Improv Techniques for Therapists and Beyond

Introduction to Improv in Therapy

  • The instructor started teaching the class for two main reasons:
    • Invited to an improv class for 9-14 year olds at the community theater.
    • To help play therapists respond to spontaneous interactions with children (e.g., "You're an ant!").
  • The class is useful for various contexts, including:
    • Play therapy.
    • Interactions with kids, teens, adults, and families.
    • Individual and group settings.

Improv Rules

1. Yes, And…

  • Instead of negating or tweaking an offer, build upon it.
  • Example:
    • Statement: "I loved South Africa."
    • Instead of "Yes, but what about the snakes?", say "Yes, and…"
  • Focus on how to "yes, and" with clients to validate and expand their ideas.

2. Embrace Mistakes

  • Have the courage to be imperfect.
  • Play with mistakes instead of apologizing for them.
  • Example: Misremembering someone's name and incorporating the mistake into the interaction.

3. Listen Like a Dork

  • Emphasizes the importance of active and attentive listening.

4. Be Present in Your Body

  • Grounding exercise: feeling your body connected to the ground, even when you can't reach the floor.

5. Making the Floor

  • Create a playable environment.

Warm-up Exercises

Take a Walk

  • Walk around the room and notice details without judgment.
  • Simply observe and describe (e.g., "That's a carpet that's brown and tan.").
  • Naming things as a prep to notice other things.
Naming Things
  • Start naming things you see: "Door stopper," "Door knob," "Light switch," etc.
  • Then, name what things are not to encourage spontaneity.
    • Example: Looking at pants and saying "skirt"
  • Reflection: Is it harder to name what things are or what they are not?
No Wrong Way
  • There's no way to do it wrong.
  • Liberating for clients who worry about doing things right.

Toning

  • Find a partner.
  • The person with the deepest voice starts a tone using a long vowel sound (e.g., "Ooooooh").
  • The other person joins in.
  • The goal is to create a vibration.
  • With families, this can build a sense of connection if they feel each other's vibration.
  • Pay attention to where you feel the vibration in your body.
  • It's okay if not everyone feels it.
  • Continue the tone until the instructor signals to stop.
  • Experiment with different vowels, as some people may feel the vibration with certain vowels more than others.