Katy Williams, Laughter Yoga Leader
I am a qualified Occupational Therapist and Laughter Yoga Leader.
I was drawn to laughter yoga back in 2010 after attending sessions and finding that not only was it lots of fun, but I felt energised, uplifted, happier and healthier for having attended. The positive uplifted feeling didn't just last for the duration of the session, but for a significant period afterwards.
I decided that I wanted to integrate laughter yoga into my life and learn how to experience it's benefits on a regular basis as well as introducing others to it, therefore I trained with United Mind in 2011 to become a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader.
I have completed numerous sessions at Arts & Music Festivals such as: Kendal Calling, Sol Fest, Eden Galloway, Hidden Hill, and Newcastle Community Green Festival.
I have held a number of workshops and regular sessions for voluntary organisations and charities to include: youth groups, young carers, young adults with learning disabilities, within hospice settings and within community centres.
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, I have led a number of online workshops with members of the public to boost morale, positive mindset and foster a sense of connection and community.
My background is complementary to teaching Laughter Yoga. From a young age I attended numerous dance classes, then became a member of a stage school with involvement in amateur dramatics into my later teens. As a young adult from 2002-2004 I studied Film, Media, Drama & Theatre at what was then Cumbria Institute of Art and Design. I then commenced studies with 'Media, Culture and Society' BSc degree in 2004. From there I trained as a benefit caseworker with Community Legal Advice in 2008, then working as the sole Benefits Coordinator for a small carers charity, finally stepping into the role of 'Assistant Respite Coordinator' in order to support carers and provide them with respite from their caring roles before returning to University to study Occupational Therapy.
Following graduation, I worked as an Employment Coach for a mental health charity before becoming a mother and stepping into Laughter Yoga as my main career. I have more recently taken a special interest to researching the benefits of laughter yoga to support clients during the perinatal period, for conception, birth and postpartum.
I have worked with many people (clients and professionals) from diverse backgrounds and with wide-ranging abilities.
When working with children, I introduce role-play, dance, games, song and music into my sessions. Laughter Yoga is all about being joyful without preconditioned reasons or waiting for "acceptable" situations to occur before we give ourselves over to laughter and wonderment.
I have qualifications in 'End of Life Care', 'Mental Health Awareness', NCFE Drugs Awareness, manual handling as well as safeguarding of adults and children.
I continue to study and update my knowledge on Laughter Yoga in order to support others in accessing the wonders of this unique holistic exercise and therapy.
I was drawn to laughter yoga back in 2010 after attending sessions and finding that not only was it lots of fun, but I felt energised, uplifted, happier and healthier for having attended. The positive uplifted feeling didn't just last for the duration of the session, but for a significant period afterwards.
I decided that I wanted to integrate laughter yoga into my life and learn how to experience it's benefits on a regular basis as well as introducing others to it, therefore I trained with United Mind in 2011 to become a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader.
I have completed numerous sessions at Arts & Music Festivals such as: Kendal Calling, Sol Fest, Eden Galloway, Hidden Hill, and Newcastle Community Green Festival.
I have held a number of workshops and regular sessions for voluntary organisations and charities to include: youth groups, young carers, young adults with learning disabilities, within hospice settings and within community centres.
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, I have led a number of online workshops with members of the public to boost morale, positive mindset and foster a sense of connection and community.
My background is complementary to teaching Laughter Yoga. From a young age I attended numerous dance classes, then became a member of a stage school with involvement in amateur dramatics into my later teens. As a young adult from 2002-2004 I studied Film, Media, Drama & Theatre at what was then Cumbria Institute of Art and Design. I then commenced studies with 'Media, Culture and Society' BSc degree in 2004. From there I trained as a benefit caseworker with Community Legal Advice in 2008, then working as the sole Benefits Coordinator for a small carers charity, finally stepping into the role of 'Assistant Respite Coordinator' in order to support carers and provide them with respite from their caring roles before returning to University to study Occupational Therapy.
Following graduation, I worked as an Employment Coach for a mental health charity before becoming a mother and stepping into Laughter Yoga as my main career. I have more recently taken a special interest to researching the benefits of laughter yoga to support clients during the perinatal period, for conception, birth and postpartum.
I have worked with many people (clients and professionals) from diverse backgrounds and with wide-ranging abilities.
When working with children, I introduce role-play, dance, games, song and music into my sessions. Laughter Yoga is all about being joyful without preconditioned reasons or waiting for "acceptable" situations to occur before we give ourselves over to laughter and wonderment.
I have qualifications in 'End of Life Care', 'Mental Health Awareness', NCFE Drugs Awareness, manual handling as well as safeguarding of adults and children.
I continue to study and update my knowledge on Laughter Yoga in order to support others in accessing the wonders of this unique holistic exercise and therapy.
“Laugher is the sun that drives winter from the human face” – Victor Hugo