I’m Emma Graham and I’m a Happiness Specialist!
I’m a certified Laughter Yoga Leader and I hold a professional qualification in Therapeutic Counselling. Trained in person-centred counselling, I’m particularly interested in finding effective ways in which we can grow, move forwards and reach our full potential.
And this is where laughter comes in… using laughter as an intervention in working with specific issues such as life changes, depression, stress, anxiety, and isolation is such an effective resource, I wish I’d found it years ago. As part of our human experience, life isn’t easy and although we’re constantly striving to be happy, happiness can be difficult to hold on to for long. We can’t change the things that happen to us in life, but very often, we can change how we perceive and respond to them. When I’m in a situation where I feel anxious, I use laughter to get my brain to choose to continue to be anxious or to get happy, as it can’t be both at the same time… and it works, quickly and effectively. And the more regularly I use laughter in my life, the more natural the laughter becomes and the more I engage with and enjoy life.
Let me let you into a little secret… happiness is a chemical reaction. When we smile, hug and laugh, our brains release chemicals and hormones which get us feeling… well, happy! We literally receive a DOSE* of healthy, mood-boosting, happy happening, pain relieving, stress reducing, immune-boosting, blood pressure reducing, natural medicine for all those difficult and downright unpleasant situations which we find ourselves in, which can halt our progress in living life to the full.
*(These clever little chemicals and hormones are dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins.)
Here at Happy Go, the interventions used are all tried and tested and it works… it really works! So those laughter exercises, yogic breathing techniques, mindfulness and relaxation really do get our mind and body healthy, happy and loving life.
Keep smiling (even if it’s wind).
Emma Graham, Dip. Couns