I’ve always loved stand up comedy. I was 11 when I first saw Eddy Murphy’s ‘Delirious.’ It was my turn to pick the Blockbuster rental (which makes me think of Gary Gulman). I loved it. I think I repeated some of his jokes at a dinner party once – they didn’t land. It was probably the whole 11 and white thing.

Comedy was a resource for me, and laughter was love. Comedy was like alchemy. It took pain, or boredom, or loneliness and made it into joy. A part of my pull towards comedy came from my father, and his Israeli roots, where humor is primary.

I was always terrified of doing standup, though I can remember jotting down ideas in my notepad throughout high school. I was largely influenced by Seinfeld during that time, so it was mostly observational material.

Encouraged by a few close friends, I signed up for Kristina Hall’s ‘Stand Up!’ class. Her philosophy and approach to comedy is so beautiful. The short of it: Don’t write to be funny, write to be real. Be vulnerable – take a risk and share something about yourself.

I had thought comedy would be a distinct part of myself – a counterbalance to my work as a therapist. It turns out comedy and psychotherapy are so similar. At their foundation is authenticity – hence the saying “truth in comedy.” Crafting material is a process that involves looking inward, which is, by definition, therapeutic.

Thank you for reading and viewing my video. I would love to hear what you think.