Using Humor and Play in Therapy Sessions for Lasting Change

Cheerful Young Woman Patient Has A Casual Conversation With A Consultant Psychologist In The Office.

Breaking the Ice: Using Humor and Play in Therapy Sessions for Lasting Change (2HR)

$32.00

Course Description

Breaking the Ice: Using Humor and Play in Therapy Sessions for Lasting Change (2HR)

Therapist can utilize play and humor in therapy by incorporating interactive elements, playful prompts, and even generating humorous responses to create a more engaging and accessible therapeutic experience, potentially helping clients feel more comfortable exploring difficult topics, reducing anxiety, and promoting positive coping mechanisms; however, it’s important to use humor carefully and ethically, ensuring it aligns with the client’s needs and doesn’t minimize their experiences. This course explores the power of humor and play as therapeutic tools to create lasting change. Participants will learn how to introduce humor and playful interventions into therapy to build rapport, reduce client anxiety, and promote emotional breakthroughs.

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

Evaluate the impact of humor and play on client outcomes.
Educate clients on the benefits of humor and play in therapy.
Explain how humor and play can be used to reduce client resistance.
Demonstrate the use of playful interventions to build rapport with clients.

Social workers completing this course receive 2 Clinical asynchronous continuing education credits.

For other board approvals, this course qualifies for 2 hours of Clinical continuing education training.

Course Instructor:Kristin Whiting-Davis, LCSW-C

Recording Date: 07/18/2025

Course Format

Recorded Live Webinar with downloadable presentation slides and/or handouts, evaluation, and a required quiz. The learner is required to pass with a 70% or higher to achieve the CE certificate of completion. The learner is able to reset the test until a satisfactory score is achieved. CE Training Workshops, LLC, provider #1770, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/2/2022 – 8/2/2025. CE Training Workshops, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7091. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE Training Workshops, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. System Requirements: Firefox, Chrome, Brave, Safari, Edge on any modern operating system (Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS). A desktop browser is recommended. We do not provide support resources for issues encountered using a mobile device. For more information about our policies and board approval statements, please visit our FAQS page.

Meet Your Facilitator

Kristin Whiting-Davis, LCSW-C is a licensed clinical social worker and a dedicated behavioral health leader with over 20 years of experience. As the owner of KWD Wellness, she offers individual and group therapy specializing in trauma, grief, and mindfulness, while providing clinical supervision across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. At Kaiser Permanente, Kristin manages multiple outpatient behavioral health centers, spearheading mental health initiatives, including digital innovation and quality improvement programs.

With a broad range of experience spanning child welfare, schools, hospital emergency departments, and psychiatric day programs, Kristin brings deep expertise in supporting individuals through diverse challenges.

Syllabus

Introduction

This course explores the clinical use of humor and play as therapeutic tools that deepen connection, reduce resistance, and promote healing. Through reflective discussion and experiential activities, clinicians will learn how to incorporate humor and play ethically and skillfully to enhance rapport, increase client engagement, and support emotional regulation.

Objective 1: Recognize the Clinical Benefits of Humor and Play

Identify how humor and play strengthen therapeutic connection and trust.
Describe the physiological and emotional benefits of laughter, including stress reduction and improved regulation.
Discuss the role of humor in co-regulation, resilience, and client well-being.

Objective 2: Explore How Humor Reduces Resistance and Builds Rapport

Examine how playfulness can lower defenses and restore perspective.
Analyze client resistance through the lens of humor-based interventions.
Demonstrate how lightness in sessions can create psychological safety and support deeper therapeutic work.

Objective 3: Apply Playful Interventions in Clinical Practice

Practice introducing experiential and play-based techniques with adults and children.
Integrate humor and mindfulness to enhance presence and connection.
Develop personalized strategies to incorporate humor into supervision, individual, and group sessions.

Objective 4: Evaluate and Reflect on Outcomes of Humor and Play

Review evidence-based research on the effects of humor and play in therapy.
Assess how laughter and play influence treatment outcomes and clinician well-being.
Create a personal plan to integrate playfulness into your professional practice while maintaining ethical boundaries.