ABSTRACT
This chapter will focus on the role of humor as a mitigator on the play therapist’s palette when approaching trauma content. The potential therapeutic benefits of humor as well as some potential iatrogenic effects are discussed in the chapter. The power of novelty in captivating a child’s attention and the power of shared delight in mitigating a child’s ability to hold big feelings and approach scary stuff are also described. The power of humor in building healthy family identity will be explored as well. Shared enjoyment will be described here as a scaffolding of safety and connection from which hard things can be explored. Case examples will include the ways in which we can help parents intentionally structure novelty experiences, how to help these experiences stay within the window of tolerance for excitement that the client can handle, and how to begin rehearsing the experiences in session.
