Episode 25: Healing Through Humour
In a world where there is a lot to be serious about and where we can have a tendency to take ourselves so seriously, it’s nice to know there are places to go to let whatever it means to be human fly. Joining us today are Lizzie Allan and Brett Macdonald, two change-makers committed to using their comedic and improvisation gifts to help people heal and live their very best lives. You’ll see that when we lighten up we heal not only ourselves but everyone who gets to experience us.
What’s in this episode for you:
Beautiful reminders that you can do and create anything you want
The importance of humour and laughter in self-development and healing
How stretching our comfort zone allows for life to happen
The role of connection and sharing in our healing journey
Two frameworks to help you bring light to your darkest moments
Poem: Compassionate Restraint by Vince Gowman
Stay still
Non ambitious
For a while,
Listening for something
that longs to find you
in your heart
and a rare moment of pause
This is not a time to
push as you have,
to travel familiar routes.
This is a time to be
graced
by a light
only found in the still point of
darkness,
by subtle words
only heard
in pause
when you no longer have eyes
for the next trail
and every stuff leads to
further stumble,
the shackles of submission
tightening
with each struggle
holding you in
compassionate restraint.
Alas, this is the moment
for your deepest exhale
one you have been waiting for,
a moment when the skies are
clear and dark enough
for you to finally
see the stars
Who’s in circle with us:
Lizzie Allan is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor, a Professional Stand-up Comedian with a degree in Comedy Writing and Performance, and a Comedy Therapist. Lizzie successfully combines therapy with stand-up comedy, and is the creator of Hilarapy, her own unique brand of therapeutic comedy.
Connect with Lizzie through, www.hilarapy.com, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Brett Macdonald is passionate about bringing people together. She is an educator and workshop facilitator. Her work, rooted in improv, brings teams together to connect, collaborate and drive workplace performance. Working with social impact organizations, Brett leads corporate team building, uniting employees and executives alike, all with an improv mindset, an approach proven to boost creativity, communication, and collaboration. Brett holds a Bachelor of Education, a Diploma in Theater, and is trained in Harvard’s Project Zero Visible Thinking Routines, Inquiry-Based Learning, Differentiated Learning, as well as Self-Compassion and Mindfulness.
Connect with Brett through, https://be-improv.ca/, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Pick up the talking piece:
What came up for you as you listened to this episode? I'd love to hear your experiences with any of the reflections and exercises. Send me an email at podcast@humconsulting.ca or leave a voicemail (click the voicemail button on the right).
Gratitude:
Circle of Change is recorded on lək̓ʷəŋən territories.
Our opening and closing music was created by the talented E-Rol Beats. You can find his creations at www.erolbeats.com
My fabulous podcast coach, Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions, brought this podcast to life www.organizedsound.ca