Archive for the Category »Hospital Clown Training «
Charlie's Chaplains' Skool
Fall is fast approaching! Along with it comes wonderful opportunities to become more active, and discover new avenues of interest. For me, fall has always been a sort-of ‘New Year,’ as I launch out on a fresh stretch of months in a ‘New School Year,’ so-to-speak.
What do you have planned? What new things will you be doing? Will you be exploring new interests or adventures? Exciting times ahead! Are you prepared? Will you be ready for Prime Time?
If your heart is leading you toward hospital or caring clowning, or healthcare performing, here are some great resources, regardless of your level of proficiency or experience:
Attend a Live Event:
Frye Regional Medical Center’s Charlie’s Chaplains’ Skool “Work of Heart: Injecting Healing Humor in Healthcare” For Hospital/Caring Clowns, Family Entertainers, Healthcare Professionals, and folks interested in establishing a hospital clown or healthcare family entertainer group, 9th consecutive Skool — Weekend/or Saturday Intensive available on September 24-25, 2010 in Hickory, NC For info, click this link (here)
MultiMedia Training — Always available on your schedule, ongoing…
- Hospital Clowns and Healthcare Entertainers Private Mentorship Training Program, and for those Creative Arts Performers who apply generous doses of Healing Humor in the Healthcare Venue! Immediate access to all necessary materials and BONUS Gifts, upon sign-up! Ongoing program geared for all levels of experience, delivering individual mentoring on mentee’s own schedule, with training videos, audios and tried-and-true resources.
- “How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Creative Ministry Guide” Online Webinar Package, video book companion with downloadable materials, immediately available upon sign-up.
- Work of Heart: Establishing a Hospital Clown/Healthcare Family Entertainer Group – Train, Prepare & Equip: Video training, paired with 4 EBooks containing 103 pages of training materials; 4 printable booklets for your team or group training; arts enrichment/low-cost play-big group performance activities, more…Perfect companion to How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Creative Ministry Guide! Immediate access at sign-up.
- Healing Humor: Live Happy – Be Healthy! Online Audio Program — A self-paced Healing Humor online course with immediately available downloadable materials allows attendees to listen to audios at their convenience, enjoy EBooks and printables immediately! The course is presented in 5 separate audio segements, with related downloadables, all available online, to be listened to and enjoyed indefinitely, from the time of enrollment.
3 big reasons for establishing a Humor Program in your hospital or healthcare facility presented by published author and longtime Humor Therapist Becky Cortino…
These are 3 compelling reasons to establish a Healthcare Humor Program — but wait! There are more…
In addition, Healthcare Humor programs:
In addition to these 3 compelling reasons, Healthcare Humor programs also:
These are 3 compelling reasons to establish a Healthcare Humor Program — but wait! There are more…
In addition, Healthcare Humor Programs:
*Have far-reaching effects inside and outside the facility walls!
*Provide priceless results at little cost reaching patients, staff!
*Build great community goodwill!
*Are NOT Rocket Science to set-up!
*Easily tailored to your facility’s specific needs!
For articles, resources, training, request consultation, visit: AHeart4Clowning.com
Contact: Becky Cortino, AHeart4Clowning.com
Injecting Healing Humor in Healthcare Setting
Early this spring, I shared my excitement with you about launching Work of Heart: Injecting Healing Humor in the Healthcare Setting MultiMedia Program. Though difficult for me to wait for this program release, the weeks have passed as I put the finishing touches on this package. At last June 1st has arrived, and here we are officially launching this unique online MultiMedia Webinar to help encourage hospital clown and healthcare humor programs!
While it seemed a long way off at the time when I first told you about it, the span of weeks that passed is certainly not as long as the distance I have come in putting this program together for you! That meandering journey began as I set my very first baby clown foot on the hospital floor way back in 1997…
What a joy-full journey it has been! Filled with many-many hours of learning — like you… designing costumes and routines — like you. Attending training programs, conventions, conferences — like so many in our discipline. So – you know how much time you’ve spent! Oh — I and had two children I’ve been taking around with me since 1997, also — so I guess I need to multiply that time spent for prepping them, as well as me… I’m happy to report we continue making Rounds together still today – counting it all Joy!
Through the process I’ve learned quite a lot. I did not start up the hospital group that I am fortunate to coordinate since 2003, but I did establish the now-infamous Skool concept that draws folks from out of state to attend, and the ministry has become what is known as a “New Generation,” expanding to include professional family entertainers, honored to be featured in The Hospital Clown Newsletter.
Are you part of an existing hospital clown or healthcare family entertainer group? Regardless of your level of experience — do you want to start one? The lessons I have learned are ones I gladly share!
I am thrilled beyond words to officially launch my newest MultiMedia program that I believe is groundbreaking. It is filled with insight, experience, inspiration and down-to-earth strategies to help you:
- Establish a Hospital Clown/Healthcare Family Entertainer Group or further an exisiting one
- Help you Train, Prepare and Equip Your Group, including special clown arts enrichment activities and components to complement your efforts
- Help you Promote Your Group, to grow your group
This online program is presented from a Grassroots (that’s me-and-you), down-to-earth perspective, based upon tried-and-true hands-on actual hospital group development and coordination, and a long-time career in marketing/PR and communications. While I cannot claim to have been a circus clown or performed in hospitals in other countries, I have lived-breathed-hospital clowning since 1997 and my communications/Marketing/PR indie profession has been my lifelong career. My perspective is unique, and the information I can provide you through this program will help you in your efforts even if you have been a clown for many years.
Based on my experience, I have relevant information-rich content that will help you in your efforts, and hopefully keep you from spinning your wheels unnecessarily. I know how much time it takes to coordinate a group! This program is supported by my desire to encourage hospital clown and healthcare family entertainer groups globally and to help you coordinate your group, while saving you valuable time.
This webinar package is a comprehensive information and media-rich presentation. Each segment is thoroughly covered, and is like attending 3 seminars on this topic – then leaving the conference with a boatload of resource materials!
Do you need a dose of inspiration and some encouragement?
There are many preliminaries and considerations that need to be addressed in setting up – or coordinating an established hospital clown or family entertainer group, as well as training, equipping and getting the word out about your group.
Downloadable and printable materials to use for your own group are included in this online MultiMedia Webinar package, allowing you the benefit of attending a conference on your own schedule, from the comfort of your own computer! The entire program may be viewed indefinitely.
This MultiMedia program is designed as an extension to the recently-published book, How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Creative Ministry by Becky Cortino.
My book served as the official text for the first-ever ministry weekend program held by Frye Regional Medical Center’s Charlie’s Chaplains’ Hospital Clown Creative Ministry in 2007, it was expanded from the conference spiral-bound version and reprinted in 2008 by Lulu.com as a bookstore-quality paperback book. It remains as the featured text on this topic.
Although complimentary in nature, this webinar program goes well beyond the book by covering training, preparing and equipping a hospital clown or healthcare family entertainer group, in addition to promoting the group. It does not cover “How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Family Entertainer Group” as in-depth as the book, so is a recommended companion to this webinar:
How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Creative Ministry by Becky Cortino
More details and to register for this program: http://budurl.com/WorkofHeartWebinar
Look forward to seeing you in the program!
More Info: About Becky Cortino, featured program presenter
In the healthcare setting, Hospital Clowns, Caring Clowns and Healthcare Family Entertainers don’t touch the patients or (obviously) perform procedures as shown here (for staff training purposes), but this very edu-training vid gets the message across about hand washing and hygiene in the healthcare setting…
‘Best Practices’ for professionals and applied humor therapists appearing regularly in this special venue… note the exhibited hand washing technique.
Be sure to follow your hosting facility’s guidelines regarding existing hygiene protocols. We thought this was excellent, clear instruction, and thought it was worthwhile to include as a timely ‘review.’
- AATH 2010 Conference Clowning Outreach
What a thrill, honor and privilege to be a featured speaker-presenter at the 23rd annual Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) Conference in Disneyland April 22-25!
With my years (since 1997) in the aspect of Applied Humor Therapy in the healthcare setting, the Tribute to Norman Cousins, was especially meaningful. A true visionary, he is credited with being the forerunner in this aspect, first treating his painful health condition with doses of humor, long before contemporary thought recognized and embraced this powerful, effective therapy.
My presentation topic was based on my AHeart4Clowning book: Establishing a Hospital Clown or Healthcare Family Entertainer Group — with an add-on: Train, Prepare, Equip and Promote!
It was gratifying to present to a wonderful group of interested participants from all over the world, encouraging them in their efforts of applying healing humor in the healthcare setting.
The conference provides tremendous educational and networking opportunities. It was great to meet and share with others in this field! I really enjoyed hearing about their programs and the free-flow of shared ideas from every direction!
In addition, I was pleased to help with the traditional AATH Clowning Outreach with the talented, witty and way-fun Danny Donuts and Magic’s Royal Duke Sammy Cortino added some magic to our visit! You can see a part of our group pictured here. It was a fabulous experience…
Held in April as part of the global celebration of Humor Month, the AATH Conference draws participants from around the world. For more information about AATH, click this link (here)
Are you planning a program on Applied Humor Therapy in the Healthcare Setting, or do you want to establish a Healthcare Humor Program? I am available and currently booking speaking engagements on a variety of topics, and would welcome the opportunity to connect with you and discuss your program. Please contact me using this online form (linked here)
Injecting Healing Humor in Healthcare Setting
After I finished writing my first book, How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Creative Ministry Guide, my mission became clear and is very simple: I want to help further clown arts and humor programs in hospitals and healthcare settings globally.
That’s why I am especially excited about launching a brand new MultiMedia Webinar on June 1, 2010! Work of Heart: Injecting Healing Humor in the Healthcare Setting is a presentation comprised of 4 component segments, designed for new and established groups, based on my years of experience as a hospital clown, since 1997.
In this unique online program participants will discover:
1) How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Healthcare Family Entertainer Group: It’s NOT Rocket Science!
2) Training and Equipping a Hospital Clown or Healthcare Family Entertainer Group: How to Train, Entice, Encourage, Over-deliver, Keep the Team Going!
3) Promoting and Marketing a Hospital Clown or Healthcare Family Entertainer Group: At Little to NO Cost, for BIG Results!
4) Sample Special Training Modules: Low-Cost Clown Arts/Group Performance How-To’s and Arts Enrichment Electives.
This online program is presented from a Grassroots (that’s me-and-you) perspective, based upon tried-and-true hands-on actual hospital group development and coordination, and a long-time career in marketing/PR and communications. It is a comprehensive information and media-rich presentation. Each segment is thoroughly covered, and is like attending 3 seminars on this topic – then leaving the conference with a boatload of resource materials!
Do you need a dose of inspiration and some encouragement?
There are many preliminaries and considerations that need to be addressed in setting up – or coordinating an established hospital clown or family entertainer group, as well as training, equipping and getting the word out about your group.
Downloadable and printable materials to use for your own group are included in this online MultiMedia Webinar package, allowing you the benefit of attending a conference on your own schedule, from the comfort of your own computer! The entire program may be viewed indefinitely.
This MultiMedia program is designed as an extension to the recently-published book, How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Creative Ministry by Becky Cortino.
My book served as the official text for the first-ever ministry weekend program held by Frye Regional Medical Center’s Charlie’s Chaplains’ Hospital Clown Creative Ministry in 2007, it was expanded from the conference spiral-bound version and reprinted in 2008 by Lulu.com as a bookstore-quality paperback book. It remains as the featured text on this topic. My publisher also selected it, along with my other book, From the Heart: Injecting Healing Humor in the Healthcare Setting, to be featured on Amazon. I did not apply for, request nor pay for that — so as you might imagine, it is a real thrill to have both of my books selected to be featured on Amazon by my publisher!
Although complimentary in nature, this webinar program goes well beyond the book by covering training, preparing and equipping a hospital clown or healthcare family entertainer group, in addition to promoting and marketing the group. It does not cover “How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Family Entertainer Group” as in-depth as the book, so is a recommended companion to this webinar:
How to Establish a Hospital Clown or Creative Ministry by Becky Cortino
Hope to see you in the program! Be sure to check the links for all program details: Registration begins June 1, 2010 when this MultiMedia Program officially launches!
More Info: About Becky Cortino, featured program presenter
This MultiMedia Webinar program available beginning June 1, 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)
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…
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.