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GET MORE LAUGHTER IN YOUR LIFE!
David Granirer - North America's Psychotherapist/Stand-Up Comic
Volume 3, Issue 3
Editor: David Granirer, david@psychocomic.com
Publisher: David Granirer
www.psychocomic.com

Please help us grow by forwarding this e-zine on to others!

IN THIS ISSUE
1. Welcome from the Publisher
2. Joke
3. Humor And Mental Health In Action
4. What’s Good Stories
5. An Opportunity To Help
6. Classified Ads
7. Contact Information


PRIVACY STATEMENT: WE WILL NOT DISTRIBUTE YOUR
EMAIL ADDRESS TO ANYONE. PERIOD.


1. WELCOME FROM THE PUBLISHER

****We’re Back!****

My comedy nights start again on Friday January 11 at Flori’s Coffee Centre, 3851 E. Hastings in North Burnaby, 2 blocks east of Boundary. To reserve (604) 294-8505.

On Friday January 18, CBC TV is coming to do a piece on that night’s headliner, and one of my star comedy students, 69 year old Mavis Pickett. It’s a great story of how taking a risk (In her case taking my stand-up comedy course) and confronting her fears changed her life. Mavis took the course twice and is now a professional comic. One day she’ll probably be a star, and the great thing is she has no investment in it! So come on out and laugh with her!


****Comedy Course****

If you’ve ever had a dream to do comedy, my 8-week Stand-Up Comedy Clinic Course at Langara College starts on the evenings of February 5 and 6. (I’m running 2 sections this term, a Tues. and Wed. class). To register call Langara at (604) 323-5322. To see testimonials from people who have taken the course go to http://www.psychocomic.com/ComedyCourse.htm

2. THIS MONTH'S JOKE

To help you lighten up, Iíve decided to start every issue with a joke. If anyone has some good clean jokes that are reasonably short, feel free to email them to me at david@psychocomic.com

Thanks again to Holly Vavrek for the following real life comedy that writes itself:

A magazine recently ran a Dilbert Quotes contest. They were looking for people to
submit quotes from their real life Dilbert-type managers. Here are the finalists:

"As of tomorrow, employees will only be able to access the building using individual
security cards. Pictures will be taken next Wednesday and employees will receive their cards in two weeks."
This was the winning quote from Fred Dales at Microsoft Corp. in Redmond, WA.

"What I need is a list of specific unknown problems we will encounter." (Lykes Lines
Shipping)

"No one will believe you solved this problem in one day! We've been working on it for
months. Now go act busy for a few weeks and I'll let you know when it's time to tell them." (R&D supervisor, 3M Corp.)

Quote from the Boss: "Teamwork is a lot of people doing what I say."
(Marketing executive, Citrix Corporation)

"We know that communication is a problem, but the company is not going to discuss it
with the employees."
(Switching supervisor, AT&T Long Lines Division)


3. HUMOR AND MENTAL HEALTH IN ACTION

We’ve all heard about the therapeutic psychological effects of humor, and here’s someone putting them into action. For the past five years Millie Meyer, a health humorist has been giving a six-week therapeutic humor course for patients at a state mental hospital in southern Idaho. Most of her patients suffer with some sort of affective disorder, such as clinical depression, bipolar affective disorder, and dysthymia. Some of the patients also suffer from psychosis.

The purpose of the course is to give them a positive tool for coping with stress. Because they are dealing with serious, often very negative problems, Millie helps them put some laughter, humor, and joy into their treatment and daily lives.

The course takes place in a conference room right on the treatment
unit and covers: How stress affects the body, the physical and psychosocial benefits of humor, the difference between constructive and destructive humor, how to define their individual senses of humor, finding their humor tools, how to 'lighten up and not take things so seriously, and most importantly, how to open up and let the humor into their lives every day.

Millie also shows patients how to use humor to cope with stressors and to lighten their mood when feeling depressed. She also reveals how humor can help ward off the stress that can precipitate a psychotic episode. The class is interactive so patients can practice the skills right on the spot.

Millie says that patients indicate that the class is very beneficial for them. She sees them begin to find the funny where they hadn't prior to the course. She also sees them playing fun practical jokes on peers and staff. She often receives jokes in the mail from patients after they are discharged. They write, "I thought you'd enjoy this." And, she does, stating “It's great to know they take the humor message with them when they leave!”

Millie’s greatest reward has been from a male patient with a dual diagnosis (mental illness and drug or alcohol addiction.) Before he was discharged, he thanked her for giving him something besides drugs to use when stressed or upset. A year after he left, she received a card from him telling her he was still clean, sober, and laughing!

It’s great to see humor become accepted as a treatment for mental illness. Millie indicates that the Treatment Team at the state hospital has only positive things to say about the results of this class. And what a blessing it must be for the patients to realize that no matter how tough things get, they can still have a laugh or a moment of joy.

Millie Meyer can be reached at milmey@netscape.net

If you would like to print one of my articles on humor in the workplace in your newsletter free of charge, email me at david@psychocomic.com and Iíll send you a complete summary of all the articles Iíve written.

For other free articles about laughter go to www.psychocomic.com/Articles.htm

For free back issues of this ezine go to www.psychocomic.com/Newsletter.htm

*****GET MORE LAUGHTER IN YOUR LIFE!*****
Check out David's tapes, posters, buttons at www.psychocomic.com/Products.htm
 

4. WHAT'S GOOD STORIES

It's so easy to see all the bad things around us, that sometimes we forget about all the great things that go on. And we need to hear about good things because that gives us hope and inspires us to go out and do more good things.

In this section, I want to hear from you. What's happened in your life that's good? What things have people done that inspire you to be kind to others? What funny things have happened?

Email your short stories to me at david@psychocomic.com, and if I publish yours, you get a free copy of my tape "I'm OK But YOU Need Professional Help!"  
 

Charlotte Dawber from the U.K. contributed this month’s story.

I had joined a new dance group recently and set off a bit late to the first
evening. It was dark and raining, somewhere I had never been and I was a
bit anxious about finding it. As a result is was about nine miles from
home, as I pulled into the car park, that I suddenly noticed that the fuel
gauge read zero! It then became evident that not only had I not brought my
mobile phone to call my husband but that I had also left my purse at home.

I went in to the hall to sign in and see if there was a phone anywhere. No
phone! But there was a lady whom I had never met before and who
didn't know me from Adam. She immediately whipped out her purse and
offered me a £10 note to buy petrol. Not only is this quite a lot of money
but she had no way of knowing if I would ever see her again. I was so touched
that someone cared enough to trust me and help me out of what would have
been at best a nerve-racking situation, and would quite likely have
involved a long wet vulnerable walk on a main road and country lanes.

5. AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP

ARTISTS WITHOUT BORDERS brings psychological relief to the victims of war in the form of art and/or entertainment. They send performers and artists to refugee camps and zones of conflict. Theyíve been to Kosovo, East Timor, Chechnya and more. If youíd like more information, or to help out, (Theyíre a non-profit organization and could use donations) go to their web site http://www.artwit.org .

If anyone has a good cause they'd like to promote please email me at david@psychocomic.com
 

6. CLASSIFIED ADS

Speakers: Learn how to incorporate stand-up comedy into your presentations. Check out David's stand-up comedy skills coaching for presenters at: www.psychocomic.com/ComedyCourse.htm
 

7. CONTACT INFORMATION

David Granirer gives laughter in the workplace presentations helping hundreds of organizations throughout North America reduce stress, increase wellness, and cope with change. For more information on his presentations, stand-up comedy, products, and articles call (604) 205-9242 or go to www.psychocomic.com

Special thanks to www.e-zinez.com

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