Feeling depressed? Instead of reaching for the medicine cabinet, you should be laughing your head off with Robert Holden, writes Gemma Simms.

The 33-year-old psychologist believes laughter is the best form of therapy and founded The Happiness Project in Oxford three years ago.

Robert is Oxford's answer to Patch Adams, the American doctor made famous by Robin Williams's new film of the same name.

It is based on Patch and his unusual way of curing people through a good old chuckle or even a guffaw. Since the film was released last month, Robert has been inundated with requests from people keen to enrol on his courses.

Robert is a friend of the real Patch Adams, and they regularly write to each other. Patch aims to use mirth as medicine and ease patients' suffering through the power of laughter.

Robert, who lives with his wife Miranda in north Oxford, said: "I have known Patch for about six years and we have spoken at conferences many times together. We met at a medical conference and took a look at each other and realised we were 'on the same side'. "I spoke to him the day after he found out Robin Williams was playing his life and he was obviously extremely pleased.

"He's very eccentric. The film has been a huge hit with the public, although the critics have had a go at Robin Williams for playing another nice guy," he added.

"We are mates and we phone each other. I am a bit like Patch because he recognises that in medicine they treat illnesses and not people. Who treats the actual person?"

He said he and Patch agree that people get ill for different reasons, and some get ill purely because they are unhappy. "When people are happy they tend not to get ill and their immune system is healthier, so laughter is the best medicine."

As a psychotherapy student for six years, Robert studied every type of misery going, including stress, strain, pressure and worry.

In 1989, he was asked to set up a pioneering NHS project called Stress Busters. The first one was in Birmingham and it was a free clinic where people would come in with a stress-related illness.

In 1992, he set up the Laughter Clinic, which later evolved into the Happiness Project. He said: "It was my first attempt for people to explore what it means to be happy. When we are happy, that's usually when we are true to ourselves."

He believes the soul is happy 100 per cent of the time, but our awareness of that is not constant.

"I believe we are born whole and created whole, but we learn about pain and disappointment. We have heartbreak and wrap a layer around our heart. It's rare to meet a cynical baby - it's learned," explained Robert.

*The eight-week courses take place at Elms Court, Botley, Oxford. Call 01865 244414.

Story date: Friday 09 April

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