Podcast Season 3: Igniting Your Drive: Invisible threads that sustain CAC professionals

S3E3: Balancing Act: Coping, healing, and the art of gallows humor

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S3E3: Balancing Act: Coping, healing, and the art of gallows humor

In this episode, we explore a topic often left unspoken but widely experienced—how child abuse professionals use dark humor to cope with the emotional weight of their work. Joined by neurohumorist Karyn Buxman, an expert in the therapeutic power of laughter, we discuss how humor serves as a lifeline in challenging environments. Discover the fine line between humor as a coping mechanism and when it might become harmful.

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Guest:

Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CSP, CPAE

Neurohumorist

Speaker Hall of Fame

Show Notes:

In this episode, host Christina Rouse dives into a delicate and seldom discussed topic in the child advocacy field about how professionals use gallows humor and dark humor to cope with the emotional toll of their work. Joined by neurohumorist Karyn Buxman, this episode explores the science behind humor, how it serves as a tool for stress relief, and when it may cross the line. Karyn shares her expert insights on how humor impacts brain function, helping professionals recover from amygdala hijack moments and regain cognitive control in the face of trauma. Through a dynamic conversation, Christina and Karyn discuss how laughter can be both a lifeline and, at times, a liability when used without care in sensitive environments.

The episode also features sound bites from professionals on the frontlines of child abuse prevention, discussing their experiences with humor as a coping mechanism, and Karyn details the 7 Humor Competencies of High Performers she developed: Rapport/Bond, Context, Authenticity, Safety, Timing, Content, and Delivery. The episode encourages listeners to understand the nuances of gallows humor, while also offering practical advice on fostering healthier workplace humor that doesn’t cross ethical boundaries. Karyn provides guidance for leaders on creating supportive environments and using humor mindfully, emphasizing that while abused children are no joke, laughter can help heal the caregivers and improve the care provided to victims.

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Key Quote:

“Humor enables us to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds. When we’re dealing with trauma, pain, and stress, sometimes just getting that small moment of relief is essential.”- Karyn Buxman

Resources:

Meet Karyn Buxman [Website]

gallows humor (noun) – humor that makes fun of a life-threatening, disastrous, or terrifying situation [Definition]

7 Humor Competencies of High Performers by Karyn Buxman [Resource]

Man’s Search for A Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl [Book]

“It is well known that humor, more than anything else in the human make-up, can afford an aloofness and an ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds.” From “Man’s Search for a Meaning” -Viktor E. Frankl

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” -Viktor E. Frankl