Leader-Post: Healing Through Humour

Whether it be stand-up, sketch or songs, people living with mental illnesses have a chance to learn the art of comedy.


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There is also a student at the University of Regina who is doing a documentary about the group Healing Through Humour.

Ian Morrison, the facilitator of the group, said in more detail what the purpose of the group is.

"It’s to break down stigmas surrounding mental illness through public performance by people living with mental illness or mental issues or anxieities," said Morrison. "It’s there to make people see that the illness is like any other illness and it’s just something that’s a part of life and that it doesn’t make the people who have it any less capable or any less functional than anybody else in the world.



Ian Morrison is the facilitator
of Healing Through Humour.

Photograph by: Don Healy,
Regina Leader-Post



"We may do things a bit differently because of our illnesses, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not an important part of society," he said. "A lot of people have said that they don’t even have a mental illness and they can’t even get up on stage and tell a joke because of the fear and it’s just a way of breaking down people’s ignorance concerning mental illness.”

Anita Hopfauf, the executive director at the Schizophrenia Society of Saskatchewan, also had a few comments about the use of laughter as therapy.

"It’s always good to use laughter when you’re going through stressful situations so that’s also really, I think, effective with the program," said Hopfauf. "Sometimes it’s really good to use laughter as kind of a means to kind of lighten things up a little bit and just to help you to deal with stress.

"(It helps) to kind of do something that’s not necessarily also focusing on your mental illness, but something totally different with the comedy and laughing," she said. "I think it’s healthy for people to laugh and to kind of joke around a little bit and take some of that seriousness out of a difficult situation you might be going through, just to make it a little easier."

She also mentioned how good it feels to hear laughter coming from the boardroom where classes are held and how proud she is of the performers.

"I’m proud of the people that are doing it, getting up and having the courage to get up on the stage and do the stand-up," said Hopfauf.

Healing Through Humour website