Objectives:
The paper discusses the benefits of including a laughter therapy into group psychotherapy.

Methods:
The laughter therapy session was experimentally included in group psychotherapy. Laughter therapy consisted of various carefully designed humour-related tasks. The patients and the laughter therapist were observed via two-way mirror by experienced psychotherapists and a psychiatrist. The assessment of the experiment was based on the opinions of all three parties: patients, observers and the laughter therapists were documented.

Results:
Patients enjoyed laughter therapy and, except one patient, took an active part in it. Patients were enthusiastic about this type of therapy and expressed willingness to participate in laughter therapy again. The therapy provided a two-tier liberation for patients: a liberation from their problems and from a typical therapy. It provided a return to childhood, evoking feelings of levity and spontaneity. It also strengthened in-group integration. The laughter therapy helped to unlock conscious experiencing of previously suppressed positive feelings in paranoid patients who experienced some ambivalence after laughter therapy.

Conclusions:
Laughter therapy can constitute a valuable part of group psychotherapy. Future research can explore the effects of implementing elements of laughter therapy in different parts of traditional group therapy.