Archive for » March, 2010 «
Training is a Launchpad for Effectiveness!
Sometimes, armed with just a little training, limited knowledge and a big heart to serve in this special way can be more dangerous than being willing to remain open-minded, welcoming and receiving needed training from those who are more experienced.
Many situations that present themselves on Rounds are in actuality counter-intuitive. My thought is the simple truth about hospital clowning is: “A Hospital Clown is not really ‘born,’ they’re trained — ongoing.”
Applied Humor Therapist or hospital clown mentors can help you direct your efforts, cut through the clutter and be your best from the start. Choosing to go your own way through the maze that lies before you may instead result with muddling through situations, and maybe not ever reaching your full potential, eventually possibly throwing in the towel, due to burn-out.
It happens. It’s a sad, sad day when it does, because the world loses a needed smile-maker in a dark, lonely and sometimes scary place — the healthcare setting. There, the patients are looking for a friend, or could use some pain relief from a good laugh or fun surprise you could offer. The staff misses your smiling face. Everyone suffers — and loses a bit of Joy in the process.
In training, we learn our entire focus must be on the patient at all times. This is where it should be from the outset — on the patient — not:
…on what we want to do.
…on what the “next step” is.
… on the next-part-of-this-performance-I’m-doing is.
…that we are rabid to be a hospital clown or healthcare family entertainer at any and all costs.
…that we should be performing at the expense of the patients (our audience).
…as an inherent liability to the hosting healthcare facility.
Preparing, equipping and training for the uncharted waters that lie ahead provides a much better compass to guide your meandering steps in those clown shoes, my friend. Don’t ever ignore taking care to nurture the clown from within — from the beginning and all during this wonder-full Journey.
Don’t ever shortchange your training, preparing and equipping. Seek out the best training you can find, every step of the way for this adventure. In doing so, you will remain inspired and fresh. If you shortchange yourself – the clown within – you also shortchange your audience and will short-circuit your performance.
Being forewarned is forearmed, I believe…
Want to launch your Hospital Clowning or Applied Humor Therapy Program to the next level?
I recommend… now registering — and folks are already enrolled!
LIVE EVENT:
MUTIMEDIA WEBINAR:
I recommend and am involved with these programs, based on my actual hands-on experience in Applied Humor Therapy as a Hospital Clown since 1997. Launched in 2003, I developed the current Frye Regional Medical Center Charlie’s Chaplains Hospital Creative Ministry as a ‘New Generation’ program including professional healthcare family entertainers, and creating the concept of FRMC Charlie’s Chaplains’ “Skool.”
At the date of this writing, I have trained 220 Hospital/Caring Clowns. These programs are designed with an integral understanding of the challenging venue of Hospital Clowning, presented from a Grassroots perspective, featuring universal concepts that will benefit participants.
FOR MORE INFO on my background: About Becky Cortino (click on this link)
Are you ready to step up your Healing Humor Injections to the next level? Check out these recommended programs! They’re designed with all levels of experience and competency in mind.
If I can be of further assistance to you, or answer any questions you may have regarding these programs, please use the online contact form to notify me. (Click on this link)
We are truly thrilled to share with you that A Heart 4 Clowning “How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Creative Ministry Guide” is the featured book in the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor’s (AATH) current membership ezine, The Humor Connection!
About our featured “How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Creative Ministry Guide”
You can imagine our double-delight, when we discovered the newly-designed “Healing Humor Button, a FUNdraiser we created to benefit AATH was also a featured item in the ezine!
Show your support by wearing your button and a smile! 50% of button sales are contributed to AATH — we make no money off the sale of these buttons — this is a FUNdraising campaign.
NOTE: By clicking through on these links and making a purchase, a portion of the sales of these items will generate funds to benefit AATH.
Help us spread the smiles, laughter and humor — Thank you!
Training is a Launchpad for Effectiveness!
Applied Humor Therapy in the healthcare setting is not Rocket Science, but the learning and fun never end in this fascinating venue! To stay top-of-your-game, while remaining fresh and focused, ongoing training is invaluable for all who want to clown, entertain or apply generous doses of humor in the hospital. This “funny business” is really very serious.
Regardless of your experience — new to Applied Humor Therapy or hospital clowning, if you plan to establish a hospital clown group or want to enhance your currently existing troupe, continuing education is your launch pad to taking it all the next level!
Hospital clowning is known to be one of the most challenging clowning disciplines, due to:
- Regulation: Ever-present regulations, policies and restrictions
- Venue: Performance place is constantly changing and evolving
- Uniqueness: Each and every patient, visitor and staff member met on Rounds presents a new perspective and entertainment opportunity, just like impromptu “street performances”
It defies logic to think one can learn all that’s needed in a day or two, or a little training and some time observing others on Rounds is sufficient. A compassionate understanding, coupled with a deep knowledge of venue dynamics is required to be effective. Ask any experienced healthcare entertainer, and undoubtedly they will assure you they are always learning — and growing!
Restrictions are so tight, it is very difficult if not impossible to “shadow” a hospital clown group. Any time spent observing a hospital clown group in action does not provide the optimal environment to learn and understand. Healthcare entertainers on-the-job are busy and ’in the moment’ with their patients. Patients are their audience and the whole reason for being there — not to give outsiders training and pointers on-the-fly as they go, as in a Reality Television series.
Next: In Part 2 of this series, find out how to nurture the clown within, and discover what the “Simple Truth about Hospital Clowning” really is…
Jeannie Lindheim as Bloopers
AHeart4Clowning TalkRadio Special Interview with Jeannie Lindheim
All eyes turn to Center Ring, as the Big Top spotlight at AHeart4Clowning TalkRadio Show broadcasts a very special guest interview with Jeannie Lindheim, Founder and Creative Director of “Jeannie Lindheim Hospital Clown Troupe” in the Boston area – now known as “Hearts and Noses Hospital Clown Troupe.”
When one thinks of the “Art” and “Joy” inherent in Hospital Clowning, the importance of improvisation integral to performances Hospital and Caring Clowns give, and the attention to detail, Jeannie Lindheim’s name most often comes to mind.
Author of “The Art and Joy of Hospital Clowning” Training Program now in 23 countries, Jeannie, has conducted over 100 regional and national workshops for primary care and specialty physician groups. She has also taught acting, movement, improvisation, creativity, auditioning, characterization techniques for the past 30 years at a variety of educational institutions.
Jeannie Lindheim has received numerous honors, and taken her specialty outside the hospital walls. Following Hurricane Katrina, Jeannie went to Houston where she did 1,100 ‘by the cot’ visits to clown and support those who had been evacuated from New Orleans.
And, there’s SO much more! The show airs live at 1:00PM EDT Thursday, April 8th, will be recorded and available for download from the show archive. Plan to join us for experienced insight and inspiration!
Listen to the show streaming L-I-V-E, or catch this show after the broadcast, from the archive.
Learning is a “growing” process, and as a hospital clown, caring clown or healthcare family entertainer, the learning and fun never end! There are always new things to explore and discover, skills to develop. In a previous post, I encouraged you to establish a list of personal or professional goals you would like to obtain, and possible training programs you would like to consider. This list can serve as a valuable blueprint for your character or clown development.
Here are 8 tips to help you realize your goals, by using your list:
1. Using your established list of possible training programs, line them up against your personal or professional goals in order to determine which will be the best choice. Some programs may offer more broad-based training segments to help you get a good start on a new skill or component you want to add to an existing act. If your level of proficiency is more advanced, you may benefit most from a training intensive specifically geared for your skill level
2. Realistically consider your proficiency level in the selection mix. “Proficiency” or skills are not determined by the number of training hours spent, or programs attended. Practice and actual application of what you learn in ‘real life’ figures into the equation.
3. There are always lots of training programs available, so be sure to review the possibilities that are the best “fit” for your goals and the skills you want to learn. Don’t be persuaded that you must “buy into” an ongoing series program, obtain a degree, specialty certification, or receive training only from a particular individual, in order to be considered well-trained and to reach your goals.
4. Carefully select programs and instructors, based upon your current goals. A program you may pass on this year may be the perfect component to add in next time.
5. The straight scoop is there are a lot of excellent teachers and training programs that will likely benefit you and your development — wherever you may be in that process. Having the benefit of several instructors gives you a well-rounded perspective. This provides a better understanding of many things from a variety of viewpoints, rather than from only “one school of thought” otherwise offered by a single entity or organization.
6. Remember: It’s all in the blend and the mix you choose, with focused training received from hand-selected presenters, that can serve up greater dimension in your actual performance.
7. Stay on track, with your plan in hand. Following it to reach clearly-established goals, paired with a focus to reach them, will avert burying yourself in information overload.
8. By taking actionable steps, you will more likely reach your goals, experience the success of learning new skills and greater success in moving yourself forward in your Character/Clown development.
A heart for hospital clowning includes not only a great deal of training and learning, creating a character, designing a ‘look’ or costume, hours of practice and preparation, it also includes actual in-service time on the floor of a healthcare facility.
Hospital clowning is known to be one of the most challenging disciplines, due to facility regulations and the inherent requirements of performing in the special venue. To many, the mere thought of clowning for the sick is an endearing idea. However most folks don’t have an understanding of the behind-the-scenes preparation and training that is involved to make the scene.
Sometimes individuals make their way through the maze of regulations and restrictions, pull together a costume and appear on the floor for their debut, only to discover this wasn’t their cup of tea after all. It is a sad discovery, especially for those clowning team mates and performance partners looking forward to a new addition. It is often a surprising discovery for the new clown or family entertainer, as reality hits the linoleum, so-to-speak.
Reasons for this are as varied as individuals in the world. Often there is no way to predict its occurrence:
- Attracted to the thought of performing for the sick, inspired by a family member or friend in the hospital for an extended period of time, turns out to be more of a deterrent, as they battle recurring memories.
- The performer takes their “work” that looks like play ‘home’ with them and dwells on it.
- After following all procedures and training, some folks new to this venue discover they do not have the stamina to make Clown Rounds.
- Rounds schedule seems to always conflict with other things that take priority.
- Have a unrealistically high expectation they cannot fulfill or meet, to their satisfaction.
- Create a difficult-to-replicate look or face that takes too long, or is hard to maintain.
- Has difficulty developing a presentation, or finetuning the performance skills.
These are just a few of the reasons new folks may discover greater personal challenges in making Clown Rounds in a hospital or healthcare facility. Many of them can be addressed with training, once recognized. Here are a few suggestions:
- Having a mentoring system of new performers working with experienced team members for a specified period of time.
- Allow floor time experience after initial training, so new clowns and family entertainers have a better understanding, in advance.
- Continue coaching and one-on-one training experiences throughout the year, so that questions and concerns may be addressed, and efforts may be fine-tuned.
- A feeling of support and cohesiveness through welcoming hearts, understanding and acceptance go a long way to making a new person feel welcomed, “at home” and able to take on The Great Clown Unknown.
What kind of training and preparation does your facility offer? What type of training do you believe is the most beneficial? Please share your thoughts by leaving your comment…
The learning and fun is ongoing for those serious about Applied Humor Therapy and clowning around to cheer patients! Educational opportunities abound throughout the year. Each conference, convention and training program is unique, offering participants fresh insight.
Paired with hands-on experience, an extensive education and better understanding of the performance venue are invaluable life-long resources. The result is a more polished performance, developing greater competency and increasing professionalism over time.
Here is a sampling of upcoming conferences, conventions and programs as related to Hospital Clowns, Caring Clowns, Healthcare Family Entertainers and Applied Humor Therapists:
Applied Humor Therapy:
Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) 23rd Annual Conference “Biology of Hope/ Healing Power of the Human Spirit,” a Tribute to Norman Cousins, Thursday April 22 – Sunday, April 25, 2010 at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, Anaheim, California.
Click this link for AATH 23rd Annual Conference details: http://www.aath.org/conference.htm
Multiple Disciplines:
Clowns of America International (COAI) 25th Anniversary Convention “A Little Bit Country A Little Bit Rock and Roll,” Tuesday April 20 – Sunday April 25, 2010 at Houston Hobby Marriott, Houston, Texas.
Click this link for COAI 25th Anniversary Convention information: http://www.coai2010houston.com
Hospital Clowns, Healthcare Family Entertainers, Applied Humor Therapists, Healthcare Professionals:
Frye Regional Medical Center’s Charlie’s Chaplains “Work of Heart: Injecting Healing Humor in the Healthcare Setting,” An Applied Humor Therapy Weekend, September 24-25, 2010, or Skool (Saturday-only program also available) Saturday, September 25, 2010 in Hickory, North Carolina.
This is FRMC Charlie’s Chaplains 9th consecutive now-infamous Skool… joined this year by J.T. Bubba Sikes, to offer fantabulous instruction!
Click this link for FRMC Charlie’s Chaplains’ Skool ‘10 details: http://CharliesChaplains_Skool.bravehost.com/
What conference, convention or training program plans do you have for this year? Please leave a comment, to tell us about your plans — or share your favorite program!
Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor
Show your support and help spread the word for “Healing Humor” as a Way of Life — NOT a Band Aid, by wearing your “Healing Humor” button, along with a smile!
50% of all sale proceeds for each button sold is contributed to Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH).
Great for every day wear, as well as on Clown Rounds! Quantity discounts are available. Eye-catching new multi-color ”tie-dyed” background with our “Healing Humor” logo and saying.
For more information, click on this link (here) for: HealingHumorButtons
Developing a character, clown or family entertainer persona is an ongoing process, with many interconnected considerations. First and foremost, it must come from within. The very essence of ‘being’ must be firmly-rooted from somewhere. If not, the character is so wispy and thinly-veiled, it seems more like a tumbleweed than a believable being to have fun and share a lighter moment with, in reality.
Structure for the character and performance comes in developing skill sets, while increasing knowledge base and understanding of the medium, message and venue. This is accomplished with ongoing education through books, multimedia, programs and conferences. A broad spectrum is recommended for the greatest Big Picture View, but care should be taken so as not to become weighted down or confused by “information overload.” This condition is caused by piling on more and more great good learning, with the frequent side effect of inertia and missed opportunities.
Many sources of tremendous information abound, but a plan of action will help anyone who wants to learn more about our special work that looks like play, to grow, develop and be able to provide maximum positive impact.
Goal setting is recognized as an effective means to develop, effect change and accomplish great things. This same strategy should apply in growing, learning and further expanding a character as well as a performance.
As for new things to learn, mind-reeling possibilities are endless. Just thinking about them gives the sugar-buzz feel of a kid set loose in a candy shop! Begin making your plan by listing out the aspects or areas you would like to explore. Let your mind run freely — it is hard to contain creativity, afterall… and why would you? Resist the urge to limit yourself, thinking you could “never do” something, or it would for some reason seem “unreasonable.” In this step, you are simply brainstorming with yourself, and laying out lots of ideas to consider.
Next: Using your list
Now Available!
Just released, “There’s a Clown in My Soup” video is a ‘Best Practices’ EduTrainment Clown Rounds module especially for hospital clowns, caring clowns and healthcare family entertainers.
Presented to integrate universal concepts for performers in the healthcare venue, this program makes effective learning enjoyable in a fresh, fun and new, memorable way.
No more ‘talking heads’, drab, dull or boring training sessions with this program! Instead, a sugar-coated, humorous presentation of: 21 Key Questions Every Healthcare Family Entertainer should be able to answer…
Details are included for registering product purchase to receive “Clown Soup” Facilitator Guide, Participant Question Booklet and corresponding Answer Sheet for this training program.
Click on this link (here) for more information about this new ‘Best Practices’ EduTrainment Video for Hospital Clowns, Caring Clowns and Healthcare Family Entertainers…