Using Laughter as Boston's Best Medicine

It has long been known that laughter is good medicine, but now a revolutionary method of laughter therapy--the Laughter Club is coming to Boston, thanks to Dorothea Keeling, founder of Laughing At & Understanding Good Humor Seminars (LAUGHS). Dorothea recently completed training in a systematic method of giggling and guffawing that promises to help reduce stress, improve attitudes, and possibly be the way to world peace. In this method, people join a group called a Laughter Club, and participate in a routine of chuckles and chortles designed to make anyone feel better without the aid of jokes. Keeling expects to have a laughter club organized in Boston soon.

on in nursing homes, retirement centers, hospitals, schools and businesses. The college-approved continuing education training, which took place in Columbus, Ohio, is recognized by several professions including health education. Keeling now joins dozens of other Laughter Leaders across the country who are showing Americans how to laugh their way to health. "This is not only a breakthrough in alternative healing strategies," said Keeling, "but it can be done at work during your coffee break, or in the backyard with your neighbors."

Ongoing research among the more then 400 laughter clubs now active in India points to the method's capacity for reducing stress and diminishing social isolation while improving self-confidence and general sense of well- being. Physician, Lee Berk, at Loma Linda University in California, reports strong evidence of laughter's role in boosting the immune system and, therefore, it is likely to aid in preventing some illnesses altogether.According to Dorothea,, "Laughter is a universal language, which in our groups acts as a powerful social and emotional glue. Laughter has no accent. Laughter clubs are open to everyone." For more information about therapeutic laughter and how to create a local laughter club call Dorothea at 617-840-3281

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Boston Area Health Educator Honored by Humor Organization

Dorothea Keeling, Boston area health educator, has been named the 2005 Ed Dunkelblau (first time ever) scholarship winner by the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. The scholarship is presented to a clinician of color whose contribution to the association is to advance the understanding and application of humor and laughter.

Background of AATH

The Association for Applied And Therapeutic Humor was founded in 1988 by a group of health care professionals, mainly nurses. AATH is a non-profit professional organization that advances the understanding and application of humor, laughter and play. AATH provides and disseminates information about applied therapeutic humor through conferences, publications, a website, and networking to a community from a wide variety of clinical corporate, and classroom settings. They include scholars, psychologists, counselors, allied healthcare practitioners, nurses, social workers, physicians, business executives, human resource managers, educators, clergy, hospital clowns, speakers, trainers, and others who incorporate humor in their life and work and are not necessarily served through other organizations. Further information about this organization can be found at www.aath.org.