Humor In his article, “What’s so funny?, describing the use of humor in adolescent groups, Grover (2010) states: "For teenagers, a group leader without humor is just another authoritative, critical, or disapproving adult. Creating a lighthearted and playful spirit in an adolescent group is an art. A skilled leader encourages humorous banter, often initiating and modeling it. When problems are approached lightly, teenagers are more likely to engage. Wordplay, puns, storytelling, jokes—these are important tools. If applied correctly, they soothe feelings of hurt and alienation that often interfere with relationships and play teenagers and adults against one another. Too much seriousness often plagues teenagers' emotional, academic, and social life; a positive group experience can offer much-needed relief." “It is nearly impossible to run an adolescent group without a sense of humor.” Pointers on Using Humor with Youth  In his web article, 5 Hints for Using Humor When Speaking to Teenagers, Greg Stier (2013), recommends the following tips: Funny Jokes: Higher Risk The most apparent risk is failing to use age-appropriate or setting-appropriate jokes. Next, you can become the joke if you lose sight of the end of the joke or mess up the sequence or timing. Not everyone is a gifted joke-teller. If you are, go for it. If not, there are other options to show your lighter side. Funny Stories: Lower Risk Stories are harder to mess up. Listen to good storytellers, and then try your own version. Use the same tenor and tone you would when talking to your friends or their teens. Just make sure you have a serious point to your funny story! Make Fun of Yourself There’s something about making fun of something silly you’ve done or said that endears you to the audience and makes you one of them. This vulnerability builds a bridge for communication, especially with teenagers. Trying to look or be perfect is not being a great role model. Youth need to know that everybody goofs up and makes major blunders and that we all somehow survive.
Use Humor; Don’t Let It Use You. Not everything needs to be funny. You don’t need to be a comedian throughout the session. Rather, consider using it at the start of group sessions to hook the group’s attention. For example, a story about your week or your dog’s week can be just the story that loosens everyone up.
Grover, S. (2010). “What’s so funny?” The group leader’s use of humor in adolescent groups. In S.S. Fehr (ed.), 101 Inventions in Group Therapy (p. 87-91). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group. Stier, G. (2013) 5 Tips for Using Humor When Speaking to Teenagers, (2013), https://gregstier.org/blog-rants-5-hints-for-using-humor-when-speaking-to-teenagers/_ |