If he does not laugh then he does not see the perspective and may need more work. In this way humor can be used as a diagnostic tool. I also to break emotional tension might put on a red nose or share cartoons jokes and stories in session. This past year I met Patch and that was an eye opener. He truly lives a humor lifestyle.
Patch is most outrageous.
Yes, it is a commonly held belief that endorphins are secreted during deep heartfelt laughter. That may be true, but the research does not support that conclusion. On my way to the dentist I listen to a funny tape in my car so that I will feel less pain in the dentist's chair. The answer is both and a bit more complicated - laughter, as I see it, is the physiological response to a humorous stimuli. The laughter by itself appears to have health benefits and is therapeutic.