Helen Bzdel BA BSW RSW(SK) CLL CLYL
Helen is a mental health professional, Certified Laughter Leader and Certified Laughter Yoga Leader. Helen has been a Social Worker for fourteen years and she has worked as a Clinical Social Worker for the last ten years.
Helen reports that becoming a Certified Laughter Leader and Certified Laughter Yoga Leader is one of the best choices she ever made. Helen believes strongly in practicing self-care and loves to share the benefits of therapeutic laughter and humour in order to help people reduce their stress and enjoy life more fully. She finds sharing laughter with others to be very rewarding and wants to share this wonderful experience with as many people as she possibly can. Helen is open to any requests she receives about presenting on the benefits of laughter and is particularly interested in how laughter positively affects people with anxiety and mood disorders, as well as addictions.
Helen is an affiliated member of the following Professional Organizations:
- World Laughter Tour
- Dr. Kataria School of Laughter Yoga
- AATH (Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor)
- Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers
Products/Services offered:
- Keynotes (on the topics of Humour & Health, Humour & Mental Health, Humour & Therapy and Humour & Happiness, Self-Care through Humour)
- Workshops (on the topics of Humor & Health, Humour & Mental Health, Humor & Therapy and Humor & Happiness, Self-Care through Humour)
- Retreats (on the topics of Humor & Health, Humour & Mental Health, Humor & Therapy and Humor & Happiness, Self-Care through Humour)
- Presentations on the benefits of laughter to Mental Health and Addictions facilities
- Certified Laughter Leader (in affiliation with World Laughter Tour)
- Certified Laughter Yoga Leader (in affiliation with the Dr. Kataria School of Yoga Laughter
- Certified Laughter Clubs (in affiliation with World Laughter Tour & the Dr. Kataria School of Yoga Laughter)
Achievements:
- Keynote speaker at the Families Living with Mental Illness Workshop (theme – self-care) – session presented was “Laughter for the Mental Health of It”
- Monthly presentations on the benefits of therapeutic laughter and laughter club for in-patient addictions facility
- Presentations and laughter clubs in an out-patient mental health facility for groups on Stress and Anxiety and Bipolar Education
- Twice monthly laughter club in the community
- Therapeutic laughter exercises/ laughter club for a professional institute of massage therapy class
- Succeeded in getting our City Council to proclaim Sunday, May 4, 2008 World Laughter Day in the City of Saskatoon
- Co-planned and Co-facilitated Saskatoon’s First Annual World Laughter Day Celebration for Sunday, May 4, 2008
- Laughter sessions for Nurses in a forensic/hospital/treatment setting
- presentations and laughter clubs for daycare staff
- Presented laughter group and presentation to University of Saskatchewan ESL (English as a Second Language) students
- Presented laughter group and presentation to Saskatoon Housing Coalition
- Presented laughter group and presentation to Assistant Wardens in the Prairie Region from the Correctional Service of Canada
- Presented laughter group and presentation to elementary school students
- Various Laughter Yoga presentations and groups for seniors
- Laughter session for patients/offenders in a forensic/hospital/treatment setting
- Contract Laughter Yoga Sessions in a rural community