The Home for Humor & Laughter Professionals September 2016

Save the Date!

AATH Annual HumorConference & Humor Academy

April 27-30, 2017Orlando, Florida

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This complimentary Humor Connection newsletter is one of the many ways thatAATH fulfills our mission to study, practice and promote healthy humor. Youcan join our efforts by joining AATH at www.aath.org

Letter from the President

September is national suicide prevention month! As you know, part of AATH'smission is to explore pioneering research in humor and laughter. How canhumor help people cope? Several of our 2017 keynoters will address theimportance of play and laughter in combatting mental illness. Mark yourcalendars for April 27-30, 2017. The conference will be held at the beautifulDisney Springs Holiday Inn Resort in Orlando. Each conference is a time toconnect with other professionals who are committed to changing the worldthrough humor. CEU, CME and Graduate credit available. JOIN US!

Do consider becoming a sponsor for our conference, so we can further ouroutreach and continue to make a difference.

We are pleased to report that the AATH board of directors has passed our2016-17 annual AATH budget. Our financial situation has greatly improvedover this past year due to a successful conference in Phoenix and an increasein memberships.

Thank you all for your continued support as we fulfill our mission to study,practice and promote healthy humor and laughter. I cannot wait to see you inOrlando. Registration information will be posted on the website soon.

With humergy,Mary Kay MorrisonAATH President

Conference Scholarships

Through our generous scholarshipdonors, AATH is able to offerFIFTEEN SCHOLARSHIPS* to the2017 conference that coverregistration fees. Each of thescholarships to our conference orHumor Academy event has specificguidelines, so please reviewcarefully. You may apply for morethan one scholarship, but may only

Member Spotlight

Dr. Earl Henslin has been a favoritespeaker at several AATHconferences. Dr. Henslin has adoctorate in clinical psychology andis a licensed marriage and familytherapist and Christian counselor. Dr.Earl Henslin is helping individualsand families in marriage counseling,traumatic stress, addictions, abuse,

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Conference Trivia

Are you in any of these photos?Do you remember whichconferences these were taken?Share your favorite conferencememories and/or include yourpictures for future publication inthis Humor Connectionnewsletter. We want to hear fromyou!

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receive one award. If you want yourapplication to be considered forseveral scholarships, please indicatethis in the first paragraph of youremail submission. While preferenceis given to AATH members, manynon-members have successfullyapplied and have been awardedscholarships. Please provide yourmembership status in yourapplication.

*Scholarships are for ConferenceRegistration or Humor AcademyRegistration.

Recipient is responsible for anyadditional membership fees, travel tothe conference, and conference hotelstay.

Application for scholarships will beaccepted from September 15through November 15, 2016, for the2017 AATH Conference and HumorAcademy. Click HERE to apply.

Volunteer Spotlight

Meet Laurie Young: Editor ofthe AATH Humor Voice, pastAATH board member andAATH Humor Academy CHP(Certified Humor Professional)

If you are not a member of AATH youare missing out on receiving theoutstanding AATH quarterlynewsletter written by members formembers and edited by the

ADD/ADHD and other issues, with aninnovative, state of the art therapeuticapproach. He is the author of sevenbooks, and co-author of three booksand numerous professional articles.The favorite book of this editor is"This is Your Brain on Joy." Moreinformation can be found on hisWebsite.

Dr. Henslin is shown with Kyle Edgellwho drew a great caricature of himwhile he was speaking! Kyle isenrolled in our AATH HumorAcademy program.

Insights from memberKyle Edgell"As a caricature artist - I have had thegreat delight of getting high doses oflaughter at every gig. The mediumthat engages spectators and relaxesmy subject and the channel throughwhich I am forgiven for a badly drawnportrait is Humor. I try to makekindness the underlying canvas.

While drawing caricatures in a bar tomy surprise - people "tipped" me. Idiscovered the more I invited them toshare their wit and stories - anddemonstrated there was totalabsence of malice in a "bad" drawing,the laughter...and tips wouldflow. The tension of wondering if thenext one would turn out and whatexhilarating reactions it would inspirein spectator and subject alike turnedmy side-line bar drawings into a fulltime career.

My "interest" in the art of caricaturewas an economic necessity - but thegreater reward and what drives mypen today is the laughter and

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remarkable Laurie Young.

It is a joy to share a few highlightsfrom this 5th edition. For each issue,Laurie is adamant that we need toshare the significance of the workthat our members do to further themission of AATH. Each month sheinvites our members to write aboutthe humor/laughter work of othermembers. For the most recent issue,Laurie featured our internationalmembers: one from each continentaround the world.

Here are a few of the features in ourcurrent issue. David Mann, as HumorAcademy advisor for Bunmi, was theobvious choice to share informationabout our Nigerian Humor Academystudent Dr. Olubunmi Diala. RobertaGold described many details aboutour first international CHP graduate,Bron Roberts from Australia. WendySinger wrote a fascinating accountabout Dr. Ken Shonk from Canada.Barb Best penned a great article onCHP graduate, Masako Kusakarifrom Japan. Erica Ruiz was ourSouth American spotlight written byBarbara Grapstein. Kay Caskeyenjoyed letting us know more aboutour funny Norwegian, HaraldEllingsen. Linda Scharf writes aboutJill Knox and her passion for humoras a way towards world peace. HeidiHanna features our 2016 keynotespeaker Sheva Carr and her ability tofind humor in her international workto combat human trafficking.

Thank you Laurie for your tirelesswork to initiate this amazing AATHHumor Voice publication. It is atreasured member benefit.

Certified Humor Professional(CHP) Recognition

Kathy Keaton"Quiet Please...Clown at Work"Hospital Humor Therapy/TheCaring Clown

community that is created by it."

Book Review

The Gift of Cancer, A LifeChanging Book: Turn YourTragedy into a Treasure...ATreasure Map to Happiness

by Wendy Treynor, PhD (Reviewedby Diane Roosth)

"An inspiring, uplifting and joyfulread!" according to Karyn Buxman,RN, MSN, this book offers a deeperlook into the power of positivethinking and the benefits of SocialPsychology in helping us understandresilience. Challenged by rejection,depression, loss of money andcareer, our young author showstremendous wisdom and insight asshe becomes a cancer survivor. Dr.Treynor identifies the importance ofself-love and gratitude as importantto healing and meaning in life after amajor illness. She speaks of thepower of the mind over the body,reminiscent of Dr. Bernie Siegel'sExceptional Cancer Patients firstidentified in his 1990 book Love,Medicine and Miracles.

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Kathy Keaton is a humorouskeynote speaker on the healthbenefits of laughter, who has alsobeen an award-winning clown forover 36 years. As "Piccolo theClown," she was a hospital volunteerfor more than 25 years in all of thecommunities of her husband'smilitary career. In 2003, shedeveloped the first Hospital HumorTherapy Program in West Texas atSan Angelo Community MedicalCenter, where she is still employedas their Therapeutic Clown. She hasalso been a hospice volunteer andperformed for support groups,schools, community events andBirthday parties.

Erika RuizJoy over Toys

Erika Ruiz, better known as the JoyCoach, is a Laughter Yoga WorldAmbassador and Brain FitnessFacilitator passionate about joy andwellness. She has 30+ years'experience in implementingrecreational programs for children,seniors and adults. Combining herbilingual facilitation skills with that ofthe wellness seeker, she leadslaughter sessions, workshops andretreats around the world, always

Dr. Treynor talks about her "suddeninsight" with her Lymphoma cancerdiagnosis into understanding "whysome people are happy makingothers unhappy" and then uses this"understanding to heal herself andothers." She shares how because ofher journey seeking medicaltreatment and uplifting mind bodyspirit connections, she triumphed andis very much alive today.

Our author speaks of the importanceof social support, including familyvisiting a patient in the hospital, andthe challenges of the costs of healthcare to the patient and their families.She identifies Socialization Theorywhich suggests that "to stake ourself-worth on the standards of anysocial group is misguided, and toregard it as a true indicator of ourinherent value is delusion." She talksabout how her life journeys, likedriving through San Francisco,reminds her that "joy exists" and thatfreedom is "a state of mind"dependent on personal thoughts notthose of others.

Life lessons she shares include:"Find the Humor in Your Fate;""Cultivate Joy," "Anything isPossible," "What You Feel Is Real,""Appreciation is Happiness," "HavingWhat You Love is Freedom." Wiseand insightful she shares a metaphor:"A life lived and the meaning andrichness of a life lived cannot be fitinto a box." She states that our livesare lives "unfinished," our work iswork "unfinished," and that now "isthe time for you to finish your life'swork" and to "share it."

Kudos to Dr. Treynor for this bookfilled with inspiring moments,gratitude, and one women's journeyof self-discovery.

Members who would like their bookto be considered for an upcomingHumor Connection book review,should contact info@aath.org. Pleaseuse Book Review Submission in the

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helping people to unleash their innerjoy. An inspirational speaker for allaudiences, she is also a HealthRhythms Facilitator, and an activeadvocate/volunteer for AARP,Alzheimer Association, Easter Sealsand the MS National Society - and ofcourse, AATH.

Member News

Bob "Hubba Jubba" Moss provideda presentation on "Hearty Laffter isthe Best Enthusiasm" at the PineBluff, Arkansas B.R.A.V.E. Program(an affiliate of the local firedepartment). Bob provided picturesof a display group when familieswere involved in a 2-B Positiveexercise of drawing happy faces onpaper plates.

Sunny Mathews reports that shewas featured recently about herlaughter club circle in this article inthe Florida Times-Union newspaper.Sunny says that the reportermisspelled her name; otherwise, shedid a good job capturing the essenceof what Laughter Yoga is and whatshe does at Clarity Pointe.Congratulations Sunny!

Helen Reese is a new author! Helenhas been writing her entire life butnever took the big leap until a fewyears ago when she returned from"the date from hell" and then read anad about an upcoming meeting of awriters' group at a local bookstore.

subject line.

September Humor AcademyReport by HA Director NilaNielsen

Seriously Silly

Have you ever thought you were theonly one in the world who could beseriously silly? If so, you have notbeen a part of the Humor Academy.We are SERIOUSLY SILLY!

In the Humor Academy, somesuggest that infusing seriously sillystories strengthens and supports thesincere intent of humor. On a seriousnote, others state that singing sillysongs can subliminally start a sinceregroup of staunch people smiling.

But seriously, check out the goals ofthe Humor Academy:

We provide opportunities fornetworking and dialogueamong those interested inhealthy humor/laughtertheory. (Seriously Fun)We gather and shareinformation on scientificresearch and applications.(Seriously Generous)We promote positive andhealthy humor. (SeriouslyActive)We encourage like-mindedpeople, groups andorganizations to join inpromoting healthy humor.(Seriously Friendly)We Support AATH in itsmission to be the recognizedworldwide authority andprimary membershiporganization or people with acommon interest in appliedand therapeutic humor.(Seriously InteractiveInternationally)

Silly of me not to say this earlier, but

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Helen, who grew up in Holyoke, MA,went to Stern College in NYC andthen graduate school at Bryn MawrCollege, has been a social worker atthe Philadelphia Ronald McDonaldHouse on Chestnut Street since1998. But she wrote a page and ahalf of personal anecdotal materialand took it to the bookstore. Here isan article about Helen.

SEND YOUR MEMBER NEWS:info@aath.org

Now is the Time to Update

Hey, Hey, Hey! Do not keep yourinterest in humor a secret. Make sureyou update your picture and profile inour online directory. If you cannotfind your listing, your membershipmay have lapsed. Call Michele at theAATH office to join or renew yourmembership. 815-708-6587.

Steps to update your profile:

Click on "Member Login"found at top of sidebar

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Enter your username andpassword

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Click on "MembershipDirectory" under"Membership" in sidebar

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Under "My Profile" tab at top,click "Edit Profile"

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Add a photo and completethe other information

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When finished, inviteconnections with othermembers

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Enjoy!7.

you should seriously join us in theHumor Academy!

Contact Nila Nielsen at:ninielsen@me.com

DONATIONS TO AATH ARE TAXDEDUCTIBLE: Thank you for yourcontinued support of AATH!

You can write a check to AATH andsend to the office or you can:

1. AATH 2017 CONFERENCESPONSORSHIP: There are manyways that you can be a sponsor forour AATH conference for as little as$50.

2. SCHOLARSHIP DONATION: Youcan designate your gift to the WilliamFry, Patty Wooten or Ed Dunkelblauscholarship fund.

To make a tax-deductible gift toAATH, you may send checkdonations to the AATH office at:220 East State St., Floor GRockford, IL 61104

MEMBER ASSISTANCE: If you needhelp with renewing your membership,or if you forget your member websitelog-in information, reach out toMichele St. Clair and her team at815-708-6587.

REMINDER: AATH is officially recognized as a 501c3 and has been vetted by UNITED WAY. If you or anyone you knowmakes donations through United Way, please consider designating a portion of your generous gift to AATH and please

let others know of this opportunity.

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