Colleen A. Cooke - Author

Colleen A. Cooke, EdD, FDRT, CTRS, CLL, CHP, is a professor of recreational therapy in the College of Health, Engineering, and Science at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. She began her career as a recreational therapist work- ing with elderly populations in a nursing home setting and went on to work with individuals with intellectual disabilities, people with physical disabilities, and people with severe, persistent mental illness. She has over 35 years of experience in recreational therapy as a practitioner, educator, author, and consultant. Her research and professional growth interests include addictions, mental health, and the impacts of laughter and humor on overall quality of life. She is a Certified Laughter Leader (CLL) with the World Laughter Tour and a Certified Humor Professional (CHP) through the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor.