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Tune in with Mike & Friends TONIGHT for "Laughter as Medicine!" with Warriors for Life (WFL) Online!

Join our Volunteer, Army Combat Medic Veteran, & Music Writer/Producer Mike Williams TONIGHT for "Mike Check" edition of Warriors for Life (WFL) Online, sponsored and presented by Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV).


We are asking everyone to share who we are and what support that Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV) is providing via WFL. If you know someone who is a veteran, first responder or a family member/caregiver, please ask them to join us for at least one meeting so they can learn more about what we do and how they can share their wisdom with others who may be able to learn from them.



TONIGHT's Topic: "Laughter as Medicine!"



Join Mike & Friends TONIGHT for a discussion about "Laughter as Medicine!" - Veteran-Focused, Trauma-Informed Resilience.


Humor is part of military culture, and used intentionally—with consent and guardrails—laughter becomes a practical nervous-system tool for Veterans. It can reduce stress, loosen threat-lock, and rebuild connection.


“Laughter doesn’t erase what Veterans carry—it gives the nervous system a safe exhale, and the heart a way back to the team.”



Humor is already woven into military culture: quick wit, storytelling, and (sometimes) gallows humor. When used intentionally and safely, laughter can become a practical resilience tool for Veterans - not because it erases pain, but because it can shift the nervous system, reconnect people, and create a little breathing room around hard experiences.



Why laughter can be medicine


1) It can reduce stress-load in the body


A genuine laugh briefly activates the body (breath, heart rate, muscles) and then tends to be followed by a relaxation response. Repeated over time, this can support stress management.

·       Clinical overview: Mayo Clinic describes short-term activation and a post-laugh "cool down" that can ease stress.

·       Research signal: A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of laughter interventions reported a notable reduction in cortisol on average in laughter conditions compared with controls.


2) It can widen perspective when the brain is stuck on threat


When symptoms, grief, or moral injury narrow attention toward threat or shame, humor can offer a brief cognitive reset: "I can feel this and still be human." Used well, it is not denial; it is tactical relief.


3) It can rebuild connection (a major protective factor)


Laughter is social glue. Shared laughter signals safety and belonging. For Veterans who isolate, it can be one of the lowest-barrier paths back toward community.



What it can look like in Veteran life


Used intentionally, humor and laughter may help:

·       Interrupt rumination (especially at night)

·       Lower physiological arousal before sleep

·       Make hard conversations possible without overwhelming people

·       Strengthen buddy bonds and reduce isolation

Important: humor can also become armor (deflecting feelings) or a trigger (certain topics, surprise, volume, or mocking). A trauma-informed approach keeps it helpful.


Programs and resources built for Veterans


VA Whole Health (tools and handouts)



Community comedy training



A simple 7-day 'Laughter Prescription' (5-10 minutes a day)


No forced positivity - just gentle reps that aim for relief and reconnection.


1.     One laugh trigger: A short comedian clip, a funny memoir excerpt, or a trusted "unit story" voice memo.

2.     One breath downshift: Two minutes of 4-second inhale and 6-8-second exhale so the laugh "cashes out" into calm.

3.     One connection text: Send a buddy a small win or dumb moment message (phone calls count, too).


Twice this week: laugh with another human (in person or by phone). Shared laughter often works better because it restores connection.


If you're running a Veteran group: a trauma-informed 'Laughter Lab' (45-60 minutes)


·       Opening (5 min): Consent + options ("You can pass at any time").

·       Warm-up (5-10 min): Light, non-personal prompt ("funniest MRE memory" or "most ridiculous inspection moment").

·       Core (20 min): Comedy clip + discussion OR low-pressure improv games.

·       Integration (10 min): Ask: "What shifted in your body?" Rate stress 0-10 before/after.

·       Close (5 min): Brief grounding + one takeaway practice for the week.


Guardrails (keep it safe)


·       No humiliating teasing, targeted mockery, or "gotcha" moments

·       Avoid material likely to spike trauma symptoms (graphic violence, sexual violence jokes, or demeaning content)

·       Normalize mixed reactions: if laughter is hard today, that is information - not failure



Bottom line


Laughter tends to work best as an adjunct - a nervous-system tool that supports bigger pillars such as sleep, movement, relationships, and (when needed) evidence-based care. Used with consent and good boundaries, it can be a humane, low-cost way to create relief and belonging.



Veterans Crisis Line (24/7): Dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255, or use online chat.


Mike Williams shares a Song


"Laughter As Medicine"


We learned to speak in nicknames,


in stories that start with, “So there I was…”


and end with a grin we didn’t plan—


because sometimes that’s how you breathe.



Laughter doesn’t outrank the heavy stuff.


It just helps the body stand down—


one quick shake in the chest,


then the calm rolls in like “all clear”


after the noise.



Some days your brain stays posted on watch,


threat-level: midnight.


But a good joke can widen the room:


I’m still here. I’m still human.


Tactical relief—no denial required.



Try the field kit:


one small laugh (a clip, a tale, a “remember when”),


two minutes of slow exhale,


one text to a buddy—


“Bro… you won’t believe what I just did.”



And if you’re in a circle, keep it safe:


no cheap shots, no “gotcha,”


just the kind of humor


that says, quietly,


You belong here.



Because sometimes medicine


isn’t a cure—


it’s the moment your nervous system whispers,


Stand down, soldier…


and your heart finds the team again..


Warriors for Life (WFL) Online "Mike Check" edition presented by Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV) — Friday (TONIGHT), February 20, 2026, @ 4:30 PM PT, 5:30 PM MT, 6:30 PM CT, & 7:30 PM ET

 

 

Thank you,


Mike Williams, Army Combat Medic Veteran, Music Writer/Producer, & Volunteer Facilitator, Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV)


"Honor & Respect Always — Warriors for Life!"

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