The Best Medicine? Psychotherapists’ Experience Of The Impact Of Humour On The Process Of Psychotherapy

Abstract

Although afforded very little, if any, attention in formal psychotherapy training and literature, humour is a ubiquitous and central existential expression; a powerful and fundamental relational phenomenon significant to the practice of psychotherapy. We report a qualitative study on the use of humour in therapy. The findings confirm the double-edged nature of humour that emerged in our study of the humour literature (Gibson & Tantam, 2017). Used judiciously in practice, humour can reveal and help develop an existential maturity, a tragi-comic attitude in which a creative acceptance of limitations and paradox is possible. But if the timing is off, or the therapist uses humour defensively, it can inhibit the psychotherapeutic process.