Adult Caregivers Employee Resource Group: Laughing is the Best Medicine

Date: Thu, 03/23/2023 | Time: 12-1pm | Location: Virtual – Zoom

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Event Description

“If Laughter cannot solve your problems, it will definitely DISSOLVE your problems; so that you can think clearly about what to do about them” – Dr. Madan Kataria

The old saying is true, laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you release anger and forgive sooner

Join this session to learn more about caregiving with laughter, mindfulness, and explore the social, emotional, and physical benefits of laughter.

This group is intended to virtually connect MSU faculty and staff who have caregiving responsibilities for adults in their lives and those navigating assisting a senior in their life with changing care needs. This group is open to anyone interested in connecting with other adult caregivers, or learning about issues such as how to care for yourself as a caregiver, how to start conversations about living situation changes, or how to navigate end of life choices conversations. Meetings are the fourth Thursday of the month from 12pm to 1pm during the academic year. For questions contact Ebony Lucas at lucase@msu.edu.

Learning Objectives

  • Explore the social, emotional, and physical benefits of laughter  
  • Mindfulness 
  • Staying emotionally healthy 

About the Speaker: Holly Tiret

Holly Tiret headshot

Holly Tiret is a Senior Extension Educator in Family and Consumer Sciences with Michigan State University Extension. Her focus is on helping people become socially and emotionally healthy so they can lead satisfying and productive lives. She has been with Extension for 21 years. She teaches classes in mindfulness, anger management, caring for the caregiver, farm stress, and sleep. Holly was trained in mindfulness by Jane Riffe and Becky Smith from West Virginia Extension. She has taken Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction through the Grand Rapids Center for Mindfulness and attended a two-day workshop on Mindful Self Compassion with authors Kristen Neff and Christopher Germer.