Jeffrey Pears is a local mental health counselor and host of what he calls Free Laughter Sessions, which are held the first and third Wednesday of each month from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Kaua‘i Veterans Center, located at 3215 Kapule Highway in Lihu‘e.
For more information or to register contact Jeffrey Pears at 634-9992 or visit www.stressreleasenow.com.
1. First, tell our readers a little bit about your background. Where are you from? How long have you been on Kaua‘i?
Jeffrey Pears: My wife Patti and I fell in love with the islands and have been spending our two-week annual vacations on Kaua‘i every year for the last eight years. Our youngest daughter Kira graduated high school last year and went off to college. So, we moved to the Garden Island in September of last year. As a hospice chaplain for eight years — and now a mental health counselor working with families and youth — it never ceases to amaze me how laughter brings people together and fosters health and well-being. That’s why I lead free laughter sessions.
2. What exactly happens during one of your free laughter sessions?
JP: We practice something called laughter yoga, created by Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor in India. Laughter yoga is a series of breath, movement, clapping and laughing exercises proven to relieve stress, improve health and refresh the mind. Standing or sitting in a circle with others, we begin with some simple, gentle stretching and breathing exercises to warm up. Then, we move into clapping and the laughing exercises.
3. How exactly do you get people to laugh? Do you tell jokes?
JP: Dr. Kataria tried that when he was first starting his laughter groups and discovered they soon ran out of jokes. So, he focused on the physiological benefits of laughter by pretending to laugh. You see, the brain can’t tell the difference between real laughter and fake laughter. Thus, after a few minutes of laughter exercises and watching others laugh with you, the real laughter starts to happen … and then it gets hilarious!
4. I understand there is clapping involved. Why is clapping
important?
JP: If you are familiar with the meridian system — a series of subtle energy pathways that run through the entire body — as used therapeutically in acupressure and acupuncture, within the hands are meridian points directly linked to your internal organs. Clapping stimulates these points, which in turn stimulate your organs, increased blood flow, oxygenation and flow of life-force energy.
5. Is laughter yoga popular? What are some of the benefits?
JP: According to Laughter Yoga International, there are over 6,000 laughter clubs in 60 countries. Even the Oprah Winfrey show highlighted laughter yoga on one of their episodes about a year ago. Why, you might wonder? Because, everyone experiences stress, difficult emotions and health challenges in their life and laughter helps by increasing your coping skills and resilience.
Additionally, some of the documented health benefits of practicing laughter include: releases feel-good hormones called endorphins, which are scientifically shown to carry messages of attachment and bonding, to stimulate feelings of caring and forgiveness, and create a positive state of mind, boost optimism, self-confidence and feelings of self-worth; increases blood flow and oxygenation resulting in more energy; strengthens immune system by increasing blood circulation to the digestive and lymphatic systems and increases levels of anti-viral and anti-infection cells our body needs; promotes cardio-vascular health by lowering blood pressure and pulse rate after a laughter session; promotes joy, emotional balance, and wellness; strengthens creativity, teamwork, productivity, efficiency and motivation.
6. How do I know if I need to attend one of your sessions?
JP: If you like to laugh, come out to one of the free sessions. If you are feeling depressed, stressed, overwhelmed or other difficult emotions, laughter yoga may temporarily “lift” your spirit, but you may also benefit from seeing a counselor. As a mental health counselor myself, I may be able to help you sort things out or direct you to someone who can.
7. Can children participate?
JP: Children are naturals at laughter yoga because of their child-like playfulness. They especially like “frog laughter,” “chicken laughter,” and “ear wiggle laughter.” Actually, there are a whole series of laughter exercises just for kids, just for seniors and also for the workplace. Schools, senior centers and workplace wellness programs are discovering laughter yoga as a fun and easy way to strengthen emotional intelligence, socialization skills and teamwork.
8. What is one thing most people don’t know about stress that they should?
JP: An estimated 80 percent of all doctor visits and medication prescribed today are for stress-related illnesses. According to the Mayo Clinic, typical stress symptoms include: A negative state of mind with a cynical, sarcastic and critical outlook; lack of motivation; irritability and lack of patience; lack of energy; lack of satisfaction with one’s own life and personal achievements; disillusionment; the feeling of facing insurmountable barriers; lack of productivity and efficiency; self-medication using food, alcohol and drugs to feel better or to not feel; changes in sleep and appetite habits; headaches, neck and lower back pain; loss of the ability to experience joy.
Because of the deep diaphragmatic breathing, stretching and movement that occur when practicing laughter yoga, one begins to counteract the stress-response naturally.
Besides triggering the release of the natural pain-reducing opiate called endorphin into your bloodstream, laughter brings you into the present moment and helps you gain control of your emotions. It helps you gain a better perspective, become less critical of self and others, and fosters trust and unconditional love and acceptance of others.
9. As a person that coaches others on stress, do you still get stressed yourself?
JP: Yes, of course. Usually from self-imposed deadlines or trying to multitask too many projects at once, resulting in feeling overwhelmed and the inability to concentrate at times. But I have learned to recognize the early symptoms of stress and anxiety and then I practice various holistic methods — laughter yoga, breathing exercises, meditation, physical exercise, etc. — to return to life balance. I think that is really the key to managing stress — awareness and then self-correcting thinking and action.
10. If I come to one of your sessions am I guaranteed to laugh and leave feeling better?
JP: No, of course not. However, when 25 people are flapping their arms and squawking like chickens, it’s pretty hard to keep a straight face.
