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Laughter Breaks Ice During Psychotherapy

Many therapists try not to show emotion, since it could influence patients and may be seen as judgmental, but this study found that showing emotion may have a positive effect, especially if it's done mutually.

In their study, the researchers found that laughter is used to communicate an emotion, "much like an exclamation point at the end of a sentence," said lead researcher Dr. Carl Marci, the director of social neuroscience at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Moreover, patients and therapists laughing together increases the intensity of the emotion and may help build feelings of rapport between them, Marci said.