Date of Award
Spring 5-16-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Major
Expressive Therapies
First Advisor
Leticia Prieto Álvarez
Second Advisor
Keren Barzilay-Shechter
Abstract
This literature review examines the power of humor as a defense mechanism amidst death loss grief. The intersection of grief, humor, and expressive arts therapy is under-researched, despite the natural overlap. This work connects concepts of humor with core principles of expressive arts therapy and highlights areas for further research. It contextualizes grief within common Western world frameworks such as the five stages of grief, the dual processing model, and defense mechanisms. Humor presents a nuanced coping skill that has many functions within grief. It can be contradictory in nature, as it can be utilized to resist and combat feelings of grief, but also offers a way to embrace and process grief. The literature indicates certain conditions for the ability of a bereaved individual to access and implement humor in the grieving process. There are also clear recommendations and cautions for clinicians to engage with and bring humor into therapeutic encounters.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Manzi, Sophia, "But did you die? An exploration of how humor can influence grief and the grieving process: A Literature Review" (2026). Expressive Therapies Theses. 91.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_therapies_theses/91
