speaker and trainer on the intersection of neuroscience, coaching and human transformation. Ann served as the neuroscience consultant to The Coaches Training Institute (CTI) for many years, and provides neuroscience, leadership and coaching consulting to many other corporations and non-profits.
Ann is also the co-developer/leader of BEabove Leadership’s popular training program for advanced coaches: Neuroscience, Consciousness and Transformational Coaching, which has been offered in the U.S, Canada, Mexico, Turkey, China, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
A certified professional coach for over 15 years, Ann is the author of a groundbreaking white paper on brain research and coaching. She contributes to Choice Magazine, Coaching at Work, Coaching World, the ICF and CTI’s blogs, and other coaching and HR publications.
Ann is the lead author of Integration, the power of being Co-Active in work and life, an exploration of consciousness and the future (John Hunt Publishing, 2015), as well as a ground-breaking white paper on the neuroscience of the International Coach Federation coaching competencies. She is also a published poet, using her understanding of the brain and consciousness to bring to life the wonders of the human soul. Ann speaks internationally on neuroscience, leadership and coaching (and occasionally poetry as well), and she excels at making the complexities of the brain come to life with depth, humor and simplicity.
Ann lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her partner Will Sharon, their angelic border collie Jack, and two very enlightened cats named Paz and Luz.
Read Ann’s blog on the brain at www.yourcoachingbrain.wordpress.com and on poetry at www.eccentricspirit.wordpress.com.
What we have once enjoyed deeply we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us. -Helen Keller
How lucky am I? I'll answer that for you....pretty darn lucky! Not only am I going to the AATH conference in April but I also got to spend some time interviewing this week's guest, Allen Klein, about his new book, Embracing Life After Loss. Available on Amazon here: HERE
Allen is a past president of AATH and also a Lifetime Achievement Award winner! Yes, he's done it all and in this interview he shares it!
You can meet cool people like Allen if you register for the AATH conference. It's coming up fast, the 4th through 7th of April, 2019...just outside of Chicago. Go to www.aath.org to check it out and get signed up. It's not too late.
Here's a bit more on Allen...
Klein is an award-winning speaker who shows audience’s worldwide how to use humor and positive thinking
to deal with life’s not-so-funny stuff. (www.allenklein.com) He is a recipient of:
- a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor,
- a Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association, and
- a Toastmaster’s Communication and Leadership Award,
Klein is also a best-selling author of 27 books including The Healing Power of Humor. His most recent books are Embracing Life After Loss, and, Positive Thoughts for Troubling Times.
In addition, his TEDx talk can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/z4hfsx5
Connect with Allen on his website: www.allenklein.com
Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand. — Mark Twain
Why did Julie Ostrow cross the road? To get to the AATH conference! Yes, on this episode I'm talking with Julie Ostrow about our conference experiences over the past decade AND what we're looking forward to in going to this year's conference!
This year's conference? It's the 4th through the 7th of April in Oak Brook, IL. That's right outside of Chicago. You can fly into O'hare, grab a slice of DEEP DISH pizza and then get ready to learn with your new tribe! Get onboard now and don't miss out! Go to www.aath.org and let's get our laugh on!
Here's a little more on Julie. For the record, Julie was my first guest on the show and continues to be one of my favorites. She's always fun and insightful!
Julie...
As the Humorous Speaker and Communication Coach, The Second City-trained and First-Ever American Laughing Champion Julie Ostrow teaches organizations and corporate teams to use improv skills to improve Creativity, Communication, Team Building, Problem Solving, and Productivity with their clients and within their organizations. She teaches the benefits of using humor, laughter, and improv in all aspects of our lives, including in the workplace.
Having more than 20 years of corporate marketing communications experience including five years with SmithBucklin, the world’s largest association management firm, Julie is able to identify the trigger points of miscommunication and low morale in the corporate culture and among team members. By infusing her corporate experience with her humor, laughter, and improv tools, she is able to guide organizations to communication, connection, and creativity. Resulting in re-inspired teams and increased productivity.
Julie conducts her interactive and transformative workshops for corporations, healthcare organizations, conventions, and schools. Julie's enthusiasm and passionate spirit, combined with her comedic insight, help to make her a warm and engaging presenter and workshop facilitator. Her personal motto, "find the funny," helps her to find humor in everyday moments and in life's seemingly most difficult situations...and she'll help your teams do the same! She also performs improv and stand-up comedy for a variety of events.
Find out more about Julie at www.JulieOstrow.com Connect with Julie…
Twitter: @JulieOstrow Instagram: Julie_Ostrow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gofindthefunny/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieostrow/
“The water was not fit to drink. To make it palatable, we had to add whisky. By diligent effort, I learned to like it.” – Winston Churchill
What do you do in Wisconsin on the coldest day ever recorded? You get warmed up by talking to another Wisconsinite about humor! That's right! That's how we roll in the land of beer, brats, and cheese!
On this episode I have the pleasure of spending some time with my good friend, Liysa Callsen. She shares her own humor journey, her brand of comedy and what she do if she was stuck in an airport with me.
Don't miss out on this year's conference! It's rolling up fast and you won't want to miss out on what we've got going on April 4th through 7th in Chicago, IL! Check it out at www.aath.org.
Here's what's up with Liysa...
Callsen trained at Second City, and currently performs her solo improv show U&I for anyone that wants to hear her go on and on. Teaching improv tools for business, she speaks to companies and organizations across the country. She has performed and produced comedy for over 10 years. Dear in the Headlights, Cupid Comedy, Ginger Snaps Improv. Also, she does what she needs to do and joined her husband's carpentry business, so sometimes she holds a mic, sometimes she holds a hammer! Someday she aspires to do both.
Check out her website at: liysacallsen.com and MAKE SURE YOU EMAIL HER AT: liysa@liysacallsen.com
"A clown is like an aspirin...only he works twice as fast." -Groucho Marx
When I go to the AATH conference it's almost like sensory overload. There are so many wonderful people doing extraordinary things that's it's hard to get it all in during such a short time frame. That's what's awesome (for me) about doing this podcast. It gives me the opportunity to have the conversations that, sometimes, I don't get to have. And (lucky for you), you get to listen in!
This episode's guest is Guy Giard. He is an incredible human being. You'll hear that through and through during the interview. He's very representative of all the people we have in the association and that you can meet when you come to the AATH conference! Are you registered? NOW IS THE TIME! Go do www.aath.org and let's get your laugh on!
ENJOY OUR TIME WITH GUY!
A little on Guy...
Guy Giard is a Gardener of the Soul. Born in the French speaking province of Quebec, Canada, he lived for many years in Europe. Professional artist his artworks are exhibited across Canada and The Netherlands; and has a singer he’s given dozens of concerts. After teaching for twenty years in major art museums he becomes a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader and joins the real Dr. "Patch" Adams as a humanitarian clown caring in hospitals and orphanages in Guatemala, Peru, Mexico, India and Russia. He is a dynamic and engaging speaker and an inspiring consultant. He believes that anyone can plant his own life’s mission, grow his life’s purpose and sow a legacy.
Dr. "Patch" Adams writes about Guy Giard: “I truly feel his passion to live radiant, using clowning as a tool to help midwife a loving world. To hear of his own transformation to being a loving soul will inspire others to try it on."
My website: www.guygiard.com
My youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/guygiard
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guygiard/
The energy of the mind is the essence of life. - Aristotle
I always make it a point to never trust an atom....they make up everything. But we're not making anything up on this episode of Laughbox! We're talking Energetic NLP with the master himself, Art Giser!
This interview was particularly enlightening for me. I had heard a bit (here and there) about NLP but really didn't k now much detail. Art shares some real wisdom on what it is, how it applies to you, and what may be holding you back. Further, he made it so simple even I could understand it.
If you haven't registered for the conference, NOW IS THE TIME! Don't do anything else (EVEN LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE) until you've gone over to the AATH website and made that investment in yourself. Here's the link: www.aath.org. There's never been a better time to start living a happier, healthier, and more joyful life. That can start with coming to the conference!
I know you'll love this interview with Art as much as I did. ENJOY!
More on Art...
Art Giser was awed by how many people could transform their lives using NLP, and he was awed how people could transform their lives using transformative energy work, intuition development, and spiritual development.
He began to explore combining these different areas in order to create something that was more powerful than any one system alone. The result is Energetic NLP.
Over the last 32 years, Art has continued to develop Energetic NLP into the wonderful field that it is today.
Infamous for his innate sense of fun, his mischievous way of training and his light-hearted approach, your days with Art will be full of light, joy and a lot of laughter! Art is known for his ability to make complex matters simple and easy to understand. This probably comes from his 11 years managing a research lab for the University of California San Francisco Medical School, 33 years as a life and executive coach, and his 32 years helping corporations develop leaders and high performing teams.
Art has over 33 years experience in and study of NLP, science, psychic development, and energetic and spiritual healing. He studied with all of the major developers of NLP including Richard Bandler, John Grinder, Leslie Cameron-Bandler, Michael Lebeau, David Gordon, Robert Dilts, and Steve and Connie Ray Andreas. He was also part of the NLP research team headed by Leslie Cameron-Bandler, David Gordon, and Michael Lebeau that developed Imperative Self Analysis. He was one of the first two trainers certified by them to teach Imperative Self Analysis.
Art is a Member of “The Association for NLP (ANLP)” – A UK based organization which upholds standards within the field of NLP.
He was in the first NLP and Health workshop with Robert Dilts in 1985 and has completed Robert’s health certification program. Art has been an NLP trainer and taught energetic transformative work & intuition development for over 33 years. He currently lives in Los Angeles and San Francisco and has clients in the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, India, Russia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Brazil
Art leads workshops in London, Paris, Brazil, Canada, and the United States.
For the last 33 years, Art has studied intensively with a diverse group of spiritual teachers, intuitives, and healers including John Friedlander – author and teacher, John Fulton – founder of Aesclepion, Joseph Martinez – former president of the Philippine Psychic Healers Association of America, and John Norman.
Art has had the amazing good fortune to have had two empowerments directly from the Dali Lama of Tibet. The internationally renown Brazilian healer, John of God (known as “the Miracle Man of Brazil”), has been helping Art to increase his healing abilities for the last 14 years.
He studied with incredible energy practitioners who taught from Western, Indian, Philippine and Brazilian traditions.
Art is based in San Fransisco and Los Angeles. He offers Energetic NLP™ programs in the United States, Canada, Brazil, London, and Paris.
Check him out on his website: https://energeticnlp.com/
“Health is the greatest gift.” - Buddha
Is one of your 2019 goals to live a healthier life? If so, you can do two things immediately...
- Listen to this episode of the podcast
- Register for the AATH conference. www.aath.org
(Those two things can be done in any order but must be done before you leave the house today).
On this episode I had the great pleasure to talk to THREE TIME natural body building champion Wade Lightheart. Within AATH, we talk a lot about how humor and laughter impact health but (as well all know) there's more to health than laughing (although it is my preferred workout).
Wade opened my eyes about a lot of health prevention issues and strategies. AND...he gives a special offer at the end of the podcast for those who care to partake.
I really enjoyed the candor that Wade shared on the show and also his ability to take some complex issues and make them easy to execute. ENJOY!
More on Wade..
Wade T. Lightheart, host of the AWESOME Health Podcast, is a 3-time All Natural National Bodybuilding Champion, advisor to the American Anti-Cancer Institute and Director of Education at BiOptimizers Nutrition, one of the world’s most innovative nutritional supplement companies. He is also the author of several books including the best-selling books, “Staying Alive in a Toxic World” and “The Wealthy Backpacker.” The AWESOME Health Podcast is a big part of his mission to help others x their digestion and transform their health with the daily practice of positive principles, rituals and optimizers.
Few alive have traveled farther or crusaded harder on behalf of helping individuals transform their digestive health, wellness and overall lives than Wade T. Lightheart. A er competing in Mr. Universe and his health failing him following a competition victory, Wade began to search for answers. In the process, he learned so much about what makes digestion work, along with other principles that form what he calls the AWESOME Health system. Wade’s journey into vegetarianism and bodybuilding took his health to new heights, empowering him to help others with a unique perspective. Wade also serves as an advisor to the American Anti-Cancer Institute, and is the Co-Founder and Director of Education at BiOptimizers, a digestive health company.
Check him out at: https://bioptimizers.com/ AND http://www.wadelightheart.net/
"Of course, I can get a hell of a good look at a T-Bone steak by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it." - Big Tom Callahan
Here we are at Episode 50 and starting our second year of the Laughbox podcast! It's cause to celebrate and so I watched the movie, Tommy Boy (thus, the quote at the top). You should celebrate too! How? By coming to the AATH conference in April. Go to www.aath.org and check it out. The investments we make in ourselves pay big dividends!
On this episode we're exploring the inner workings of the improv brain with Lisa David Olson and her book, Laughs On Wry: An Improvisor's Memoir.
I had the opportunity to meet Lisa about 5 years ago and I've enjoyed that connection so much. She's fun, funny and has some great things to share in how to find the humor in everyday life and make a choice to be better.
I know you'll enjoy listening as much as I did. Yes, I listened to the interview several times before airing it.
If you have a guest idea for the show or something you'd like to hear about, email me direct at chip@unconventionalleader.com. I'd love to hear from you.
More on Lisa...
Speaker, author, improv ninja and owner of an award winning sketch comedy troupe - The Heart of La Crosse. “Laughs On Wry; an improviser’s memoir” has been called “smart, insightful and hilarious! She takes the ordinary and turns it into hysterical and relatable stories.”
Originally from Wisconsin, love brought her over the Mississippi bridge to her current home in La Crescent Minnesota. Olson is a self proclaimed harvester of humor, a goofy friend, embarrassing mom and mega-prankster. A speaker for nearly two decades, she lights up a room and connects attendees through humor.
Presenting to companies about infusing improvisation is her passion, as is speaking to groups about the message of her book “Laughs On Wry”, which is that life is made of choices, not excuses. For Olson, strength was found when sharing laughter, it’s a healthy way to connect with people and share the buzz of joy!
Join her facebook page for a daily dose of giggles!
By day, Olson is an assistant at the La Crescent Police Department, handling the public, records and dispatch duties.
www.lisadavidolson.com
Instagram and Twitter: #improvbuddy
Are you ready to communicate better this year? Then this is the episode for you! Mallori DeSalle is my guest and she's the expert on integrating humor to make the conversations go a little bit smoother.
I had the great pleasure of spending some time with my her at the conference last year and her energy is contagious! What conference you ask? Well...the AATH conference of course! This year's conference is in Chicago and is being held from the 4th through the 7th of April. Check it out at www.aath.org!
Mallori and I talk about a lot of topics in this interview so you're going to want to have some paper around to take notes. Enjoy!
More on Mallori..
Mallori DeSalle is a licensed mental health counselor, nationally certified counselor, a medication-assisted treatment specialist and an internationally certified prevention specialist. Over the last 15 years working in mental health, substance abuse and prevention fields, she has provided services as a community prevention coordinator, therapist, health-educator, professor and professional trainer. Since 2008, Ms. DeSalle has been a faculty member within the Department of Applied Health Science in the School of Public Health at Indiana University, Bloomington. Within her appointment at the university, Mallori serves Prevention Insights (a university institute) as the Outreach Coordinator and Lead Motivational Interviewing (MI) Trainer. She is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and listed on the National ATTC SBIRT Trainers’ Registry. Ms. DeSalle provides MI and SBIRT training to multidisciplinary audiences across the world. Mallori has been a member of AATH since 2018 and is currently in Humor Academy Level 1. She uses humor to engage learners, to poke fun at the process of learning and to make it easier to learn by laughing.
Happy 2019! Are you ready to make this the best year ever? I am and I know what the tipping point is going to be.....GOING TO THE AATH conference in April! You can come too! Just go to www.aath.org and get the details...then sign up. Make the investment in YOU!
We're talking testicles this time on the show. WHAT!? Yes, and I'm glad we are. My guest is Justin Birckbichler and, after getting diagnosed with testicular cancer, educating men is his mission and humor is the medium.
I know you'll enjoy Justin's sense of humor and his approach to applying humor. Let's talk about a ballsy sense of tumor!
More on Justin...
Justin Birckbichler is a men’s health activist, testicular cancer survivor, and the founder of aBallsySenseofTumor.com. In November 2016, he was diagnosed with stage II testicular cancer at the age of 25. Throughout his diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, and being cleared in remission in March 2017, he has been passionate about sharing his story to spread awareness about testicular cancer and promote open conversation about men's health.
In addition to his work through ABSOT, Justin's writing has appeared in Cure Magazine, I Had Cancer, The Mighty, The Good Men Project, Stupid Cancer, and more. His work with men's health awareness has been featured by British GQ, Healthline, The Mayo Clinic, The Movember Foundation, National Foundation for Cancer Research, and various other organizations. See this page for a complete listing of all media appearances/features and guest posts about ABSOT.
In 2017, ABSOT won an award for the Best Advocacy and Awareness Cancer Blog in 2017and Justin was recognized as one of 15 People Who Raised Cancer Awareness in 2017. In 2018, Justin was selected as the winner of the Hilarious Patient Leader Category in the 2018 WEGO Health Awards.
Justin also serves as a member of the Strategic Advisory Board for the Cancer Knowledge Network and on the Board of Directors for the Crush It For Curtis Foundation. He also supports testicular cancer patients and survivors through his role as Testicular Cancer Squad Captain on CancerBro and as the Testicular Cancer Hive Leader on HealthBeMe.
Outside of the “cancer world,” Justin is an instructional technology coach, amateur chef, technology aficionado and avid reader. He lives in Fredericksburg, VA with his wife, cat, and dog.
Connect with him on Instagram (@aballsysenseoftumor), on Twitter (@absotTC), on Facebook (Facebook.com/aballsysenseoftumor), on YouTube, or via email (justin@aballsysenseoftumor.com).
"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game." - Michael Jordan
Are you ready to have some fun? I am but, then again, I'm always up for having some fun. But did you know that fun can be functional in improving employee productivity and engagement?
This episode's guest, Jess Ruggieri, is the Director of Inclusion at the Fun Department and she specializes in helping organizations do just that...using play to enhance the culture and create places where people want to be. We talk about a lot of cool stuff in this episode but, more importantly after listening to it, you're going to walk away with some strategies you can employ RIGHT NOW to make a difference for you and your team.
This is our last episode of the calendar year. Thanks for being a great audience and please don't forget to register for the AATH conference, April 4-7th 2019 in Chicago Illinois. You'll get more information on how to use humor and meet cool people like Jess. Check us out at www.aath.org.
More on Jess....
Jess Ruggieri has found her place as the ambassador of inclusion at the fun dept., a training and coaching company driven by the implementation of "innovative solutions for a happier, healthier, more connected workplace.” Featured on various news and media outlets, the fun dept.’s clients range from Fortune 100 companies to those with as few as 10 employees and is partnered with Zappos’s training company, Delivering Happiness.
Jessica's history with the fun dept. goes back nine years when the founder, Nick Gianoulis, went out of his way to work from her coffee shop. “I simply wanted to create a fun and welcoming environment for both my staff and my customers,” she said. It took Jessica nine years to make a career jump. With her extensive experience in management, psychology, interpersonal communication, organizational processes, training & development, and having received her Master’s in Health Promotion and her certification as a Health & Fitness Coach, Jessica landed her dream job—utilizing her passions and skill sets to impact company culture.
“It is a simple and unique systematic approach where we teach companies how to design appropriate ‘play’ techniques to connect and de-stress employees.” Jessica and the fun dept. team have been “playing it forward” to improve work environments for customers, employees, and the bottom line!
Connect with her direct!
jess@thefundept.com
cell 302-383-9934
thefundept.com
@jdruggieri
www.linkedin.com/in/jdruggieri
Have you registered for the conference yet? If you haven't, you should! Why? Because you'll hear more from this episode's freaky smart guest, Piotr Pluta. The annual AATH conference is the 7th through 9th of April, 2019 in Chicago! If you're serious about humor, you won't want to miss it. Go here to get more info and to register!
On this episode, we're digging deep and talking about the psychology of humor. My guest, Piotr Pluta, shares some of the research he has been doing in the area of humor profiles and gives us a "teaser" of what he'll be sharing at the conference.
Grab something to write with...you're going to want to take notes! Enjoy!
More on Piotr Pluta..
Piotr Pluta is the author and administrator of the Psychology of Humor Blog. He has an MSc in psychology from the University of Wroclaw, Poland; he also studied at the University of Valencia, Spain, and the East Carolina University in Greenville, USA. Piotr is currently the Managing Director responsible for consultancy at Human Factors AS in Oslo, Norway.
As many other psychology students at the end of his junior year, Piotr had a life-changing decision to make: chose a research problem for his master thesis.
At that time he had been wondering for a while already, why is it that although people laugh and try to make others laugh so much and so often; close to none systematic thought was being given to it in any of the psychology classes. No humor-theories or studies were being mentioned in any textbooks, not even an attempt at defining humor was made. Humor was everywhere – it seemed – but nobody was taking it seriously!
In the course of doing research for his master thesis, he discovered otherwise – there were a lot of serious psychologists researching humor, who in addition have produced a great deal of work. Leave alone Freud, Koestler and Apter, Piotr has read much more than required for his thesis (which discussed the role of humor in persuasion) and got acquainted with the field fairly well.
He continues to take humor seriously: Piotr is a member of the International Society for Humor Studies; is involved in a research project investigating the strategic role humor plays in one of the popular HR training tools, participates and presents on international conferences, and has developed a humor-workshop he delivers as an organizational consultant.
Piotr is primarily interested in the following areas of humor research: organizational psychology studies of humor, advancement in the cognitive theories of humor, humor in cross-cultural encounters, and the pedagogical use of humor in presentations and training.
Connect with him on his website: http://www.psychologyofhumor.com/
"In order for the parts to be well, the whole must be well." -Plato
Are you ready to get your wellness jam on? I AM! And, this week, we're doing just that with wellness expert, Jessika Jake. She's a super smart person and she shares it all with us in this exclusive pre-conference interview!
Get ready to learn about the eight (YES, EIGHT) dimensions of wellness as we journey into the inner workings of your being. Okay, I was trying to make that sound cool and dramatic but it ended up flat. Regardless, get ready to learn. Grab something to write with and get prepped to be well. Jessika has got the wellness goods!
More on Jessika...
Jessika is a STEM and Wellness instructor, edutainer, author, instructional designer, coach, and consultant hanging out at the nexus of wellness and technology. Perfect is not an option, so she likes to focus on educating and inspiring people to get "better and betterer" across the 8 dimensions of wellness. Her fave areas these days include; mindset and micro-behavior changes, stress reduction, workplace wellness, Positive Psychology, and alignment of strategy and execution to ensure success across the breadth of wellness goals. In summary, her motto is: Feel awesome. Do awesome.
Get more on Jessika at:
EmanantWellness.com
Are you registered for the AATH conference? It's coming up fast in Chicago, Illinois from the 7th through the 9th of April, 2019. Check it out and register HERE!
Suicide isn't something we talk about in our society. There's a stigma associated with it that keeps most of us from having the conversations that need to be had.
Frank King is the guest and suicide is the topic. Frank is a comedian and former writer for the tonight show but don't let the funny man business fool you. He's struggled with his own bouts with this topic.
He shares his own journey but also dispels the myths surrounding suicide. Most importantly, he shares about how about getting the conversation started and where to go for help when it's needed (links are at the bottom).
I hope you get as much from our conversation as I did. Please share it.
More on Frank...
Frank King, aka The Mental Health Comedian, is a Suicide Prevention and Postvention Public Speaker and Trainer who turned a lifelong battle with depression into a keynote worth spreading.After writing for the Tonight Show for 20-plus years and performing corporate comedy, Frank’s attention…His mission is to end the stigma surrounding mental health by share his insights with anyone and everyone who will listen in an effort to “start the conversation.”
Frank has thought about killing himself more times than he can count. Like many of us, depression and suicide run in his family. He addresses his own trials and tribulations using a tool people from all walks of life can relate to, humor. With his TED Talk A Matter of Life or Death” he openly addresses topics considered taboo in today’s society.
As a Motivational Public Speaker and Trainer who travels the world, Frank uses comedy and personal life lessons to help break the ice and start an engaging conversation amongst those struggling with mental and emotional stability. This act of faith helps those struggling to find a voice to express themselves. Additionally, it helps create a pool of common knowledge where those who suffer, and those who care about them, can swim.
He believes that where there is humor there is hope. And where there is laughter there is life… Nobody dies laughing.
Frank is originally from North Carolina and now spends his off days in the Pacific Northwest. He travels the United States and beyond spreading his message, hoping to end the stigma surrounding mental health, and influencing the general public to start the conversation.
LINKS FOR HELP:
https://www.nami.org/
https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/
https://www.thementalhealthcomedian.com/
Well.....IT HAPPENED AGAIN! My mind got blown by my guest this week with all the cool stuff that I learned from her. Plus, she sang me a song.
That's right! The guest is Dorothy Pincus and the topic is awesomeness. Okay, not really but....REALLY! She shares her journey of how her voice led her into a life of humor, laughter and healing. Listen until the end....she's got some pipes! ENJOY!
More on Dorothy...
Dorothy Pincus (The Human Instrument), is a graduate of the Institute of Psycho-Structural-Balancing (IPSB). She is a Motivational Speaker, hosts workshops, Practitioner Jorei/Reiki Practitioner, Life Coach in Music with CCF (Certified Coaches Federation, Tuning/Sound therapy at Sound Therapy Center, and a Laughter Yoga Leader with Laughter Yoga University/USA. Dorothy is the author of The Spoken Gospel (A one-woman journey through transformation), How to Date Yourself and Fall in Love) and have two poems in the 2018 ONTHEBUS-23 issue. She also is the producer of AYHOU sound/tuning project.
Dorothy has over 20+ years in the music world singing, writing and extended roles of acting and voiceover. She has worked with Legendary artist such as Barry Manilow, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Nine Inch Nails, Mariah Carey, Will I Am, Toni Braxton, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dog, Tupac all over the world and studio sessions, Tours, TV appearances with many icons in the business. She also was a vocal mentor for the audition process of American Idol and B-booth the finale year in 2016 and has appeared on the Voice as a vocal supporter. Dorothy is an active member of the United States of Women of Southern California, Women Economic Forum, The Holistic Chamber of Commerce, The Sound Therapy Center and Applied Association for Therapeutic Humor.
Connect with her on her website:
www.meetup.com/LOL-Holistic-Yoga-LA
I get to talk to some really cool people on this podcast and this week is no different. Jim Wasserman is the guest and he's lived life in the trenches...with Middle School students. I don't know how he did it (I didn't even like my own kids when they were middle schoolers). We talk a little about that but also how he's found some peace and solitude living his third life. I know you'll enjoy Jim as much as I did!
More on Jim...
Born of a Tennessee man and a proper English woman, Jim was born in a log castle as a citizen of the once, yet eternally, independent Republic of Texas.
Jim’s parents often took him to far away and exotic places, only to be disappointed when Jim managed to find his way back. Finally left on his own, Jim was raised by a travelling band of sloths, accounting for his belief that his appearance, dress, and temperament are “normal.” He called the jungle home, at least until he learned proper English and then correctly called jungle “jungle” and the place he lived in “home.”
Jim was “finding himself” (his parents’ phrase) during his college years till he graduated with a degree in psychology and religion (His senior thesis on southern US Jewish communities was docked points for being titled “Red-neck or Eth-neck?”). Discovering a gift for gab, Jim became a litigation attorney and then a teacher (claiming an expertise in history, government, economics, public speaking, and anything else where there is not a definite right or wrong answer).
Jim met the love of his life through the disembodied, yet oh so personal, medium of the first internet dating sites (the magical land where everyone is tall, has an “athletic build,” and hair). Although wiser than Jim, Jiab still has no reply to his argument-winning line: “I’m obviously smarter than you; look whom each of us chose to marry.” Together, Jim and Jiab have found bliss in raising two boys that are the light of their lives, though aside from these two house cats, they also have two sons who seem to eat and sleep a lot.
Whether demonstrating his own original martial arts moves (such as “curl up in a fetal position and cry like a baby till they stop punching you”) or developing new excuses for losing tennis matches (“The net is higher on my side of the court”), Jim has led a life governed by a single creed, “Dignity is overrated.”
Connect with Jim on his blog: http://yourthirdlife.com/
Have you ever talked with someone so smart that you wonder how they function talking to ordinary people like you? That’s what it is like when I talk with this episode’s guest, Dr. Gurinder Bains. Seriously, this guy has got a huge brain. I had the pleasure of serving with him on the Board of Directors and got to know that he’s also got a wicked sense of humor…must be why he hangs with AATH, eh? In our interview, he shares some of his previous research that he’s done but also what he’s currently working on. Grab something to write with because you’re going to want to take some notes from this incredible person! Enjoy!
Want more great content like this? Come to the AATH conference in April 2019! Humor is serious fun! Check it out at www.aath.org
More on Gurinder…. Gurinder Singh Bains, MD PhD, is an Assistant Professor and Primary Research Coordinator for the School of Allied Health at Loma Linda University. He has been a co-author in over 25 publications. He received his PhD from Loma Linda University, MD from Ross University Medical School, and a BSc in Finance from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He has been involved in research that includes humor/laughter, inflammation, high intensity exercise and weight loss, sleep, blood flow, and back pain. His PhD dissertation focused on how humor and laughter can enhance short-term memory in the elderly. Dr. Bains has presented at numerous scientific meetings and his research has gained worldwide media attention such as ABC News Worldwide, CNN, Ellen DeGeneres Show, Men's Journal, FOX News, and Huffington Post to name a few.
Yes, she’s a bit saucy (and so is this interview) but you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who is as smart and funny as this Laughbox episode’s guest, Joyce Saltman. I first had the pleasure of meeting Joyce at one of our conferences and I’ve been a fan ever since. She shares the work she is doing in applied humor, her history and a nicely told risqué joke (that I particularly enjoyed…and retold several times). ENJOY! Joyce Saltman is Professor Emeritus of Special Education at Southern Connecticut State University. She holds four graduate degrees in the fields of special education and counseling, and chose to receive her doctoral degree at Columbia because “she loved the color of their gown.” It was no small feat that she managed to persuade her mentor to allow her to write her dissertation on her true passion: “Humor in Adult Learning.” Joyce’s innovative teaching style led to the development of a graduate course entitled “The Enhancement of Learning Through Humor,” as well as a summer institute, “Healing Education Laughter and Play (HELP).” Her experience in the areas of education, therapy and comedy has provided an outstanding background for her research on the therapeutic value of laughter.
I have had the pleasure of knowing this week’s guest, David Jacobson, almost since my start in AATH. We’ve served on the Board together, worked conferences together and even started our CHP journey together. What’s always struck me about David is how, when first meeting him, he is quiet and reserved and then BAM! He surprises you with his outgoing personality and wicked sense of humor. Aside from being an incredible speaker and author, he has been doing great work in the humor world. I encourage you to take a listen to this episode and enjoy what many of us already know and appreciate about David…his intelligence, love of life, and his commitment to making a difference. More on David… David Jacobson, LCSW, CHP is the owner of Humor Horizons, his professional speaking and publishing business and is the Director of Behavioral Health Case Management at Banner University Medical Center. As a former social work manager there, he worked with patients and families of traumas including the tragic shooting event in Tucson that occurred in January, 2011. Jacobson’s many honors include a "President's Award" from FlashNet Marketing, A “Joy Mask” from the Korean Broadcasting System, The Wayne Washburn Memorial Award, A "National Hero" Award, and a Lifetime Achievement Award, all from the Arthritis Foundation National Office. Check him out on his website at: http://www.humorhorizons.com/
Her enormous brain is only matched by her quick wit and her dance moves when the Bee Gee’s start playing. Dr. Melissa Mork shares it all with us in this episode of Laughbox. Enjoy!
More on Melissa... Dr. Melissa Baartman Mork is Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology, Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement at the University of Northwestern.
She is a Certified Humor Professional and the former director of the Humor Academy, the three-year college-level Humor Studies program for the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. She is the mother of two beautiful children and the widow of one hot Norwegian.
At Northwestern, Dr. Mork teaches courses in General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Psychology of Counseling, Psychological Ethics, and How to Diagnose Your Family and Friends without Their Knowing.
Although her kids don’t think she’s very funny, Dr. Mork makes herself laugh. A lot. She even has “FUNNY” on her license plate. Her one claim to fame is when Jimmy Fallon read her tweet on “#hashtags”.
You CAN handle the truth! And, the truth is that this week’s guest, Debra Norwood (The Laughter Lawyer), is not only an awesome human being, she’s also doing incredible work that is changing the lives of people all around the globe! Take a moment to listen to this week’s interview as she shares her work, her passion and a few laughs.
More on Debra... As an attorney, a mother and caregiver to an ailing parent, Debra Norwood knows what stress looks and feels like. She also knows where to look for answers to learn resilience and find joy and meaning in many of life’s challenges. As a Certified Laughter Leader and Expert Level Practitioner with the World Laughter Tour, Debra guides her patrons by keynote speeches and workshops that highlight mindfulness exercises and a healthy dose of therapeutic humor and laughter. Her presentations to health professionals, attorneys and students are energizing and enlightening! As a result of the emotional clearing achieved through therapeutic laughter sessions, Debra is able to candidly address the more serious workplace and lifestyle issues that cause absenteeism, compassion fatigue and discouragement.
As a personal executive coach for attorneys and professionals, Debra is clearly passionate about sharing the latest advances in Psychoneuroimmunology. As a Certified Brain Health Coach with Amen Clinics, she loves to share the good news: there is now evidence that people can change their brains to effectively change their mood, perspective and ultimately, change their lives!
Debra’s individual coaching helps professionals optimize their memory and cognitive abilities through brain exercises, meditation, mindfulness and nutritional supplements when needed. For serious issues of PTSD, ADD, addictions, depression and anxiety, Debra evaluates and recommends individuals for Amen Clinics brain SPECT scans to review if there is trauma or other causes to explain resistant mental health conditions. Through careful evaluation of her client’s wishes and needs, Debra also creates individualized teams for crisis intervention. This supportive and comprehensive environment of empathy and trust helps her clients regain their humor, optimism, self-confidence and resilience.
Debra is a member of the Positive Psychology Association, The Association of Applied and Therapeutic Laughter (AATH) and has been endorsed by The Laughter Arts Foundation. As a goodwill ambassador for the Anasazi Foundation, Debra also helps with at-risk youth. She is considered a “Trailblazer” by the World Laughter Tour and is a transformative law advocate and contributor to the American Bar Association endorsed book by J.Kim Wight; Lawyers as Change-makers, coming out in 2017.
You can get more on Debra at www.debranorwood.com.
I love me some Rev. Paul Moore. He is not only a funny, infinitely cool guy, he also one of those people who works tirelessly to make a difference EVERY DAY with those he comes into contact with. In this interview, we talk about how he uses humor personally and professionally to do the work that needs to be done. After listening, you’ll be as big of a Paul Moore fan as I am. ENJOY! More on Paul…. Paul is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Arkansas, Kansas, and Texas and is a National Certified Counselor and well as a Certified Humor Professional through AATH. He has ten years of clinical experience in various setting including inpatient, corrections, and outpatient. He has a Master's degree in Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy from John Brown University. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education at the University of Arkansas and a Master of Divinity from Saint Joseph's College. In addition to his clinical practice Paul is an Anglican Priest who serves in an adjunct capacity for different churches and he is involved in advocacy for undocumented immigrants and worker's justice issues. He is a board member for the Northwest Arkansas Worker's Justice Center. He incorporates humor into his religious, clinical, and personal relationships. He considers AATH to be invaluable to his own professional growth and self care. Paul is also an avid Kiss fan and a doting father to his beautiful 24 year old daughter, Anna.
Have you ever gotten so far down in the dumps that you didn't know what to do? What about getting hit with a barrage of issues where it was really messing up your plan? I, personally, have had all of that and more! (And I know you have too). We, as leaders, need to know how to bounce back and be resilient despite what we may be facing. Not only for ourselves but also for our teams!
This week's guest, Courtney Clark, is a resiliency expert and she's got the intel on how to make a positive impact for yourself and the others around you when life is punching you in the face. Aside from being smart and articulate, she is also hilarious. I had so much fun interviewing her and I know you'll have fun listening. Enjoy!
More on Courtney…
Courtney Clark is the luckiest unlucky person in the world. After a series of major struggles beginning in her mid-20s, she has built two successful businesses and is the author of two books, including her most recent book The Successful Struggle: Powerful Techniques to Achieve Accelerated Resilience. She works with people who want to adapt faster and achieve more, and has spoken worldwide to organizations like Procter & Gamble, Dell, S&P, Humana, Cisco, and Cardinal Health.
Check her out on her website at: http://www.courtneyclark.com/
Have you ever eaten a Guinea Pig? No? Me either (although I would try it). How about...have you ever wondered how to create a better working environment? Yes? Me too! You're in luck! This week's guest, Paul Osincup, has got the intel on how to do it and he shares it (free of charge) with us! This is a REALLY FUN and content packed episode of Laughbox so make sure you've something to write with. ENJOY!
More on Paul...
Paul Osincup is an International Speaker and Positive Workplace Strategist who helps companies create engaging work climates. From his experience in Higher Education Leadership & Administration, Paul’s previous roles had him addressing high-risk behaviors and threats to college campuses. A conflict resolution specialist, he was a consultant at the U.S. Department of Education’s Center for Alcohol, Drug, and Violence Prevention and still consults for several non-profit agencies. Despite the serious nature of his work, It’s Paul’s background in comedy that fuels his interest in humor as a competitive advantage in business. His TED Talk on Humor in Leadership has been viewed over 140,000 times, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, and occasionally he even makes his wife laugh. Paul’s worked with hundreds of organizations from school districts and police departments to companies like NASDAQ and Kaiser Permanente. His work has been highlighted in SUCCESS Magazine, Training Magazine, and on his mom's fridge.
Check out Paul on his website:
www.paulosincup.com
She’s funny, a little sassy, and a whole lot of smart! Looking for ways to train your brain? Check out this week’s interview with Megan Werner. Megan is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Nationally Certified Counselor in Clinical Mental Health, and a former Health and Wellness Coach. Her expertise stems from Positive Psychology, Strengths-based Psychology, Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and the newly recognized, Humor and Laughter Therapy. In the Spring of 2018, she will earn CHP credentials (Certified Humor Professional) from the Humor Academy, which is taught through Portland University and the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH). Megan received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at the University of Arkansas, later returning for her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in hospitals, residential facilities, outpatient offices, and school-based environments. She has served patients and clients with issues ranging from career dysfunction, common life adjustments, and stress overload to those with depression, domestic abuse, sexual trauma, grief and loss, sexual offenses, psychosis, and substance abuse. Check her out on her website: https://www.trainthisbrain.org/
What’s YOUR story? Do you want to make it better? I know you do! Stories are the building blocks of civilization. They help us transmit norms, culture and get things done. They also can grab someone’s attention and make your more memorable. This week’s guest, Kelly Swanson, is an award-winning storytelling expert! We do a hands-on session where she works with me on one of my own stories. It was incredible! Grab a pencil and paper…you’re going to want to get this all down!
More on Kelly…
Kelly Swanson is an award-winning storyteller, comedian, motivational speaker, Huffington Post Contributor, and cast member of The Fashion Hero television show airing on Amazon Prime. She is also the author of Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale, The Land of If Only, The Story Formula, and The Gutsy Girls Pocket Guide to Public Speaking. She was a featured entertainer for Holland America Cruise Lines, keynote speaker for the International Toastmasters Convention, and has keynoted major conferences and corporate events from coast to coast.
Kelly’s wacky wit and powerful stories have charmed hearts and tickled funny bones for over 15 years. In addition to her role as a funny motivational speaker, Kelly teaches people how she does it by sharing what she has learned about connecting and engaging to have more influence in business, through the use of one tool – strategic storytelling. Sharing her own powerful journey through story and the formula she discovered, you come to that magical place where the art of story meets the business of persuasion.
For more about Kelly go to www.MotivationalSpeakerKellySwanson.com
Dwight D. Eisenhower said that "humor is a part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people and getting things done.” This week, on the podcast, we get to delve into the leader’s brain with Sue Stevenson and how she coaches leaders using humor and humanity so they can build teams that are better prepared for the challenges of today’s competitive Environment. I got to meet “Scottish” Sue a few years ago and, immediately, was drawn to her wit and down to earth approach on making an impact. I think you’ll like the interview and come away with some strategies you can implement immediately. Enjoy!
More On Scottish Sue...
- Over 20 years in Global multinational companies in Global OD, Cultural Change, and HR - latterly at an executive level e.g. brought to USA from Switzerland as SVP, HR for Novartis Consumer Health, North America. 13 years ago founded her own Global Executive Coaching and Consulting practice, Lifted Fog LLC.
- Current Lifted Fog work includes facilitating Conversational Intelligence (C-iq) with a Medical Device company; Coaching Coaches; as a Consultant for a project developing an internal coaching culture at a High Tech company, and running Coach Mentoring programs for Coaches seeking International Coach Federation Coaching credentials.
- Current Partners include:
- Lead Facilitator, Executive Coach, Assessor and Mentor, The NeuroLeadership Institute - delivering Brain Based Coaching Certification programs, Corporate Coaching Assessments and Mentoring.
- Director, Human Insight, Learning and Growth, Potentia - which helps companies and people optimize their potential.
- Master Facilitator and Coach, Talentsmart - delivering Emotional Intelligence workshops and 360 EQ Assessment coaching.
- Judge for the Chief Learning Officer’s Learning Elite Awards.
- Starting Humor Academy in 2018.
Currently living on a boat in San Diego, Southern California, Sue is best known by all who meet her to be “an engaging conversationalist, fun-loving and spirited story teller with a wee bit of Scottish humor that make her a delight to know.”
Check out Sue on her website: http://www.liftedfog.com/
He’s amazing and amazingly funny! Jim Pelley has been a part of AATH since nearly the beginning and this week on Laughbox he shares a lifetime of humor strategies that are destined to help you bring more humor to your and other’s worlds. More on Jim... For more than 30 years, Jim Pelley has brought the power and value of humor in the workplace to hundreds of thousands of people at top corporations and organizations worldwide. Jim enlightens his audiences on the art and science of bringing effective humor into their lives to become more creative, more productive, and less stressed. Recent clients include some of the world's most creative and innovative companies - Intel, Disney, Southwest Airlines, Marriott, American Express, Motorola, Hewlett Packard, and PepsiCo, to name just a few. Jim's finely tuned ability to customize his programs delights audiences in such diverse fields as high tech, healthcare, banking, manufacturing, and government. From executives to production and service personnel, his listeners are amazed at the depth of his insight into their environment. You can connect with Jim (and find out more about his work) on his website:
http://laughterworks.com/
I can’t think of a better way to start the podcast year off than with this week’s guest, Dr. Don Baird. Don gives us some great insights this week on how to live a little better and laugh a little longer.
Don Baird has received a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University. He is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. He has given presentations on humor and psychology locally, nationally, and internationally (including Japan, Norway, Italy and France). He is an Adjunct Faculty in Clinical Psychology at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
You’re guaranteed the pursuit of happiness but, as Don Draper (from the hit TV series Mad Men said), “What is happiness but that moment before you need more happiness?” This week on our podcast, I had the great pleasure to talk with Dr. Kristin Layous, happiness researcher and expert. In the interview she shares what we can do to make ourselves less happy, more happy and the number one thing that we do that sabotages our efforts to stay in our happy place. More on Kristin… Kristin Layous has a Ph.D. in Social and Personality Psychology from University of California, Riverside and is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at California State University, East Bay. Her research primarily focuses on activities that promote happiness like expressing gratitude and performing kind acts. Specifically, she explores how and under what conditions these activities boost happiness, as well as who they are most likely to help. Check her out on her website: http://www.kristinlayous.com/
Where does superman go to change now that all of the phone booths are gone? Great question, eh? That’s what you get when you get to spend some time with speaker and comedian, Izzy Gesell. Izzy shares his insights on how to mine the humor from your everyday life to connect with others and cope with the crap going on around you in this week’s Laughbox!
More on Izzy...
Izzy Gesell is an organizational alchemist who helps individuals and organizations transform their thinking from commonplace to extraordinary. Through his keynotes, trainings, coaching and facilitated sessions, Izzy offers imaginative, intuitive and immediately useful insights and programs. He is skilled at delivering meaningful material in a way that makes participants enjoy their time with him.
One of the first to use Improv Theater concepts as tools for personal and organizational learning, Izzy is the author of Playing Along: Group Learning Activities Borrowed From Improvisation Theater, The Resilient Caregiver, a co-author of Cancer & the Healing Power of Play, a co-author of Humor Me: America’s Funniest Humorists on the Power of Laughter.
His has authored 3 video courses on Linkedin Learning & Lynda.com: “Essentials of Team Building”, “Humor in the Workplace”, & “Leading with Applied Improv.”
Recognized by his peers, he has earned a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speakers Association. Less than 15% of NSA’s 4,000 members are CSPs
A former stand –up comedian and public school teacher, Izzy was raised in Brooklyn NY. He has earned a BA in Psychology, an MS in Education and a P…. that’s 1/3 of a PhD and now lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Check out Izzy’s website at: https://www.izzyg.com/
A trial lawyer, a pastor, and and a comedian walk into a bar…. That may sound like a great set up for a joke but it’s what actually happens when our guest, Susan Sparks, goes out on Saturday night ALL AT ONCE! She’s been (or is) all of those things all wrapped up into one FABULOUS, FUNNY, AND FORTHCOMING person (okay, the last was just me needing another “F” word that wouldn’t make my mother blush). Sit back and enjoy this interview with a person that is out there making a difference one laugh at a time!
More on Susan (in her own words)...
Hi y’all, I’m Susan Sparks—a trial lawyer turned preacher, comedian, speaker, author, and Harley-riding cowboy boot addict. I help people regain their grit and reclaim their joy.
We all know life has curves. Things we never expect. Things that throw us into the wind or down to the ground.
Trust me, I’ve been there. I’ve lived through a divorce, survived cancer, lost both parents, traveled solo around the world for two years and left a ten-year law practice to create a career as an ordained minister and a standup comedian. I know a bit about curves.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Bends in the road are inevitable. But they are also where life takes flight. They are the places where we have the opportunity to face down our fears, accelerate through and become something more.
After significant gambles and spectacular falls, I’ve learned to lean into the curves. Now thousands take inspiration and hope from the laughter and wisdom I lead with.
Join me every week as I share The Shiny Side Up – my weekly journal pages where you’ll get infectious inspiration that will lift you up, make you smile and leave you stronger!
Sign Up for The Shiny Side Up
Want to take a walk on the wilder side? Tune in to my motorcycle YouTube broadcast: “Rev It Up!” where you’ll to lean into the curves and live full power.
You can also connect with me live stream through my sermons via Madison Avenue Baptist Church, and live in person via my keynotes, comedy shows and workshops.
Hey, we’re all on the same road. Why not face the curves and accelerate out together!
You can get EVEN MORE on Susan on her website: www.susansparks.com
You loved him on the stage and big screen and now you’ll love him at the AATH conference! What a treat it was for me to spend a little time talking with Yakov Smirnoff on this week’s Laughbox podcast! Admittedly, I was a little nervous going into it but he quickly put me at ease as he shared some of his insights on laughter, love, and relationships. I can’t wait to hear more in San Diego! Listen in! More on Yakov… Fans who loved the comedy of Russian born entertainer Yakov Smirnoff throughout his expansive career on television, the silver screen and Broadway can experience the hilarity once again in “Happily Ever Laughter: The Neuroscience of Romantic Relationships.” In this new show, audience members are left in stitches as they enjoy Yakov’s insightful and laughter-filled philosophies on love, relationships and the differences between men and women. The New York Times called Yakov, “Warm-hearted, delightful and splendidly funny.” A mainstay on the entertainment scene since the late 1970’s, Yakov co-starred in movies with Robin Williams in “Moscow on the Hudson“, Tom Hanks in “The Money Pit“, Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson in “Heartburn” and Richard Pryor in “Brewster’s Millions.” Yakov has also given command performances at the White House for several presidents and honored guests. President Ronald Reagan called Yakov, “a national treasure.” Smirnoff was a regular guest star on the award winning NBC sitcom, Night Court. He has been a popular guest of numerous national TV shows including the Tonight Show. You’ve seen him on HBO and enjoyed his humor in his critically acclaimed Showtime special, “Yakov Smirnoff from Moscow…Idaho.” From 1993 to 2015, Yakov performed at his own two-thousand-seat theater in Branson, Missouri where he entertained over four and a half-million people and produced several outstanding award-winning shows. His comedic style is firmly grounded within his mission statement, “to experience happiness and teach it to the world with passion through comedy and sensitivity.“
Yakov’s quest to understand the science of happiness took him to the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a master’s degree in psychology in 2006 under the supervision of Dr. Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology. Today, in addition to being a comedian, Yakov is also an adjunct professor at Missouri State University where he teaches a course on happiness and laughter and is currently earning his Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education & Psychology in Los Angeles, CA.
In “Happily Ever Laughter”, Yakov takes his comedy to a new level to showcase laughter’s effects on relationships and envisions a world where sadness and tears are replaced with love and laughter. Whether on stage or in a classroom, Yakov’s audiences love him. He is passionate about helping people extend the honeymoon stage of their relationships and “fall in love and laughter all over again.”
Check out Yakov on his website: http://www.yakov.com/
The Power of Levity After Gravity: An Interview With Patty Wooten
Laughing through a disaster? Does that seem ludicrous? Perhaps…but humor always finds a way. From the treachery and turmoil or being a prisoner of war to the devastation that the recent natural disaster have wrought, humor finds a way. On this week’s episode of Laughbox, I have the distinct honor of talking with someone who knows the power humor can have in helping you overcome the obstacle, get perspective, and gain strength….Patty Wooten! I’ve been a long time admirer of Patty and her work. Some people talk about humor and some get out there and try to use it’s power to make a difference in the world. Patty has been making a difference for nearly 40 years and, today, she can make a difference for you! More on Patty… From hospital clown to humorist & professional speaker to nurse retention and renewal specialist, Patty has made her living for more than 20 years studying, applying and sharing the many ways humor and laughter provide therapeutic benefits to individuals and groups. Even more on Patty in her own voice… Since the mid-1980s, I have been speaking, writing and, in general, serving as an advocate and spokesperson for the therapeutic benefits of humor. At the bedside, in the workplace, and at conferences of every kind, I have seen humor work magic and have shared what I’ve learned with hundreds of thousands of people. I have been on a television panel with humor scholars, such as Dr. Vera Robinson, and Dr. Bill Fry. I’ve clowned with Patch Adams long before the hit movie about his work. And I’ve even been the mystery guest on the hit TV game show, To Tell the Truth. It’s been a fun ride! While involved with the early leaders of the modern therapeutic humor movement, I have had the pleasure of being a charter member of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, and a long-time member of the International Society for Humor Studies. These two organizations are invaluable for helping our field promote important and accurate information about the many humor and laughter work their magic. In 1999, I was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by my AATH peers. I have spoken in nearly every state in the U.S. and in 11 foreign countries. I guess being a leader in a field for more than 20 years does result in quite an accumulation of knowledge and some element of notoriety. Okay, I guess it’s true. Somehow, my life’s journey has earned me the title, “The Icon of Therapeutic Humor.” I’ll humbly accept the title and will continue to work hard to bring humor and laughter to deserving audiences around the world. You can get EVEN more on Patty on her website: www.pattywooten.com
Are we there yet? I have to go to the bathroom! I’m hungry! Yes, I’ve been on enough road trips with my kids to know that they’re not as fun as you imagine before the trip begins. But that’s because I travelled with them and NOT Drew Tarvin! Drew’s a comedian, speaker, author, entrepreneur and spent a year traveling to ALL 50 states and sharing a laugh with the residents there. On this week’s episode, he shares a little about his travels and how you can curate the comedy in your own life to make a positive impact for yourself and those around you. Take a listen….but have a pen and paper ready ahead of time (you’re going to want to take notes)! More on Drew… Andrew Tarvin is the world’s first Humor Engineer teaching people how to get better results while having more fun. Through his company, Humor That Works, Andrew has helped more 25,000 people at 250+ organizations—including P&G, GE, ESPN, Microsoft, the U.S. Navy, PepsiCo, and the International Association of Canine Professional—learn to be more productive, less stressed, and happier. Combining his background in business with his experience as an international comedian, his programs are engaging, entertaining, and effective. Prior to starting his company, Andrew was a top-rated project manager at Procter & Gamble, managing million dollar projects for a $350 million business. He is also an accomplished comedian, having performed in more than 1,000 shows all around the world. Andrew is the best-selling author of Humor That Works: 501 Ways to Beat Stress, Increase Productivity, and Have Fun at Work, has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and FastCompany, and his TEDx talk has been viewed over 100,000 times. He has delivered programs in 50 states, 18 countries, and 1 planet (Earth). He loves the color orange and is obsessed with chocolate. You can get more on Drew on his website: http://andrewtarvin.com/
“If you lean in, will men just look down your blouse?” is the new book and this week on Laughbox we discuss that and a lifetime of laughter with Dr. Gina Barreca! What an honor it was for me to spend some time talking to someone who isn’t afraid to tackle the tough issues and is able to get people to listen because of her smart humor. You’re not going to want to miss this episode! More on Gina… Dr. Gina Barreca has appeared on 20/20, The Today Show, CNN, the BBC, NPR and Oprah to discuss gender, power, politics, and humor. Her earlier books include the bestselling They Used to Call Me Snow White But I Drifted: Women’s Strategic Use of Humor, It’s Not That I’m Bitter, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Visible Panty Lines and Conquered the World, and Babes in Boyland: A Personal History of Coeducation in the Ivy League. Of the other six books she’s written or co-written, several have been translated into to other languages–including Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, and German. Called “smart and funny” by People magazine and “Very, very funny. For a woman,” by Dave Barry, Gina was deemed a “feminist humor maven” by Ms. Magazine. Novelist Wally Lamb said “Barreca’s prose, in equal measures, is hilarious and humane.” Gina’s weekly columns from The Hartford Courant are now distributed internationally by the Tribune Co. and her work has appeared in most major publications, including The New York Times, The Independent of London, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Cosmopolitan, and The Harvard Business Review. She’s Professor of English and Feminist Theory at the University of Connecticut and winner of UConn’s highest award for excellence in teaching. Gina has delivered, often as a repeat guest, keynotes at events organized by The Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, the National Writers Workshop, the Women’s Campaign School at Yale and the National Association of Independent Schools, The Chicago Humanities Festival, Women In Federal Law Enforcement, Chautauqua and The Smithsonian–to name a few. Her B.A. is from Dartmouth College, where she was the first woman to be named Alumni Scholar, her M.A. is from Cambridge University, where she was a Reynold’s Fellow, and her Ph.D. is from the City University of New York, where she lived close to a good delicatessen. A member of the Friars’ Club and the first female graduate of Dartmouth College invited to have her personal papers requested by the Rauner Special Collections Library, Gina can be found in the Library of Congress or in the make-up aisle of Walgreens. She grew up in Brooklyn and Long Island but now lives with her husband in Storrs, CT. Go figure. You can get more info on Gina and BUY HER BOOKS here: http://ginabarreca.com/
A funny CPA? It could be an oxymoron or it could be Julie Ann Sullivan…or both? This week I had the pleasure of talking with Julie Ann about her work in helping people practice gratitude and live healthier, more fulfilled lives. We laughed a lot and I learned a lot. I think you’ll get some strategies you can put into practice right away. More on Julie Ann…
Julie Ann Sullivan speaks from experience. Many people consider her “a revolutionary.” She does not shy away from that title! She believes when people are given a new way of thinking they have a better attitude towards work and life. Julie Ann seeks to bring a more positive and productive environment into every business she visits. She is an author and a professional member of the National Speakers Association.
Julie Ann was a CPA and spent decades involved in the financial services industry. Now speaking full time, she is a professional member of the National Speakers Association and a member of the World Laughter Tour, Inc. and the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor.
She has a diverse educational background which includes a BA in Psychology and an MBA in Accounting. She also has a Certification as an Expert Level Practitioner as a Certified Laughter Leader.
Julie Ann is also an accomplished writer. Her newest book is titled, “A Little Bit of GRATITUDE Goes a Long Way.”
You can get EVEN MORE on Julie Ann Here: http://www.julieannsullivan.com/
Sassy? YES! Saucy? YES! Seasoned? Absolutely! Those are the three adjectives I’d always use to describe this week’s guest, Dr. Margarita Gurri. Whether you’re looking for strategies on how to incorporate humor in the workplace or the bedroom (or both…hopefully not simultaneously), Margarita has got the goods. We talk, very candidly, about her roots as a Cuban American and how humor has been an integral part of her life and her practice as a psychologist. Take a load off and listen in!
More on Margarita…
Dr. Margarita Gurri is a sassy, seasoned speaker, consulting psychologist, and author with a presentation style that makes even the toughest audiences melt. With a fun, interactive style of communicating she invites audiences to practice key communication skills needed to foster leadership qualities, stress management, and deal with difficult people. Dr. Gurri’s keen insights and practical solutions offer immediate skills with long-term results for brighter futures.
You can reach Margarita and get EVEN more info on her here: http://redshoeinstitute.com/
You’ve seen her. You’ve probably received a card or phone call from her. She’s smart, she’s funny and, yes, she used to be a hair model…she’s Barbara Grapstein! Yes, this week I get to talk to Barbara Grapstein. Barbara shares her own humor story and how it spurred an international quest to make a difference through her non-profit organization, Healing Headbands. Take a listen and find out how Barbara is making a difference at home and abroad through laughter and art! More on Barbara…
Barbara Grapstein is the founder and CEO of Healing Headbands Project Inc. As a Global Laughter Ambassador, Certified Laughter Leader and Laughter Yoga Instructor, Barbara's passion is her never ending devotion to helping others through philanthropy complemented by her entrepreneurial spirit. Barbara is actively involved with several organizations including the Association of Applied Therapeutic Humor(AATH), Steve Wilson's World Laughter Tour and Comedy Cures. Barbara is a featured guest on WCWP 88.1 N-Joy show and is well traveled.
Barbara has had the privilege of engaging with many influencers and leaders in the field including the "Guru of India", Dr. Madan Kataria, founder of Laughter Yoga. Barbara is a corporate consultant for holistic health, stress management and serves to help children and families living with cancer. The program currently runs in child life centers, universities and hospitals in the North East.
More on Healing Headbands…
Healing Headbands Project is a nonprofit organization based in Sea Cliff, New York. Our purpose is to inspire others to develop a healing mindset by integrating laughter with art. Our core program helps healing communities realize their full potential through laughter exercises that awaken the creative mind. We then encourage those participating to express themselves and capture the moment through painting. The artwork is custom printed on special soft UV protected fabric, made into headbands and then delivered with 100% love. Our goal is to build a foundation of joy as a whole consciousness and express to others that through this creation process we hold the power to heal. Wearing a Healing Headband is a daily reminder that happiness is a state of mind.
Over the past year, we have reached several communities with the Healing Headbands Project and have received a growing number of requests to integrate the project into schools, hospitals and organizations. We are ready to make this happen and to scale our work to a larger audience. We will train hundreds of young leaders that embody the ethos of our mission to share our world healing project.
Want even more? Go to http://www.healingheadbands.com/
She’s worked for the circus, she’s an accomplished gymnast, she knows Japanese, she’s run a successful computer training company, she’s a FSP (Former Serious Person)….she’s Linda MacNeal! This week on Laughbox I got to have a conversation with a dear friend and colleague, Linda MacNeal. Seriously, there’s not much she hasn’t done and she shares IT ALL with us and also how she came to use humor in all aspects of her life. Tune in and turn up the volume for this interview with an amazing woman! A little on Linda’s humor timeline: Serious Education: 1967-1973 * MA in Japanese Linguistics, University of Hawaii * Graduate of Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Clown College
Not-So-Serious Jobs: 1973-1978 * Taught Clowning at the famous New York 92nd Street Y * Clown Professor at NYC College New School * Hula Dancer at NYC Museum of Natural History * Margaret Mead's 75th birthday entertainment!
The Computer Years: 1978 - 2000 * Worked for IBM in NYC as a Marketing Representative * Worked for IBM in NYC as a Marketing RepresentativeIn 1982 founded ComputerEase, * In 1982 founded ComputerEase, a NYC computer training firmAuthored 6 computer books * Authored 6 computer books including: Excel for Treasury Managers,Cash Management Templates and Excel Macros. * Cash Management Templates and Excel Macros.
The Laughter Years: 2000 – till laughter ever after * Linda is a keynote speaker, CLL, Certified Laughter Leader, * Linda is a keynote speaker, CLL, Certified Laughter Leader, * Linda is a keynote speaker, CLL, Certified Laughter Leader, team building * Linda is a keynote speaker, CLL, Certified Laughter Leader, team building * facilitator, and ice-breaker games innovator.Linda is a seasoned professional at helping people drop their social facade * Linda is a seasoned professional at helping people drop their social facade and have lots of good ol' fashioned FUN!
You can contact Linda and get more information on her here: http://humorsolutions.com
Did you hear about the stand-up comedian from Canada? It’s no joke…she’s on this episode of Laughbox! Sit back, plug in and listen as we talk to Pam Wener. A Laughter Leader and longtime member of AATH, Pam decided a few years ago to try her hand at stand-up comedy. In this interview, she shares what she does, how she does it and how she’s working to make a difference for those around her.
Connect with Pam on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pam.wener?fref=ts
Who knows how to hula hoop and also has survived a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)? Ann Zuccardy THAT’S WHO! Ann shares her story on this week’s episode on how she became an “accidental neuroscientist” as she looked for answers on how to deal with the issues that arose after she slipped in the tub, busted her noggin’, and started having some issues. She’s fun, funny and has never taken a bad picture in her life – you won’t want to miss this episode! Listen in and put some new tools in your toolbox!More on Ann
More on Ann
Sing the ingenuity she discovered after a traumatic brain injury, along with three decades as a corporate communicator, business owner, social media expert, and teacher, Ann Zuccardy challenges conventional ideas about intelligence, self care, and creativity.
Ann’s two TEDx talks How a Brain Injury Made Me Smarter and How Being Unsafe Makes You Smarter and numerous keynote addresses in business, academia, and professional organizations not only inspire personal growth, but open the door for greater productivity, innovation, and teamwork.
Look out…up ahead…A DETOUR! This week, on Laughbox, I have the great pleasure of talking with Amy Oestreicher. She’s funny, she’s talented, and she knows about the detours in life. She shares her story and how she’s learned to shift mindset and be more resilient. I think you’ll enjoy the interview…she’s VERY high energy!
A little more on Amy…
Amy Oestreicher is a PTSD peer-to-peer specialist, artist, author, writer for The Huffington Post, speaker for TEDx and RAINN, health advocate, award-winning actress, and playwright. As a survivor and “thriver” of multiple traumas, Amy eagerly shares the gifts of life’s “beautiful detours” her educational programming, writing, mixed media art, performance and inspirational speaking. Amy has headlined international conferences on leadership, entrepreneurship, women’s rights, mental health, disability, creativity, and domestic violence prevention. She is a SheSource Expert, a “Top Mental Health” writer for Medium, and a regular lifestyle, wellness, and arts contributor for over 70 notable online and print publications, and her story has appeared on NBC’s TODAY, CBS, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen Magazine, Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, MSNBC, among others.
To celebrate her own “beautiful detour”, Amy created the #LoveMyDetour campaign, to help others cope in the face of unexpected events. Her passion for inclusion, equity and amplifying marginalized voices has earned her various honors, including a scholarship from the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor Professionals, the first annual SHERocks Herstory National Performing Artist Honoree, a United Way Community Helper award, and a National Sexual Education Grant honor. To creatively engage student advocacy efforts, Amy developed a trauma-informed program combining mental health education, sexual assault prevention, and Broadway Theatre for college campuses, organizations and conferences. She has designed a creative curriculum for “Detourist Resiliency,” an outreach program taken to schools, hospitals, and at-risk youth. She also has launched Detourist peer-led chapters on college campuses, Detourist creative arts workshops, and an online community to creatively fight stigma in society through storytelling. “Detourism” is also the subject of her TEDx Talk and upcoming book, My Beautiful Detour, available December 2017.
As the 2014 Eastern Regional Recipient of Convatec’s Great Comebacks Award and WEGO Health 2016 “Health Activist Hero” Finalist, and WeGO Health Expert, Amy is a passionate voice in the ostomy community, founding the online community Fearless Ostomates, speaking for National and Regional WOCN conferences, and writing for the official print publication of the UOAA. Her presentations on alternative medicine and patient advocacy and healthcare have also been accepted to international conferences on patient care, internal medicine, medical trauma and therapeutic humor in hospitals. She has devised workshops for the Transformative Language Arts Network National Conference, the Eating Recovery Foundation, the 40th Anniversary New England Educational Opportunity Association Milestones Conference, the Annual National Mental Health America Conference,2016 American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, and others. She was the 2016 keynote speaker for the Hawaii Pacific Rim International Conference on Diversity and Disability. and will be the featured keynote speaker at the 2018 International School of Social Work Conference in Ohio.
As a playwright, Amy has received awards and accolades for engaging her audiences in dynamic conversation on trauma’s effects on society, including Women Around Town’s “Women to Celebrate” 2014, BroadwayWorld “Best Theatre Debut,” Bistro Awards “New York Top Pick, and the “Singular Award” at the Sarasolo Theatre Festival, presented annually for a “performance that is exceptionally uncommon, groundbreaking, original and inventive.” Amy has written, directed and starred in a one-woman musical about her life, Gutless & Grateful, touring theatres, schools, festivals, conventions and organizations since it’s 2012 New York debut. Gutless & Grateful is currently being licensed to students across the country for academic projects and competitions. Amy spent Fall of 2015 participating as a playwright and performance artist in the National Musical Theatre Institute at the world-renowned Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, where she helped to develop the full-length multimedia ensemble piece, The Greeks Are Trying to Tell Us Something, and was a writer, actress, composer and set designer for “Playwrights and Librettists” – a festival of 27 30-minute plays in five days. Her original, full-length drama, Imprints, exploring the physical and psychological impact of trauma, premiered at the Producer’s Club in 2016, and is currently in development for a full New York production as Flicker and a Firestarter. Her short plays have been published by the Eddy Theatre Company and finalists in Manhattan Repertory Theatre’s Short Play Festival, as well as NYC Playwright’s Women in the Age of Trump. Her theatre education essays and monologues have been published in Creative Pedagogy journals, as part of a theatre curriculum for high school students in the Philippines, and as a teaching artist, she is a strong advocate for arts integration and education.
Amy’s collaboration with Beechwood Arts on the immersion salon, “Resilience and the Power of the Human Spirit”, has traveled around the world to health and arts facilities as a public installation, incorporating her monologues, art, writing and recipes to express the life-altering detours and ultimately the invaluable gifts of her resilient journey. Amy is also an active artist and teacher in the Jewish community, being honored by United Way in 2005 for her music programs at Hollander House, completing artist residencies at Art Kibbutz, and delivering “Hope, Resilience & Biblical Women” keynotes for synagogues and religious schools. After studying Theatre of the Oppressed in her studies at Hampshire College, she helped to train ACTSmart, a Playback Theatre troupe in Amherst, MA. She is also a passionate arts education advocate, a successful mixed media visual artist, a continuing education studio arts teacher, and an active member of the League of Professional Theatre Women, League for Advancement of New England Storytellers, Fairfield County Cultural Alliance, Alliance for Jewish Theatre, Theatre Artist Workshop, and several art guilds throughout Connecticut and New York.
Amy is currently developing a multimedia performance project incorporate her original music compositions with the oral histories of her grandmother, a holocaust survivor with musical director David Brunetti, and developing a new multidisciplinary solo musical based on er second TEDx Talk this year: healing from trauma through the archetypal hero’s journey. She is also working on a full-length play with music, LEFTOVERS with director and dramaturge Susan Einhorn, based on her life after the surgical ICU. She is leading mixed media creativity and solo performance workshops to promote creativity as a mindset, an essential survival skill. Amy also offers creative coaching and consulting services help others navigate their own “life detours,” and prides herself most on ending each night with a gratitude list.
You don’t need to burn incense and meditate to be practice mindfulness…you just need a focus to calm all the crap being flung around in your head! On this week’s Laughbox, I get to interview mindfulness expert, Nick Mosca, as he shares simple strategies to decrease your stress and live with more mindfulness.
Drawing on over ten years of experience as an educator, Nick Mosca empowers people to align mindfulness practices with their interests, reduce stress, and reclaim their lives.
Nick currently serves as a Mindfulness Coach/English & Public Speaking Teacher at The George Jackson Academy. In this capacity, he offers over 175 staff and underserved youth practical curricula for using personalized mindfulness to enhance their lives. In 2015, The Atlantic featured Nick’s mindfulness-based Selfless Love Act Project that he co-authored for both educators and students at this institution.
Nick also co-hosts on WABC Radio and has presented at Yale University, Squarespace, Columbia University, New York University, Share Fair Nation, The HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, The Milken Scholars Program, and Molloy College. Moreover, Nick’s writing has appeared in Psychology Today and he is the elected Research Chairperson of The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, through which he earned a scholarship for using mindfulness and comedy to advance world peace.
Nick holds a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard University where he won The Billings Prize for inspiring behavioral change through positive humor. During his undergraduate studies, Nick earned a B.A. in English (Magna Cum Laude) from Georgetown University. He is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).
During his free time, Nick composes music, runs, and plays baseball.
You can get more on Nick and his work here: http://www.nickmosca.com/
Do you like to LAFF? No one does it like Bob Moss! Bob is a long time member of AATH, a retired educator, and is a man on a mission. That mission is to bring more laughter, smiles, and positivity to everyone around him. We had a great time in this interview where Bob shares some his strategies for being positive but also how practicing something in your head can make all the difference when you’re in the mix actually doing it. He even got me to sing with him! Take a listen and enjoy (and try saying Hubba Jubba a few times….it’s just FUN!).
More on Bob and his book can be found on his Facebook profile.
She’s an author, she’s an educator, she can leap tall buildings in a single bound….it’s Mary Kay Morrison! Few people have done as much to further the cause of therapeutic humor than Mary Kay. In this episode of Laughbox, Mary Kay shares some insights into the Association and how our Certified Humor Professional Program (which she gave birth to) took shape. Mary Kay is a great friend and has dedicated a great part of her life to AATH (and her husband’s too). Take a listen to this interview with one of our own.
More on Mary Kay:
Mary Kay Morrison, a professional educator, has dedicated her professional and personal life to researching the benefits of humor and play. She has shared her message with groups as diverse as hospice caregivers, education administrators and bank executives. Through her workshops and publications her quest for humor has assisted others to achieve significant positive change in their lives. She is the teacher for the Humor Academy a graduate program offered through AATH (The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor).
More on Mary Kay can be found on her website at: http://www.questforhumor.com/
Knock knock! Who’s there? Heidi Hanna! And that’s no joke! What a great experience it was to get to share some of Heidi Hanna’s brain this week on Laughbox. I say some because she’s so smart I don’t think I could handle the full Hanna. Heidi shares what’s going on in your brain when you’re stressed and what you can do to calm the monkey on this week’s Laughbox episode. She also shares about her upcoming Global Stress Summit and how you can be a part of this incredible event. Take a listen in, you won’t be disappointed.
More on Heidi….
As an experienced speaker, Dr. Heidi Hanna has been featured at many national and global conferences, including the Fortune Magazine Most Powerful Women in Business Summit, ESPN Women’s Leadership Summit, and the Million Dollar Round Table. She is founder and Chief Energy Officer of Synergy, a consulting company providing brain-based health and performance programs for organizations, the Executive Director of the American Institute of Stress, and a frequent lecturer at Canyon Ranch Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona.
Dr. Hanna’s publications include the NY Times bestseller The SHARP Solution: A Brain-Based Approach for Optimal Performance (Wiley, Feb 2013), Stressaholic: 5 Steps to Transform Your Relationship With Stress (Wiley, Jan 2014) and Recharge: 5 Shifts to Energize Your Life (Synergy, 2015).
Dr. Hanna is a National Board Member for Blessings in a Backpack, a Fellow with the American Institute of Stress, and she currently serves as editor of their quarterly publication, Contentment. Recently, Dr. Hanna created The Beyond Funny Project, a non-profit dedicated to providing resources and education related to the benefits of healthy humor.
Dr. Hanna holds a bachelors degree in communications from Penn State University, where she competed on the Big 10 softball team and received academic All-American honors. She holds a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Rollins College and a Ph.D. degree in holistic nutrition from Clayton College of Natural Health. Clients have included Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, Cisco, Dell, Intel, Boeing, Proctor & Gamble, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Merrill Lynch, ESPN and Starbucks, as well as professional and amateur athletes.
Still need more? Check her out at: https://www.heidihanna.com/
What do you get when you cross a tech savvy entrepreneur with a person that wants to make a difference for others? FRANK CHINDAMO! In this episode of Laughbox, Frank shares about his humor roots and how LaughMD got started and where they want to go. Take a listen in as Frank makes me laugh a LOT!More on Frank…
More on Frank…
Frank created Fun Little Movies in 2003, the first U.S. company to produce comedic films for mobile phones worldwide, and launched the still-running top-deck channel of comedy videos on Sprint phones in 2004. In 2007, he was nominated by Ernst & Young for Entrepreneur of the Year. Frank is LMD’s Founder and Content Curator, and has experience ranging from the Sprint Channel to Babelgum.com, (achieving 1 million subscribers in under two months) to the current Christian content site. Truli.net. FLM produces web video series for big brands including Walmart, Petco and Kingston Technologies.
FLM has been a cover story or featured in Forbes Magazine, the L.A. Times, the NY Times, USA Today, The NY Post, the BBC, Washington Post, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, AdAge, Mashable, CBS and Wired Magazine. FLM has also won over 30 awards for the the videos they have produced, including the Grand Prize at Mobile Content World in Barcelona at the MoFilm awards, given by Kevin Spacey. FLM was also a finalist at the Cannes Film Festival for Best Short Film. In 2010, Frank produced a video for TED with Titanic and Avatar producer Jon Landau. He has lectured at numerous colleges and universities and is currently an Adjunct Professor in Web Video at USC, UCLA and Chapman Universities.
Frank created LaughMD because of the experiences he saw when he was with his family in hospitals. His father suffered from heart attacks and cancer and was in the hospital 17 times. His brother passed away after months in a hospital. And other family members have spent weeks in hospitals. Frank saw that most of the time, patients were doing nothing but watching TV, and the TV channels available to them made them more anxious, aggravated and sicker. There had to be a better way!
Frank received his Film B.F.A. from N.Y.U. and his Screenwriting & Producing M.F.A. from Columbia University.
Want more on LaughMD? Visit their site: http://www.laughmd.com/
Mirthologist and psychologist, Dr. Steve Sultanoff, is the founder of Humor Matters. He also is the Past-President of AATH and also the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. In this episode of Laughbox, he shares his personal strategies for incorporating more humor into your life and how he used humor strategically as a psychotherapist with his patients. You’ll get some real strategies you can use right away in this episode! Grab a pen, paper and be prepared!
Steve’s website is FULL of resources for anyone serious about adding a little more mirth to their lives. Please check it out at www.humormatters.com.
Roberta Gold
Humor DOES Rock! This week I got to talk with longtime AATH member and humor advocate, Roberta Gold, RTC. Roberta Gold is a Recreation Therapist and a Humor Therapist who founded Laughter for the Health of it in 1985 with one mission: To empower everyone to have a more positive outlook by seeing the humor instead of the horror in our world. In this episode, she shares her new book and new venture, "Laughter Rocks!”, aimed at bringing positivity into the educational environment in order to help parents, teachers, and students live life more positively and with more humor.
Roberta is a Recreation Therapist by trade and a Humor Therapist by choice. Her proprietary program, Laughter for the Health of it has helped countless businesses, healthcare facilities, medical organizations, schools, non-profit organizations, networking groups, elder/senior care facilities, churches, temples and many others to realize that laughter truly can be the best medicine for whatever ails you, your colleagues, your associates, your family, your staff and your friends.
More on Roberta can be found at http://www.laf4u.com/.
This week on Laughbox we talk to Dr. Ed Dunelblau, Past President of AATH and Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Ed shares very candidly about strategies he used to cope recently with his own bout with cancer. Listen in. You’ll laugh and learn some things to make a positive impact for yourself and others.
More on Ed... Dr. Dunkelblau is a licensed clinical psychologist and nationally known speaker on the topics of social-emotional intelligence, humor, and health. Dr. Dunkelblau has two master's degrees from Columbia University: one in psychology and the other in vocational and rehabilitation counseling, and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Kansas, where he was recently recognized as a distinguished alum.
Even more on Ed... He has been in clinical practice for 25 years, is past president of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH), is approved supervisor for the Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and director of the Institute for Emotionally Intelligent Learning. Ed was recently selected as a primary speaker by the US Department of Defense's Yellow Ribbon Program. This honor is conferred on a select group of speakers whose talents assist members of our armed forces and their families in dealing with the challenges of military service.
Want more on Ed? http://www.teacheq.com/welcome.html
Allen Klein!? Yes! This week I got to talk the THE Allen Klein, CSP and AATH Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. Allen is (what I consider) a humor pioneer. His classic book, The Healing Power of Humor, has been a staple for anyone interested in humor as a study for the past 30 years. It was that book and Allen himself, that first brought me to AATH. In this episode we talk about how Allen first got interested in humor and how his application of humor has evolved over the years. We share some laughs and strategies that can be used right now for YOU to make a difference in your own life using humor. A little more about Allen…. Allen Klein, MA, CSP* (aka "Mr. Jollytologist®") is an award-winning professional keynote speaker and best-selling authorwho shows audiences worldwide how humor can help them deal with everyday trials and tribulations as well as triumphing over tragedy.
Klein's books have been published in eight different languages (English, Spanish, Danish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Hungarian, and Turkish) with over 500,000 in print. Make sure you check out more about Allen at http://www.allenklein.com/.
In today's episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Women’s Health Advocate, Breast Cancer Survivor and author, Eileen Kaplan.
This week on Laughbox we talk to “Cheerman to the Bored” himself, Steve Wilson! Steve is a psychologist, self-proclaimed Joyologist, and a Lifetime Achievement Award Winner with AATH. In this episode of Laughbox, he shares his own humor journey and how he started the laughter movement in the United States. You won’t want to miss this episode with this iconic humor professional. More information on Steve and his work can be found at www.worldlaughtertour.com.
What’s a neurohumorist? You’ll find out in this episode of Laughbox as we talk to Karyn Buxman about what happens in our brain when we encounter humor and when we laugh.
Karyn is in the National Speakers Association’s Speaker Hall of Fame and is a Diplomat at the American Institute of Stress. She is a proud recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. She serves on the advisory boards of the Invisible Disabilities Association and the American Happiness Association. She’s the co-founder of World Laughter Tour. That’s why Karyn Buxman is the best person to teach your team how they can lead with laughter!
More on Karyn can be found at www.karynbuxman.com.
In Episode 1, of Laughbox, we get to talk with Julie Ostrow on incorporating humor into everyday life as well as how all of life is Improv!
As the Humor, Laughter, and Improv Coach, American Laughing Champion and Second City-trained Julie Ostrow teaches organizations and corporate teams to use improv skills to improve Creativity, Communication, Team Building, Problem Solving, and Productivity with their clients and within their organizations. She teaches the benefits of using humor, laughter, and improv in all aspects of our lives, including in the workplace.
More on Julie can be found at www.julieostrow.com
In this pilot episode of LaughBox, I introduce the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH). AATH is a nonprofit, member-driven community of laughter and humor professionals and enthusiasts.
The organization was formed in 1987 by Allison Crain, R.N., and provides members with education, cutting edge resources and the supportive community they need to excel in the promotion of healthy humor.
I found my people when I came to my first conference over a decade ago. They get the joke and appreciate the humor. And it’s an eclectic group that includes doctors, lawyers, educators, anybody that has an appreciation and a use for humor in their life.
Humor can help us communicate better. It helps us cope. It helps us deal with anything that comes up if we can find the humor in the situation.
In future episodes of LaughBox, I’ll be talking with laughter and humor professionals that can help you make the rapid mental adjustment you need to just get over the hump sometimes and get down to business. When we need just that one thing to make us laugh or smile, even when the clouds are gray and it’s hard to find that silver lining, for me, humor is the one thing that has always helped me do it
Find more information at AATH.org.