Humor Matters™

Steven M. Sultanoff, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and therapeutic humor-ist. As a professional speaker, he has presented his unique perspective on therapeutic humor to national, state, and local conferences, as well as, to numerous organizations and corporations. His programs are a blend of valuable information presented through cartoons, jokes, anecdotes, props, quotes, and experiences which illustrate how humor changes our feeling, thinking, behavior, and even our biochemistry in order to help us lead healthier and happier lives. He is the Past President of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor.

Steve emphasizes how humor influences health, reduces stress, provides perspective, improves communication, energizes, enhances relationships, and generally makes people feel better. While Therapeutic Uses of Humor is his passion, he has also presented numerous workshops on Humor as it relates to Stress, the Workplace, Health, Healthy Relationships, and the Helping Professions to a wide range of organizations including hospitals, school districts, universities, medical facilities, community agencies, corporations, professional associations, etc.

Steve has written numerous innovative articles advancing the field of therapeutic humor. His articles have included such topics as Humor and Heart Disease, Humor in the Workplace, How and Why to Use Humor in Helping Relationships, Using Humor in Crisis Situations, Using Humor with Aids Patients, Knowing When to use Humor Therapeutically, and Understanding the Cognitive, Emotional, and Physical aspects of humor. In addition he has appeared on Lifetime and cable television discussing Humor in the Workplace and Humor as an Antidote to Stress.

Steve received his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley in 1982. He maintains a private practice as a psychologist and consultant in Costa Mesa, California. In addition to providing psychological services, he offers continuing education programs on Humor in Psychotherapy and Mental Health Supervision for health and mental health professionals throughout California and across the United States. He is an Adjunct Professor in the Masters Program in Psychology at Pepperdine University. Steve appears nationally on PBS throughout the year demonstrating the Humanistic model of psychotherapy as part of an award winning television series on psychology.

In response to requests for humor products such as books about humor and humorous books, as well as props like clown noses and groucho glasses, Steve created the Land of Mirth and Funny, a mail order business focusing on humorous props and supplies.

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