Archive for » September, 2010 «
Injecting Healing Humor into Healthcare and the Healthcare Setting rocks! This stellar vid caught our eye, and we had to share…
This video premiered during halftime of the Lady Lions’ 2010 Pink Zone Game.
It's easy to get carried away!
In a previous post, I shared 5 situations that can keep a healthcare entertainer from effectively dispensing generous doses of Applied Humor Therapy.
As a professional, it is always advisable to take time — stop, and take stock of “where we are” in our performances and entertaining, like a periodic review of sorts.
If your hospital group doesn’t institute a review of you and your team members, you should review yourself. That is the way to grow professionally and develop not only your performance skills, but to discover new ways to entertain, and keep yourself fresh. This is how you will entertain more effectively, continue to grow, and avoid burnout! This doesn’t mean you have to be hard on yourself. Simply look for new ways to develop your entertaining skills, which increases your competency level and professionalism.
Unfortunately, those who firmly embrace any of the 5 mindsets described in the previous post do not realize they are holding themselves back from experiencing the true joy that is prevalent in entertaining in the healthcare setting, nor permitting themselves to truly be professional. This harms their performance and lessens the effect of it, for all audiences. Often, these mindsets are also indicated and fueled by refusing to receive additional training — a warning sign to all, if inclined to so note.
As a counter to the above conditions, here are 5 Ways to Entertain More Effectively in the Healthcare Setting:
- Consider the audience — always. Play to them. That’s why you’re there.
- Continue to learn new things — twists on what you do, and practice.
- Change things up — keep your performance fresh. It will show through to the audience and you will be refreshed.
- Realize when it is time to rest or refresh yourself. It happens to everyone. Avoid burnout.
- Give your best. All ways. Always.
Interested in learning more? Looking for encouragement and inspiration?
Recommended Training and Resources for: Hospital Clowns, Caring Clowns, Healthcare Family Entertainers, Applied Humor Therapists in the Healthcare Setting and Humor Programs for Healthcare Professionals: http://www.aheart4clowning.com/training-from-the-heart/
It is often said that how we view things, how we approach matters to be addressed, how we handle things affects not only the outcome, but how others see us.
This is why as hospital clowns, caring clowns and healthcare family entertainers, it’s important to be sure to check your ‘tude at the door, upon entering the healthcare facility.
Here are some real-life observations, and why the reminder to those of us entertaining in the healthcare setting:
- Misdirected Attention: Sometimes we get carried away with ourselves and our act. When this happens, we put the performance before all other things, including the reason why we’re there. One very experienced caring clown I know calls these clowns the “Look at Me” clowns. In other words look at what they can do, or look at how great they look!
- Pride of Ownership: Perhaps we become so invested in what we do and how we do it in performance, we can’t see it being done any other way. We can’t see beyond our own clown nose. Perhaps it is a particular type of performance that we are known for, but recent changes come down from the facility requiring modifications. Unfortunately, because this performance just can’t been seen (by the performer) to be effective in any other way, it won’t be modified to fit nor performed again there — ever again. This is a little like a small child becoming miffed at not getting their way, stomping off, taking their toys home with them. Similarly, this is related to an entertainer’s professional maturity. Everyone loses in this scenario.
- Nothing Much More Ventured: We become accustomed to our own means of performing or visual presentation, also known as ‘stuck in a rut’-type of entertaining. It’s all about the trick or what is presented, and it’s the absolute same performance everywhere for any audience, regardless of the situation.
- Change of Heart: Our heart or mind — or both — are not truly “in” the act of entertaining — just going through the motions. This type of performance takes the investment of one’s heart, and the mind must be going all the time — well ahead of the mouth. This may be an early sign of burnout.
- Gifted by Sheer Presence: We believe that the simple fact of “being there” is good enough. Little attention is given to details like properly applied make-up (if worn), costumes comprised of what was or could be worn on the street, grooming is out the window. Character is out of control, but then anything done to get a laugh is certainly “good enough.” By the way, this doesn’t mean the performer’s heart isn’t into appearing, it just means they themselves haven’t fully bought into the concept of what they’re doing. They’re holding themselves back.
Have you ever observed or experienced these 5 situations?
PART 2: As a counter to the above conditions, the follow-up post of this series features 5 Ways to Entertain More Effectively in the Healthcare Setting (click on the following link, to read): http://www.aheart4clowning.com/2010/09/21/5-ways-to-entertain-effectively-in-the-healthcare-setting-part-2/
Leslie Gibson, founder of The Comedy Connection
AHeart4Clowning TalkRadio Show Big Top Spotlight this month is on… Leslie Gibson, of the Comedy Connection!
The Comedy Connection got its start when Leslie Gibson, a Morton Plant nurse proposed the idea of “comedy carts” and hospital clowns.
From a single cart of funny movies, books and games, the program has grown.
Over 600 clowns have graduated from “clown college” and 120 clowns now make “rounds” at several area hospitals, hospices and nursing homes.
Tune in to find out how this program got its start over 21 years ago!
Catch the show live on Thursday, September 16 10AM PT/Noon CT/1PM ET, from the archive on your own schedule, or download it to your iPod for inspiration on-the-go!
Here’s the show link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/aheart4clowningtalkradio/2010/09/16/the-comedy-connection-with-leslie-gibson
Though our research has not found written accounts (yet) of his magical adventures in the healthcare setting, it is said that Houdini often took time to visit hospitals, performing for children through the years…
Houdini performing for children in the hospital!
This picture shows Houdini delighting the children with his sleight of hand and a bunny! We wondered if this depiction might even be an early forerunner to ‘animal therapy,’ back-in-the-day…
Of course still to this day, healthcare family entertainers, hospital clowns and caring clowns also perform magic at patients’ bedsides, often assisted by the patients in various ways.
Since 1984, illusionists Kevin and Cindy Spencer take magic into hospitals in a landmark program called “Healing of Magic,” as a treatment modality for rehabilitation for the physically challenged, approved by the over 50,000 members of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
To read more about the “Healing of Magic” program: http://www.spencersmagic.com/healing_of_magic/
(Photograph from the Library of Congress)
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