A certified laughing therapist has spoken about how she’s changed her life around after spiralling into depression when she came to the country 10 years ago. Amy Gill, who is from South East Asia, said she sank into depression and loneliness but it was laughter that helped her through.
"I remembered that I had attended a laughter yoga course before I came to the country and decided to Google it to see if there were any events nearby,” said the 51-year-old former cafe owner. She found a laughter yoga course and other well being events after what she describes as her “lightbulb moment.” In 2012, she became a certified laughter yoga instructor herself.
“During Covid, everyone was housebound so I decided to do my laughter yoga on zoom, to spread joy," she said. "I now hold events at my cafe in Beeston.”
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Amy owns the Global Village Cafe on 40-42 Beeston High Road. On Saturday March 19, Amy is holding her first free laughing yoga session event at the venue.
"My aim is to have as many people as possible to see the difference laughter yoga makes to their lives," she said. "Coming from a legal background, I am sometimes amused by myself, from a law lecturer to a laughter yoga leader.”
Amy won the Amazing Woman Award from lifestyle magazine Woman and Home last year, 2021. She said that laughter yoga is the perfect medicine for many issues.
“It releases endorphins and many people have enjoyed these events," she said. "The best benefits of the therapy are when it’s in person and soon, the laughter yoga will be full time.”
Robert Airey from Nottingham attends Amy’s laughing therapy session. He said that he was soon won over after some initial reluctance.
“I first attended one of Amy’s Laughter Therapy sessions a couple years back and have to admit I was sceptical on the concept," he said. “At the time I was not in the best space mentally, not enjoying my job and struggling to find my true passions. Amy is so good at easing you into the session to make sure you’re comfortable and within a few minutes had the whole group laughing in hysterics.
“I left that session with so much more of a positive mindset and have attended several other of Amy’s sessions since. Her energy, positivity and ability to change my state on any given day has been invaluable.
"It gave me the confidence to quit my job in accountancy and start my own social media marketing business during the pandemic as well as launching a group helping other people start their own businesses online. I can’t thank Amy enough.”
