There's a question I get pretty often, so I thought I'd devote an entry to it here. It came up recently when someone

"...Laughter is helpful to patients of all ages by serving as a healthy coping mechanism."
—Excerpt from The Daily Texan article

I am thrilled to be able to say that I taught a workshop at the University of Texas at Austin! I can barely contain my excitement because this was a huge huge HUGE honor for me. UT is my alma mater...

"Lane from Upside Wellness taught an improv workshop for my staff, and it was great! Everyone had a lot of fun, and there were plenty of real business applications too!"
—Margaret Myrick, Program Manager at Indeed.com

I recently taught a corporate improv teambuilding workshop at the offices of Indeed.com (the #1 job website in the world) and it was incredible! 

It’s 2015, and yet navigating the world of mental healthcare can still be a little overwhelming and downright tricky for those who have never sought mental health treatment before. So confusing, amirite? It's true no matter how seemingly great or small your needs are. Maybe it's depression, anxiety, stress, mood swings, bipolar disorder, addiction, couples counseling, family therapy, ADD/ADHD, or life coaching. I’ve talked to some pretty smart savvy people over the years, and the same questions and concerns seem to pop up every time. Here I’ve compiled some of the most important things you should know so that you can move forward and make some informed decisions. I'm going to pull back the curtain for you and give you all sorts of insider information. Stuff only the pros know.

I did a presentation on laughter therapy and improv the other day for a packed house of other mental health professionals and was told by the host site that it was the biggest turnout they had ever had. Just got the feedback surveys, and highlights include:

"Amazing"
"Awesome!"
"Loved it! Thank you!"
"Best presentation ever!"

Exactly one year ago today I posted a very personal story about John F. Kennedy and how my mother saw him speak and shook hands with him on November 22, 1963 in Fort Worth, Texas mere hours before he was assassinated. By writing about her story, I attempted to do justice to my mother's experience that day and honor a very important part of my family's history. 

I just came upon this great blog entry regarding perfectionism and creativity. It’s an interesting read and written by a therapist out in Los Angeles who seems to be a kindred spirit to what I’m doing with Upside Wellness. 

The recovery conference at UNT was amazing! I met some great mental health colleagues, and again I found that people are loving Upside Wellness and the unique treatment approach offered here. Whenever I start talking about the healing power of laughter, the joys of improv, how laughter is good for the mind, body, and spirit AND the science to back it up, people seem not just receptive but hungry for it. I am getting invited to meet with some big-time treatment centers and hospital administrators, and I am proud to announce that Upside Wellness has some big things coming up!

As I write this, I am very excited because tomorrow I will be driving to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The Metroplex, the D-F-Dubs. “Why” you ask? Well it’s because I’m co-presenting a professional CEU or continuing education unit with the great Stephanie Coker, LCSW at the North Texas Recovery Film Festival and Conference!

I’ve been in Austin a little less than 2 weeks now, and I have completely fallen in love with this city all over again. I used to live here from 1998 to 2004, and I certainly loved it then. However, maybe absence makes the heart grow even fonder because I am beginning to think this is the greatest city in the world.

I am a comedy nerd. There's no hiding or denying it. I remember staying up late on Saturday nights when I was 5 years old just to catch a glimpse of Saturday Night Live. Comedy has always been a huge part of my life.

          I might like to laugh, but I also take my work very seriously.  I love what I do, and I work very hard to provide the highest quality of care a client can receive.  I pride myself on professionalism in accordance with the highest standards of ethics, codes of conduct, and treatment methods.  I have years of experience working in behavioral or mental health hospitals in Texas and Illinois where I've worked in just about every type of setting, with just about every type of issue, and with just about every population: Adults, teenagers, men, women, couples, and families.  Through it all, I have noticed that even some of the most distraught patients often respond very favorably to my positive approach.

So I’ve decided to open a private practice. First off, let me back up. I’ve decided to move back to Austin! Wait, let me back up again. Who am I and why should you care about any of this?

I’m a therapist. Not a massage or physical therapist. I’m a licensed counselor to be exact. I say things like “How does that make you feel” for a living. Well sort of, but I try to make it a little more exciting than that. For you see, kind blog readers, I am also a comedy performer. I’ve been doing improv and sketch comedy at Second City and iO in Chicago the last couple years.