Before laughter yoga, I was a storyteller.

For years I traveled the country performing personal stories on Off-Broadway stages, at national storytelling festivals, and eventually on PBS. Those experiences taught me something that still guides my work today: real connection doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when presence, vulnerability, and emotional safety come together in a room.

Later, I discovered laughter yoga. At first it felt playful and surprising. A room full of adults laughing on purpose isn't something most people expect to experience. But what fascinated me wasn’t just the laughter. It was what happened underneath it.

People relaxed. Defenses dropped. Conversations shifted. Strangers connected.

Coming from a background in storytelling, I immediately recognized something familiar. The same elements that made powerful stories work on stage were happening in the room. Presence. Emotional pacing. Shared vulnerability. A moment where people felt safe enough to be fully human.

But I also noticed something missing. Many leaders were taught the exercises, but not how to lead the experience behind them. Sessions varied widely from leader to leader, and the lack of structure often weakened the impact of the work as a whole. They knew the motions, but not the moments. They could guide laughter, but not always connection.

That realization changed everything.

I began studying how people respond in a laughter session. I explored how emotional pacing, storytelling, and group dynamics shape the experience. Over time I worked with counselors, facilitators, and health professionals to test and refine these ideas in real rooms with real people.

What emerged from that work became the Storiflo™ Method, a structured and heart-centered approach to leading laughter yoga sessions with depth, clarity, and intention.