La Colmenita and Canadian Therapist Apply Laugh Therapy

Havana, Mar 19. – Eager to transmit his experience of over two decades to new generations, Canadian paramedic Joan Barrington shared with the Cuban children''s theater company La Colmenita some tools of his "love laughter therapy".

The specialist recently traveled to Cuba to teach 13 members of the company, aged 19-25, a course on therapeutic clowns, implemented later with children at Havana's William Soler Pediatric Hospital.

Healing the soul and soothing the pain of thousands of children with laughter has been a constant concern by this resident physician from Toronto, founder of the Canadian Association of Therapeutic Clowns and a member of the network Therapeutic Clown International.

"My work is exhausting, but it is rewarding tiredness", she explained to Prensa Latina.

When she dresses as a clown and assumes the role of Bunky (her character), Barrington gives joy to the hearts of children who stay for days and months in hospitals. Making their hearts happy, cheers hers up.

It is very difficult to be a clown, and even more to be a therapeutic clown, she said. Itâ�Ös like going to another planet. You have to understand a child who, beyond their physical condition, suffers the anxiety and pain of reclusion they are required to be in.

One of the teachings she gave to La Colmenita was to find your inner clown, to put yourself at the same level of that little ill person, and create a harmonious environment not only for patients but also for parents, the staff, and visitors.

One of the challenges faced by the members of La Colmenita who have become clowns is to figure out how to play and give affection to a child who remains in an isolated room, who is afraid, who suffers due to the drip, and who is expecting an organ transplant. They will have to do all this without invading the childâ�Ös space.(Prensa Latina)