Health educator Trieber enjoys last laugh

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - If laughter really is the best medicine, Roz Trieber would make a world-class doctor.

Trieber, a certified health education specialist and certified laughter leader, is all about bringing humor to people under pressure.

She runs HumorFusion, which has her teaching how to embrace humor to reduce stress and cope with negative situations.

“Humor is all about imperfection,” she said. “No one laughs when something’s perfect and it’s a relief of tension.”

Trieber, who teaches mental health and stress management at Towson University, began using humor to teach classes, and from that built her speaking business.

“She has brought humor to the forefront in our department as a teaching tool,” said professor Sharon Buchbinder, who’s also the chair of Towson’s Department of Health Sciences. “And she’s a pleasure to have around.”

Buchbinder said laughing can lower blood pressure and make people more and receptive to other people.

Businesses receive tailored programs from Trieber to “get people to take their job seriously and their self lightly,” she said.

Allison Solomon, from Bruce Solomon Plumbing, Heating and Air, said the company brought Trieber in to help employees air issues with the company and find solutions for when customer are rude.

“It really helped,” she said, “and we’ve already put some stuff she suggested into play.”

Health professionals in high-stress jobs and senior centers are also some of Trieber’s clients.

A breast cancer survivor herself, Trieber works with people with health issues, too.

“I give them permission to laugh,” she said. “Sometimes they don’t think they deserve to have fun.”

Drawing presentation fees of $2,500 to $5,000, she is president-elect of the National Speaker’s Association of Washington, D.C., but her work keeps her grounded in humor.

In her “Joyagra” bag, she has a plastic hand-clapper, a red nose, an unblown-up balloon and mini-slinkys.

“I use the balloon to signify things people need to let go, and the slinky to show how people can stretch their imagination,” she said.” And hand clappers are as valuable as toilet paper, milk and eggs — you need to self-appreciate.”

Baltimore County Police Department Counseling Team Manager John Worde had Trieber run a workshop for the non-sworn employees.

“Everybody loved it,” he said. “I still have my nose and clappers.”

kprahlad@baltimoreexaminer.com

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