Improv for Clergy
A healing, collaborative environment for clergy of denominations and levels of experience
About the Program
A celebration of different faith traditions, this special class, co-taught by improv professionals and an ordained minister, is an exploration of creativity and self-care.
No previous improv experience is necessary. This is a non-competitive, low stakes environment to practice self-care and build friendships during a particularly difficult time for spiritual leaders.
Classes
Improv for Clergy – Level 1
Improv for Clergy – Level 2
Key Questions
What is creativity as a spiritual force? How can we use artistic expression as self-care?
How can we use improv games to build empathy within the communities we serve?
How can we use humor to tell the story of our faith journey?
Testimonials
- “I feel that I will use these games in groups to foster empathy and encourage connection…”
- “I work a lot with young people who struggle with emotions, so this will be helpful.”
- “I am likely to use the “Reminds Me of…” with couples who have trouble connecting and listening to each other.”
- Read more participant feedback on our Testimonials page
About the Instructors
Marcy Bain (she/her) graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2008, and she graduated Central Michigan University in 2003 with a Masters of Science in Administration. She is bivocational, engaging a dual career in Government/Military and as an ordained Presbyterian Reverend.
For over 20 years her professional focus has included serving military/government and religious communities. She has provided conference workshops, one-one-one coaching, community events, and interdisciplinary programming to promote creativity, spirituality, social justice causes, self-care, and wellness.
She has worked within the contexts of faith communities, community non profits, the Veteran’s Administration, hospital systems, and within the Federal Government to develop programming for her specialized populations.
She first became aware of Improv through a national conference setting in the early 2000s and she has pursued this art form ever since. Her specific areas of interest include: Improvisational therapeutic modalities, Circle Way Groups/Group Process, Cultural Intersections of Creativity/Spirituality/Social Justice, Creativity and Coming to Voice.
Lisa Bany (she/her) is Chief Improv Officer at Improv Therapy Group. Lisa is an instructor, director and coach at The Second City. She has authored numerous books, including On Stage: Theatre Games and Activities for Kids, which was awarded the Parent’s Choice Approval Seal for Excellence in Education, has been translated into German and Korean, and is sold around the world. She started teaching at The Second City in the early nineties and has directed and taught throughout the Chicagoland area. Lisa was one of the first teachers in the Second City Wellness Program where she has taught Improv for Anxiety, Improv for Parkinson’s Patients and their Caregivers, and Improv for the Autism Spectrum.
A graduate of Columbia College, Lisa has taught improv with The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, The National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Arlyn School for teens with Anxiety and Autism Spectrum Disorder. She has also created and directed performing arts summer camp programs with Play On, Northlight Theatre, Light Opera Works and the JCCs of Chicago.