A Qualitative Study on the Safe and Effective Use of Clinician Humour in Psychotherapy

Abstract

Humour can be a valuable tool for psychotherapists, if executed in a respectful manner. Laughter has myriad health benefits, and is associated with reduced depression, increased self-esteem, and lower perceived levels of stress (Eckstein et al., 2003). It can strengthen the therapeutic alliance and simplify the process of confronting clients on dysfunctional behaviours (Thomas et al., 2015). However, rigorous empirical study of humour in psychotherapy is scarce, as is clinical training in its use (Franzini, 2001). Ergo, this study queries: (1) How do counsellors and psychotherapists use humour in their therapy sessions? (2) In what contexts do counsellors and psychotherapists perceive humour use as being appropriate and beneficial in therapy? And (3) In what contexts do counsellors and psychotherapists perceive humour use as being potentially harmful? A semi-structured interview protocol was used to interview seven psychotherapists in Canada with a minimum of five years of work experience. Interviews were audio recorded, and data obtained was analyzed using Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012). This study examined the experiences of psychotherapists to determine how they use humour safely and effectively in therapy sessions, with the aim of gaining knowledge to inform clinical training on how best to minimize the potential for harm, and maximize the therapeutic benefits of humour in therapy. Eleven main themes, each with several subthemes, emerged in the data analysis. Implications for therapy, counsellor education and further research are discussed.