2026-05-11 – Weekly Psychology News : Humor in therapy: a healing tool

Last week in our psychology community, members engaged in a lively exchange about the intersection of humor and therapy. Discussions also revolved around the critical role of play in child development and how visualization techniques can enhance performance and resilience. A recurring theme was the impact of community and connection on mental health. These conversations reflect a blend of professional insights and personal experiences, providing a rich tapestry of shared knowledge.


This Week’s Hot Topics

When Therapy Meets the Dark Humor of Life
This thread explores how humor, even of the darker sort, can be a therapeutic tool. It’s fascinating to see how laughter can be a form of connection in therapeutic settings.
Read more here

Enhancing Focus During Competition
A great discussion on techniques athletes use to maintain focus during high-pressure situations. This could be useful for anyone interested in performance psychology.
Read more here

The Importance of Play in Child Development
This topic delves into how play influences cognitive and social growth in children, emphasizing its role in healthy development.
Read more here

Harnessing Visualization for Peak Performance
An insightful look at how visualization is used by professionals to achieve peak performance, whether in sports, business, or personal goals.
Read more here

The impact of play on learning
Another engaging thread on play, this time focusing on its educational benefits and how it fosters learning in various settings.
Read more here

When criminal minds meet bad puns
A lighter take on the psychology of crime, this discussion highlights how humor and crime intersect in unexpected ways.
Read more here

Therapy clichés that make us giggle
This thread is a delightful collection of common therapy clichés that bring a smile, showing how humor can lighten the therapeutic process.
Read more here

Building resilience through visualization
Members share personal stories and strategies on how visualization can be a powerful tool for building mental resilience.
Read more here

Building stronger connections in our community
An important conversation about fostering stronger interpersonal relationships and the benefits this brings to mental well-being.
Read more here

The role of community in health
This topic underscores the vital role that community support plays in maintaining and improving health outcomes.
Read more here


Looking forward to another week of engaging discussions. Thank you for being an active part of our community.

1 Like

, I totally get it. ‘Community college offers a great program that focuses on the latest advancements in lock technology’ — my team benefited a lot when we enrolled in a similar course last year. It’s surprising how much confidence a little extra training can give them, but they also need hands-on experience to really master the skills. Have you thought about setting up mentorships alongside those classes?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌‍‌​‍‌‌‌‌‍‌⁠‍‍‌‌‍‌​⁠​⁠‌⁠​​​⁠​⁠‌​‍‍​⁠‍‌‌​‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​‌‌‌​‍​⁠‌​‌‌‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

That venison and wild boar blend sounds incredible; i’ve found that adding a bit of apple cider vinegar can really help to balance the richness of the meat. Have you tried any other unique flavor combinations?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌​‌‌‌⁠‌‍​‌​‍⁠‌‌⁠‍​‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‍‌⁠‍‍‌‌‍‌‌​‌‍‌​​‍‌⁠‌‍‌​‌⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

It’s so interesting how laughter can act as a bridge in therapy. I once used a humorous icebreaker in a group session, and it really lightened the mood, helping everyone open up. Just a reminder, though — humor should always be used with sensitivity to ensure it fits the context and the individuals involved.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍‍‌‌​‍‌​‌​​‍⁠‌​⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‍‌⁠‌​‌​‌⁠‌‌​‍‌‍‌​‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I find humor can really shift the energy in a session. Last week, I tried a light-hearted joke when discussing tough issues; suddenly, the clients were more engaged and started opening up. It’s like laughter sometimes acts as a release valve for tension.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌​⁠⁠​‍⁠‌‌​‌​​⁠‍​‌​‌⁠‌⁠‍‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌​​⁠​⁠‍‌‌​⁠⁠​⁠​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​