by Philip Monte Verde
This post is the beginning of a five part series on cultural responsiveness in action. For an introduction to cultural responsiveness, click here. These posts are intended to be 'strategies' we can use, but more importantly point to an improved way of thinking. While written for social workers through the lens of refugee work, the lessons, it is hoped, are appropriate for all sorts of professionals.
To access the complete series, click here.
Humor and Engagement
The world is a serious place. While we may focus on the strengths of the communities we partner with, as empaths we are always aware of the weight that sits people. The reality is people do not tend to interact with social workers when life is going swimmingly. It is counter-intuitive in these situations, but if we are looking for strategies to mitigate harm and build on strengths, not taking life seriously is a strategy worth taking seriously.
As nonessential as it may seem, humor is an ideal place to begin a discussion on responsiveness. It cannot end injustice on its own or heal broken bones, but in many cases laughter is the best medicine. Knowingly or unknowingly, we have created many social work environments where dominance and subservience is implied.
A typical example would be a social worker in a desk chair, with papers and a computer and other accouterments that signal expertise. In front of the worker is a desk that has the function of holding said expertise accouterments, but the symbolic effect of creating a barrier. On the other side of the barrier is that person we have come to call Client. They have, generally speaking, come to your office seeking help from you. We may not see ourselves this way, but to the client our papers and computers hold solutions to their problems, making us the gatekeepers.
This can be a tense situation, especially for refugees. Refugees have had a harrowing time with authorities. Some authorities have upended their lives, some have saved their lives. The author has seen time and again people sit down in that chair across the desk with a look of uncertainty. Nothing seems to put a person, refugee or otherwise, at ease like humor.
It may be momentary, but joking lifts the weight off of people’s shoulders. Psychologically this is easy to understand; when the village is on fire, no one cracks jokes. Here are jokes, so the village must not be on fire. This is backed up in the research.
Laughter has been found to stimulate organs, decrease heart rate and blood pressure, and aid muscle relaxation (Wilkins, 2009). Another study suggested that the release of endorphins that comes with laughter acts as a natural painkiller (Dunbar et al., 2012).
Where I worked with resettled refugees for two years laughter became essentially our default way of beginning interactions. There is something beautiful about making jokes that are so simple that they can be told to people who speak limited or no English. One can follow along with people’s facial expressions, first confusion at what is happening, followed by understanding, and then laughter and relief. The tension seems to lift off like steam from boiling water.
In stupid, basic jokes we make clear that this is a place of safety and community, bridging the cultural and even language divide.
References
Dunbar, R.I., Baron, R., Frangou, A., Pearce, E., van Leeuwen, E.J., Stow, J., Partridge, G., MacDonald, I., Barra, V., & van Vugt, M. (2012). Social laughter is correlated with an elevated pain threshold. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 279(1731), 1161-1167.
Wilkins, J., & Eisenbraun, A.J. (2009). Humor theories and the physiological benefits of laughter. Holistic Nursing Practice. 23(6), 349-354.
This post is the beginning of a five part series on cultural responsiveness in action. For an introduction to cultural responsiveness, click here. These posts are intended to be 'strategies' we can use, but more importantly point to an improved way of thinking. While written for social workers through the lens of refugee work, the lessons, it is hoped, are appropriate for all sorts of professionals.
To access the complete series, click here.
Humor and Engagement
The world is a serious place. While we may focus on the strengths of the communities we partner with, as empaths we are always aware of the weight that sits people. The reality is people do not tend to interact with social workers when life is going swimmingly. It is counter-intuitive in these situations, but if we are looking for strategies to mitigate harm and build on strengths, not taking life seriously is a strategy worth taking seriously.
As nonessential as it may seem, humor is an ideal place to begin a discussion on responsiveness. It cannot end injustice on its own or heal broken bones, but in many cases laughter is the best medicine. Knowingly or unknowingly, we have created many social work environments where dominance and subservience is implied.
A typical example would be a social worker in a desk chair, with papers and a computer and other accouterments that signal expertise. In front of the worker is a desk that has the function of holding said expertise accouterments, but the symbolic effect of creating a barrier. On the other side of the barrier is that person we have come to call Client. They have, generally speaking, come to your office seeking help from you. We may not see ourselves this way, but to the client our papers and computers hold solutions to their problems, making us the gatekeepers.
This can be a tense situation, especially for refugees. Refugees have had a harrowing time with authorities. Some authorities have upended their lives, some have saved their lives. The author has seen time and again people sit down in that chair across the desk with a look of uncertainty. Nothing seems to put a person, refugee or otherwise, at ease like humor.
It may be momentary, but joking lifts the weight off of people’s shoulders. Psychologically this is easy to understand; when the village is on fire, no one cracks jokes. Here are jokes, so the village must not be on fire. This is backed up in the research.
Laughter has been found to stimulate organs, decrease heart rate and blood pressure, and aid muscle relaxation (Wilkins, 2009). Another study suggested that the release of endorphins that comes with laughter acts as a natural painkiller (Dunbar et al., 2012).
Where I worked with resettled refugees for two years laughter became essentially our default way of beginning interactions. There is something beautiful about making jokes that are so simple that they can be told to people who speak limited or no English. One can follow along with people’s facial expressions, first confusion at what is happening, followed by understanding, and then laughter and relief. The tension seems to lift off like steam from boiling water.
In stupid, basic jokes we make clear that this is a place of safety and community, bridging the cultural and even language divide.
References
Dunbar, R.I., Baron, R., Frangou, A., Pearce, E., van Leeuwen, E.J., Stow, J., Partridge, G., MacDonald, I., Barra, V., & van Vugt, M. (2012). Social laughter is correlated with an elevated pain threshold. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 279(1731), 1161-1167.
Wilkins, J., & Eisenbraun, A.J. (2009). Humor theories and the physiological benefits of laughter. Holistic Nursing Practice. 23(6), 349-354.
