The Use of Humorous Journal Articles in Counselor Training

Abstract

The author advocates the use of humorous journal articles to enhance the learning process and facilitate the socialization process in counselor trainees. Examples are provided.

The role of laughter in cognitive-behavioral therapy: Case studies

“…This excerpt shows how an invitation to laugh (Jefferson, 1988) is refused by the therapist. As mentioned in the introduction, therapeutic consultation is usually taken seriously (Gladding, 2005), and humor does not appear to be frequently used or even appreciated during psychotherapy (Ness, 1989). It may appear strange to reply to a client’s laugh with a question about a subject that is a source of tension (Falk and Hill, 1992).…”

Research in Clinical Supervision: Revitalizing a Scientific Agenda

“…30 is in conflict with established ethical guidelines (e.g., Brown, 1989a). Nonetheless, a quick scan of virtually any issue of the journal of Counselor Education and Supervision will find at least one article wherein the authors advocate adopting their untested model, paradigm, or training interventions (e.g., Ness, 1989). Rarely do authors propose a supervisory model or strategy and clearly call for empirical verification before promoting its application and use (the same statements could be made of this treatise: the utility of a scientific agenda is ultimately an empirical one).…”