«Good clown» - is a volunteer organization that deals with the clown therapy in Russia, Blagoveshchensk and Belogorsk.
In recent decades, humor has become to be considered as an important component of mental and physical health other than a mere socially desirable individual’s trait. Clown therapy represents a peculiar way of using humor in order to promote people’s well-being. Clown therapy officially started in 1986 and presently, it is easy to meet clown doctors in hospitals. Nevertheless, it is necessary to clarify their position and role, because when thinking about clowns in hospitals, ordinary people see them as just volunteers dressing in a clown’s clothes whose primary purpose is to entertain hospitalized patients. As clown doctors, two of the authors of this chapter know that this activity is much more than that. To become a successful clown doctor is required a thorough and accurate training, because his mission is challenging. The real goal of this professional is to work with the patient’s emotion, to reduce anxiety related to hospitalization, treatment and the disease itself.
The project was completed in 2018.