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To Encourage & Inspire Touching Hearts thru the Arts!
My heartfelt mission is: Helping to Prepare, Equip & Train those with the True Heart of a Clown to inject Healing Humor into the Hospital or Healthcare Setting, as a Hospital/Caring or Therapeutic Clown, Healthcare Family Entertainer, Applied Humor Therapist… or to establish a Hospital/Healthcare Humor Program!
I’ve written prescriptions and provided the tools for those of us at the Grassroots Level (that’s you ‘n me, by the way!) to use. You can pick from a whole array, choosing the most palatable form that’s easiest for you to digest. This way, you can make best use of the material, according to your own situation or group plans!
My books, audio/video products, and multimedia are geared for all levels of experience. Everything is written in a down-to-earth style, based upon hands-on experience from a me-and-you perspective, not from a Corporate Ivory Tower How-to, or pontificating upon the multitude of minutiae you must always keep in mind, that will forever hold you back from sharing laughter and joy in the healthcare setting.
Don’t miss out on oodles of FREE Resources! Since publishing my first book in 2007, I have freely been offering loads of insight, information and cool ideas here to help you — so be sure to check around my AHeart4Clowning.com site, and sign up to receive our newsletter to keep updated!
Make 2011 your best year ever for Massive Healing Humor Injections! Everyone’s waiting for you…
I was the lucky recipient of this lovely creation by my friend “Recycle.” It visually depicts a busy year in the life of a dedicated clown and their alley. Thought you would enjoy…
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| This photo slideshow created with Smilebox |
I recognize some of these clowns and peeps! This vid brings back sweet-sweet memories of one of my all-time fav conventions! (COAI Virginia Clown Alley #3 was a totally fabulous host!)
Did you catch that decorated dumpster aka fancy-dancy ‘Recycle’ Bin?! I wonder if that was a creation of Recycle’s?!
Fun to Rock Around the Year with COAI Virginia Alley #3! Thanks so much for sharing these happy-happy times, and for your permission to pass the smiles along, Recycle!
How about you — do you have some memorable caring clown moments? If you have a Most Memorable Clown Moment story to share, please do! We’d love to shine the Big Top spotlight on you — to inspire others!
More Info: Virginia Clown Alley #3
’tis always the season for Hospital and Caring Clowns to share their hearts and to give lots of smiles! One of the fun things about making Clown Rounds is having a little leave-behind, or a small token as a reminder of the visit. Of course stickers often come to mind, but there are many things that can be made at low to almost no cost — simple is best. But do keep in mind the facility guidelines, and get any item approved before you begin handing it out.
Here is a nifty-gifty basket I just made up for our next Clown Rounds… I purchased this cardboard ‘handbag’ from a crafts store, in the party section, and filled it with fun small give-away items.
TIP: Make your own gift basket or bag by cutting the bottom off a cereal box to the desired height, cover it with fun contact paper (so you can wipe it clean, for hygiene). Attach your handle with brads or knotted yarn, rope or ribbons, fill it with cool stuff — and away you go!
Great Give-away: Make Miles of Smiles with the Funny Smile Makerz Kit
…from Children’s Hospital Boston!
Injecting Healing Humor, also known more widely as Applied Humor Therapy in the Healthcare Setting, is a Work of Heart. It is a gift freely given, to ease a patient’s pain or sadness, a visitor’s grief, a stress-buster for the staff. It is a recognized need in this highly-regulated and often tentative environ, as well as outside the walls for the rest of the world.
The need is so intrinsic to health, the concept so clown-simple, I can’t help but believe one of the reasons why so many wish to deny this basic human need is because it’s like reminding someone to breath. But reminding someone to breath is much more acceptable, it seems…
There are countless benefits to having a Humor Program in the Healthcare Setting. While every facility is different, as established within their parameters, the results are priceless.
For little to no money invested in such a program, if executed properly, the results and community good will could not be otherwise purchased.
Here is a 5-article series I wrote on this topic:
Benefits of and Reasons for a Healthcare Facility Humor Program:
http://www.aheart4clowning.com/2010/05/06/7-reasonswhy-healthcare-facilities-need-a-humor-program/
Setting up a Healthcare Humor Program, Appropriate to Your Facility:
About AHeart4Clowning MultiMedia and resources I have written and produced, specifically for this venue:
Books and MultiMedia — Establishing, Training, Preparing and Equipping a Hospital Clown or Healthcare Entertainer Group:
MultiMedia Program now Available — Establishing, Training, Preparing and Equipping a Hospital Clown or Healthcare Entertainer Group:
Register to receive the largest FREE Hospital Clown/Healthcare Family Entertainer/Applied Humor Therapist/SmileMaker Newsletter (electronic)
Did you find this information helpful? Sign-up to receive more experienced insights FREEly shared, through our free newsletter, click this link: http://www.aheart4clowning.com/sign-up/
Here is a collection of our Top 10 Most Popular Articles featured on AHeart4Clowning.com…
Trending Topics: Establishing a Healthcare Humor Program, Family Entertainer Tips for performing in the Healthcare Venue, Training Ideas and Ongoing/Continuing Clown Ed opps.
1. 7 Reasons Why Healthcare Facilities Need a Humor Program
3. Hospital Clown Certification
4. 4 Reasons Why Skits don’t work, but Schticks do…
5. Setting Up Hospital and Healthcare Facility Humor Programs is NOT Rocket Science
6. 5 Ways to Entertain More Effectively in the Healthcare Setting
7. New Opportunities for Hospital Clowns to Build Professionalism are Epidemic
8. Clown Education is Ongoing for Hospital Clowns and Healthcare Family Entertainers!
9. How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Creative Ministry Guide featured in AATH Humor Connection
10. Hospital Clowns/Healthcare Family Entertainers: Which Comes First – Patient or the Act?
Private Online Mentoring/Training for Hospital or Caring Clowns, Healthcare Family Entertainers and Creative Arts Performers who apply generous doses of Healing Humor & Entertain in the Healthcare Setting!
This Private Online Mentoring/Training Program offers individual mentoring through training videos, audios and tried-and-true resource materials I have developed, written and actively use to train healthcare family entertainers and hospital clowns since 2004, all based on my hands-on experience as a Hospital Clown and Applied Humor Therapist since 1997 in one of the oldest existing all-volunteer hospital clown/family entertainer groups.
In 9 consecutive training programs since 2004, I have trained 240 hospital clowns and healthcare family entertainers in service at other healthcare facilities as well as my own group, and those performing in other states and regions.
This unique Mentoring/Training Program is presented for all levels of experience.
As a mentee, this program is available to be viewed and listened to any time, allowing you the benefit of attending sessions on your own schedule, from the comfort of your own computer. All media and materials are available immediately, as soon as you activate your mentorship!
Individual Mentoring/Training Program membership is an ongoing online program. Simply pay to register for this program, and you never need to renew, for continued support.
Private One-on-One Personal 30-minute Coaching Session with Becky Cortino is included. Answer your questions, for recommendations, brainstorm solutions.
The program fee includes all necessary materials and supplies, and isless than most one-time conference registrations, plus — no travel expenses! (Less than 20-cents/day the first year! $0 every year thereafter…)
This Private Online Mentoring/Training Program for Hospital or Caring Clowns, Healthcare Family Entertainers and Creative Arts Performers who apply generous doses of Healing Humor & Entertain in the Healthcare Setting at less than the cost of attending a one-day seminar!
More Information (click on this link, here): Applied Humor Therapy Mentorship Program
PLUS — the one-time fee is for an ongoing mentorship with a mentor who has actual hands-on experience, supported by updated resources always at your fingertips!
It's about Relationships.
The key ingredient necessary for effectively applying Humor Therapy in the healthcare setting is often overlooked. Many believe it must be training. That is absolutely an essential for the highly-regulated venue of performing in the healthcare setting. Others think costume and makeup are crucial. Of course how an entertainer appears helps set the stage for their interlude with a patient, staff or visitors. All of these factors are important, and no doubt there are many more that could be included on a list.
Likely, most of us could agree that the underpinning of all the best comprehensive training, great dedicated effort, attention to all detail, or even most elaborate of healthcare humor programs, is the established relationship with the hosting facility…
- How much the hosting facility embraces and supports the effort impacts not only individual performance, but also overall program effectiveness. Save for an emergency, this does not mean the facility liaison must always have time to meet or speak with you on the phone any time you approach. Regular meetings are good, but remember most folks are in meetings ongoing, so yours is yet another on the schedule. True support is well beyond time in a seat for a meeting, or lip service giving kudos for efforts well done.
- If the facility does not take the program seriously, recognizing the inherent benefits of it, the effectiveness will be stifled. As with yet another memo in the proverbial inbox, the Humor Program may be otherwise lost in the shuffle.
- Situations arise, and a heart-to-heart talk is sometimes required: to resolve an issue, establish a policy, or clarify how a newly-implemented facility protocol impacts the group’s activities.
A Humor Program — however organized — is part of the facility Wellness Team. When a group is fully integrated within the facility operations (even as volunteers), only then can the troupe be free to apply generous doses of Healing Humor equally and freely to all, and the hosting facility will in turn receive benefits.
It really is a symbiotic relationship. Not considering this critical dynamic in the mix is putting the effort before the connection, with disjointed, ineffective results on many levels.
But wait! There really is more….
Related Articles:
A previous article recognized the great good community will created through such a program, along with a whole bundle of other positive benefits…
Previous Article: 4 Ways Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities Build a Caring Rep through Humor Programs
More About: Relationships in Injecting Healing Humor the Healthcare Setting: Injecting Healing Humor in the Healthcare Setting is All About Relationships
Improv!
Previously, I had written about 4 Reasons Why Skits don’t Work but Schticks Do. Not ever being a “skit” clown, and always totally immersed in the moment and the element through improv, this form of entertainment is my autopilot setting!
Improvisation is critical for an engaging performance in the healthcare setting. In the previous 2-part series on this topic, I explained about the fallacy of presenting skits for individual patients. It may be possible to perform a short skit if you or your group is entertaining in the day room, a public area or small dining room of a healthcare facility. Keep in mind the length may preclude the audience’s full attention. Likely, it will have to be shorter than you might think!
How can a healthcare family entertainer, hospital clown or caring clown perform more effectively in the healthcare setting with schticks, and avoid the inappropriate use of skits?
Answer: IMPROVISATION
- By keeping the spotlight on the patient at all times, the family entertainer, hospital clown or caring clown may tailor the performance to their needs and situation.
- Through improv, short bits of performance with no agenda, can instantly be reworked according to every patient’s individual condition, degree of interaction, and desired level of participation.
- Entertaining in this way allows the bit to be shortened, lengthened or even terminated abruptly on-the-fly as necessary, according to the patients’ changing condition.
- Patients are empowered by the performance tailored to them, and for that moment in time, taken to another place — of levity and fun.
5 Ways to Entertain in the Healthcare Setting (2-part series)
Related article: Injecting Healing Humor in the Healthcare Setting is a Combo of Philosophy and Technique
Looking for more inspiration and information?
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