Table of Contents

"If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you grow old." -- Pat McManus

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter One- Belly Laughter in Relationships: Something Else Positive Below the Belt

The Importance of Laughter in Relationships

Laughter Is Part of Attraction · Laughter Puts Us Intensely in the Moment · Laughter Is Marvelous for Love · Laughter Makes It Easier to Cope · Laughter Helps You Enjoy Life More · Laughter Eases Conflict · Laughter Adds Enjoyment to Ordinary Things · Laughter and Humor Are Different · In Laughter We Are Not Alone · Exercise—Belly Laughter for Couples

Chapter Two- In Our Face

Using Laughter to Handle the Power Struggle

Laughter and Fun Are Essential in Relationships · The Biological Love Bug · Bonding Through Laughter and Touch · We Seek to Be Whole · We Need to Resolve Old Issues · We Love Because It’s Fun · What Happens to All the Fun? · The Power Struggle for Love · We Can Be Playful While Seeking the Love We Need · The Fight for Happiness · Yelling Is Telling · Silence Is a Golden Opportunity · Let Me Tell You · "Love Without Lunacy Is Impossible" · Hello Mother, Hello Father · Laughter and Play in a Serious Relationship · "If You Take Life Too Seriously, You’ll Never Get Out Alive" · Exercise—On Our Face

Chapter Three- Dance With the One Who Brung You

Using Laughter to Cope with Patterns of Behavior

The Survival Pattern · The Mind Says Work It Out · The Determined Ones · Identifying Patterns Can Be the Key · The Patterns of Childhood · Frozen Needs · Identifying a Pattern · Playing With Patterns · Exercise—Laughter Affirmation for Couples

Chapter Four- Talking, Talking Happy Talk

Using Laughter to Improve Communication

What Happens to the Happy Talk? · Communication Is Learned · The Dilemma of Expression—Thoughts or Feelings? · Playful Ways to Communicate · Criticism Ain’t No Way to Communicate Feelings · The Importance of Listening · Resistance to Change · Reflect This! · I Love You—What Do You Mean? · Don’t Assume! You’ll ASS-U-ME!?! · SPEAK UP, MY DEAR, SPEAK UP · Exercise—Speak to Me! Tell Me! Duh, What?

Chapter Five- In the Big Inning There Were Sex, Money, Children, and Housework

Using Laughter to Cope with the Four Major Issues in Relationships

Whipped Cream, Silly String, and Sex · In for a Penny, In for a Pound · Hanging from the Family Tree · A Maid! A Maid! Our Kingdom for a Maid! · Exercise—Pla-a-ay Ball!!

Chapter Six-You Can’t Rain on My Parade

Laughter in a Relationship with a Serious Partner

Living with a Serious Partner · The Search for Laughter Reborn · Focus on Your Own Laughter · Laughter Doesn’t Change the Facts— It Changes the Way We Relate to the Facts · A Relationship Is Possible When Only One Person Laughs · Exercise—Liberated Laughing.

Chapter Seven Laugh Together Each Day and Your Partner Will Stay

A Daily Laughter Workout Plus Additional Laughter Exercises for Specific Issues

The Weekly Laughter Workout · Fill Yourself with Laughter · Laughter Training to Laugh More · Hump Day · I Love You When You Are Irritating · The Laughter Sanctuary · The Laughter Reflection · Toning Up Your Week · Tools, Glorious Tools, More Tools · Laughing and Loving · Laugh Along With Me · We Laugh Because We Hurt · Face Off · The Bullet Point Tantrum · Personal Advisor · Talk To Me, Baby · Love Letters with a Twist · Little Bitty Notes of Love · Thank You, Thank You, Thank You · Exaggerate Your Needs · I Need You · Sh-h-h-h, You Can’t Talk About Sex · Silly Sex · Mister, Can You Spare a Dime? · Just You and Me and Baby Makes Three · Have Fun · What You Practice Is What You Become · All Good Things Must End.

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Enda is recognized for her work in stress management and with individuals and couples in therapy.

Enda is a national expert on laughter in therapy which is a highly effective treatment modality in helping clients move through many painful issues. Since laughter is not normally associated with therapy, see Enda’s explanation below on the uses of laughter for healing issues in therapy.

Enda Junkins, LCSW, LMFT, BCD


PO Box 684, Ouray, CO 81427
Telephone: 970.325-0050


Copyright Enda Junkins. All rights reserved. Book and anything from book including cartoons