Association For Applied And Therapeutic Humor

04/11/2026

Your inbox deserves better than bills and spam

If you’ve been loving our daily dose of humor this month, good news: it doesn’t have to end. We found 7 hilarious newsletters to keep the laughs coming all year long.

Featuring:
✨ Smart humor insights
✨ Laugh-out-loud writing
✨ Practical ways to bring more joy into your day

Trust us—your future self will thank you.

👉 Check out the full list:

Want more humor in your inbox beyond this month? We've rounded up 7 newsletters that explore humor from every angle: the science behind it, how to write it, how to use it at work, and how to simply enjoy more of it in your daily life. Whether you're a humor professional, a casual enthusiast, or some...

04/10/2026

Press play for good vibes 🎧

This week’s LaughBox Archive features Karyn Buxman—Hall of Fame speaker, neurohumorist, and expert on how humor impacts the brain.

Discover how applied humor can help you think better, connect deeper, and perform at your best.

👉 Listen here

Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CSP, CPAE is an international speaker, successful author, master neuroplastician, brain-based coach, and neurohumorist (she lives at the intersection of humor and the brain). Karyn is the global authority on high performance humor and her undertakings include her TEDx talk—H...

04/09/2026

Meet Humor Hero: Merv Neal
​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW9KbkDvJwM

Australia’s Leading Laughter Expert, Merv Neal, has spent 20+ years helping people experience the power of laughter—especially in times of challenge.

From his Laughie Challenge (one minute of recorded laughter!) to his work bringing laughter into healthcare systems, Merv’s mission is simple: create HOPE.

💡 Try his tip: Don’t wait for something to be funny—look for humor on purpose. A sense FOR humor leads to a sense OF humor.

04/08/2026

🎤 Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Heidi Hanna
Humor, Incorporated: How Humor Healed My Life, Love, & Business

In this deeply personal and science-backed keynote, Heidi (aka Dr. Handa, LOL) reveals how humor became more than a coping mechanism - it became a performance tool, relationship reset, and leadership advantage. Blending neuroscience, sports psychology, and real-life stories (including golf-giggle moments), she shows how humor calms stress, rebuilds connection, sparks creativity, strengthens leadership presence, and turns adversity into growth. This isn’t about being funny. It’s about incorporating healthy humor into a consistent daily practice.

This is one you won’t forget.
www.aath.org/humor-conference

04/08/2026

Nominations are OPEN for the Humor Awards

Know someone making the world funnier? Nominate them (or yourself).

⏱️ 5 minutes
📅 Deadline: April 20
🏆 Winners announced April 29

Don’t keep great humor to yourself.
https://www.humorthatworks.com/humor-awards/

04/07/2026

Meet Humor Hero: Nanciann Horvath, Nurse, Speaker, and Spreader of Joy

In honor of World Health Day, we’re spotlighting Nanciann Horvath—a nurse, speaker, and lifelong spreader of joy.

Watch Nanciann's Humor Hero Spotlight: https://vimeo.com/1180642260?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

From bedside care to improv stages, Nanciann blends healthcare and humor through her work with Improv For Health—helping people connect, heal, and lighten up.

✨ Her philosophy? Humor is a choice—even in tough moments.

💡 Try her tip: Use “Yes, and…” today. Instead of shutting down ideas, build on them and see where it takes you.

04/04/2026

Want better ideas? Handle stress better? Think differently about humor?

Start here 👇

This week’s What to Watch features 7 TEDx talks that dive into:
• Creativity (like a comedy writer)
• Dark humor & resilience
• Inclusive comedy perspectives

Trust us — these aren’t just funny, they’re smart.

👉 See the full list: https://www.aath.org/post/what-to-watch-tedx-edition

04/03/2026

It’s Friday… which means it’s LaughBox day

We’re diving into the LaughBox Archive this month—highlighting standout conversations with guests who’ve used humor in powerful ways.

🎧 LaughBox Archive: Steve Wilson – The Joy of Joyology (Episode 66)
Meet Steve Wilson, the “Cheerman of the Bored” and a true pioneer of the laughter movement. From a life-changing trip to India to launching the World Laughter Tour in the U.S., Steve shares how humor became both his mission and his method.

👉 Listen now
https://laughbox.aath.org/e/episode-66-the-joy-of-joyology-with-steve-wilson-ma-csp-cll/

04/02/2026

🦸 Meet Humor Hero: Masako Kusakari, CHP

It’s Day 2 of International Humor Month, and we’re excited to introduce our first Humor Hero!

🌏 Masako Kusakari, a Certified Humor Professional and Humor Communication Trainer in Japan, helps serious professionals become more open, playful, and confident in their interactions with others. Through her classes (and a daily 15-minute humor talk she’s kept going for over TWO years!), she shows that humor isn’t about telling jokes—it’s about creating safety, energy, and human connection.

✨ Her secret? Starting with something simple and silly—like the Jellyfish Dance.

Participants say they’ve never experienced a class where they smile and laugh for 75 straight minutes. And more importantly, they leave feeling more confident and willing to speak up.

👉 Try Masako’s tip today: Jellyfish Dance
Stand up, loosen your arms, and wiggle like a jellyfish. Yes, really. It’s goofy—and that’s the point. It’s hard to stay stiff and serious when you’re dancing like an invertebrate.

(And since it’s National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day… we’re calling it a Jellyfish & Jelly kind of celebration 🥜)

04/01/2026

Humor Month 2026: Live Kickoff Show!

🎥 Today's Event: Kick-Off Celebration
🕛 Time: 12pm ET / 9am PT
📍 Location: Livestreamed on YouTube

Join us for the official (and slightly unofficial-feeling) launch of International Humor Month 2026—a 30-day global celebration of laughing with purpose.

We’ll be unveiling:
- What’s happening each week during the month
- How you can participate (whether you’re a humor rookie or a certified laugh legend)
- And a few surprises we can’t legally put in writing yet

Hosted by Andrew Tarvin, Director of International Humor Month, TEDx talker, and the world’s first humor engineer. There may be cameos. There will be puns.

Whether you're a humor enthusiast, a workplace warrior, or just someone who could use a smile, we’d love for you to kick off the month with us.

Join us for the official (and slightly unofficial-feeling) launch of International Humor Month 2026—a 30-day global celebration of laughing with purpose.We’l...

03/31/2026

2026 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Melissa Mork
Dead Serious: Finding Light in the Darkest Times

What do homicide detectives, child exploitation investigators, and widows have in common? Sometimes, the only thing left to do is laugh. Blending research, irreverent history, and field experiences, Dr. Melissa Mork will explore humor theory and application. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of when dark humor helps, when it harms, and how to intentionally use humor to support resilience and wellness in high-stress work.

This one is powerful 💙

🔗www.aath.org/humor-conference

03/30/2026

April is just around the corner, and that means it’s almost time for International Humor Month—a full 30 days dedicated to laughter, joy, and a little lighthearted fun.

From April 1–30, we’ll be celebrating the power of humor to connect, uplift, and energize us in our everyday lives.

Want to join in?

You can sign up for our daily newsletter and get a fresh dose of humor delivered straight to your inbox each day. Expect a mix of witty insights, funny moments, and simple ways to bring more humor into your routine.

👉 www.aath.org/humor-month
sign up now and get ready to laugh all month long.

Let’s make April a little brighter (and a lot funnier).