Kathleen Passanisi
Humor at Work
Feeling stressed by the workload, the pace, burned-out co-workers or just routine everyday hassles at home or in the office? Treat yourself to a session with Kathleen Passanisi and find out why laughter really is good medicine—especially in the workplace.
You Will Learn To:
- Tell the difference between healthy and hurtful humor
- Relieve stress through laughter
- Improve creativity and productivity through humor
- Enhance quality customer service by putting the joy back into the job
- Encourage better teamwork and higher morale by creating some fun in the workplace
- Strengthen your professional skills by developing your sense of humor
- Understand the relationship between perspective and change, learn to make choices that improve the quality of life.
Client comments:
"The two sessions you did for us with our claims and customer service officers, managers and supervisors continue to create excitement and conversation in our organization. You have been of immeasurable assistance in lowering stress levels and helping folks stabilize relationships. I'd certainly recommend you to anyone who feels that his/her workplace and environment were suffering from excessive workloads and the subsequent associated stress. I think that probably includes just about everyone I know!"
-Ray Angeli
VP Subscriber Services Division
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois
Humor for the Health of It
RX: LAUGHTER
Feeling stressed by a heavy caseload, managed care requirements, rapidly changing technology, demanding patients, burned out co-workers, or just routine hassles at home or the office? Join Kathleen Passanisi and find out why laughter really is the best medicine—especially for health care professionals.
You Will Learn To:
- Improve physical health with laughter
- Enhance psychological health with humor
- Use humor therapeutically with patients and families
- Reduce stress in the workplace by injecting laughter into the day
- Recognize toxic humor and understand its negative impact on health and relationships
- Strengthen team performance by adding fun to the workplace
- Cope using the skill of "reframing"
Client comments:
"My late friend and colleague, Norman Cousins, would have loved Kathleen Passanisi's use of humor and positive emotions to help professionals reduce stress and enhance enjoyment in their work. Kathy's infectious joy transforms exasperations of everyday life into an opportunity to have fun without exploiting the vulnerabilities of other persons. We laughed together not at each other."
-William J. Winslade, Ph.D., J.D.
James Wade Rockwell Professor of Philosophy in Medicine
U. of Texas Medical Branch
Institute for the Medical Humanities
Surviving the Sandwich Generation with Humor
By 2002, 18% of Americans were caring for an older relative while still dealing with kids, jobs and the inevitable challenges of middle age. Humor can play an invaluable role in easing tension, improving communication, enhancing sensitivity, dealing with the unavoidable, bearing the unbearable, surviving the inevitable and adding joy to the ups and downs of everyday living. As the "ham" in a multigenerational household, Kathleen will share experiences and ideas for strengthening family bonds as well as creating and capturing memorable moments.
You Will Learn To:
- Appreciate the significance and prevalence of the "sandwich generation"
- Understand the "collective consciousness" that shapes each generation in your family's "cast of characters"
- Be aware of the stress triggers common to each generation
- Predict "potholes and minefields" when dealing with other age groups
- Recognize the humor preferences and styles of each generation
- Assess the potential for using humor in stressful family situations
- Examine and strengthen your own family's humor history
Client comments:
"You showed an insightful understanding of the plight of those of us who are caring for both our parents and our children. Your personal stories really highlighted the points that you wanted to make and your compelling, comic delivery kept us all engaged and excited to hear your next thought.
I am a Family Psychologist and I hope that I have the opportunity to send those of my patients, colleagues and friends that are in the "sandwich" position to hear you give this presentation. It is the rare occasion that we can find a way for our patients and friends to learn, gain insight and enjoy themselves, all at the same time."
-Ed Dunkelblau, Ph.D.
Past-President
Association For Applied and Therapeutic Humor
Approved Supervisor,
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Note: Kathy is a licensed medical professional. Many of her presentations qualify for CEU/CME credit.
