Rebecca Barnes

Purpose
This paper aims to explore how stand-up comedy can be used as an applied community-based intervention to promote mental health and social well-being.

Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on the author’s dual role as a stand-up comic and academic, the paper reflects on practice-led workshops and lived experience to examine the therapeutic potential of performing comedy.

Findings
Stand-up comedy offers a powerful medium for reframing traumatic experiences, fostering social connectedness and enhancing emotional resilience and enables performers, including those with neurodiverse traits, to reclaim personal narratives and engage in peer-supported communities of practice.

Practical implications
Practitioners and policymakers should recognise the value of participatory arts, particularly comedy-based, in the recovery and resilience-oriented mental health frameworks.

Originality/value
This paper contributes a unique perspective by framing stand-up comedy as both a creative and therapeutic tool for mental health intervention and advocacy.