Tag: Self Care

Neural Substrates of Spontaneous Musical Performance: An fMRI Study of Jazz Improvisation – A Study by Charles Limb and Allen Braun

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Charles Limb and Allen Braun used fMRI (Functional MRI) to study the parts of the brains activated during spontaneous musical performance or improvisation.  This study showed that there is a ” distributed neural pattern may provide a cognitive context that enables the emergence of spontaneous creative activity.” We find this very interesting as it applies also to improvisation in endeavors other than musical improvisation, such as comedic improvisation and the day-to-day…

Look Who Gets It

Characters Building Character

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Comedic Improvisers are known for their ability to create absurd and wacky characters, often including funny voices or strange physicalities. These performances are entertaining, as the characters might remind us of people we know, or are simply so outlandish we cannot help but laugh. In Improv Therapy, character work is a difficult skill that is often saved for more experienced groups. But encouraging patients to experiment with taking on heightened…

Improv, Improv Exercises, ITG Blog, Self-Care, Therapy, Yes, and

Radical Acceptance: What Makes Improv Therapeutic

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In the past decade the field of Improv Therapy has slowly crept its way into psychological scholarship. Frontiers in Psychology and the Journal of Mental Health published articles in 2013 and 2017 respectively outlining the potential therapeutic benefits of comedic improvisation. Around the country professionals ranging from neuropsychologists to therapists to life coaches and wellness experts are incorporating improv techniques into their work. As such improv is currently being used…

Improv, ITG Blog, Neuroplasticity, Self-Care, Therapy, Yes, and

“Is he allowed to do that?” – Improv gives us a rare environment where there are no wrong answers

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Before an idea is a good idea or a bad idea, it is a new idea. To write a book, start a business or simply change up a go-to dinner recipe, we have to test out a new idea. But with every new idea put into action we take a risk; many businesses don’t succeed and sometimes the new ingredient we try out ruins the dish. For so many of…

Improv, Improv Life Lessons, ITG Blog, Self-Care, Storytelling, Yes, and

Empathy and Storytelling

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Improv is often explained as theater that you “make up on the fly.” Indeed, improvisational theater in a performance setting features entire stories and characters invented on the spot entirely from imagination. But improv in a therapeutic setting is deeply rooted in exploring personal stories through drama, and thus requires us to be able to share such stories. Telling personal stories in a group setting fosters empathy between the group…

Improv and Children, Improv Life Lessons, ITG Blog, Self-Care, Storytelling, Yes, and

Child’s Play: Life conditions us not to be silly – Improv reteaches us how

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Lisa cupped her hands in the air as though she were holding a baseball. She explained to the group that she was holding an invisible ball of energy which she passed along to the people sitting around the circle. Each individual could mime an action with the invisible ball (dribbling, juggling, etc.) before passing it along. It is one of the simpler improv warm ups, but to most adults the…

Improv and Children, Improv Life Lessons, ITG Blog, Self-Care, Yes, and

7 Ways to Practice Self-Care and Prevent Stress from Taking Over Your Life

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When the workload piles up, it’s easy to get buried in it and let the ensuing stress control your life. Spending after-hours answering emails or leaping from one task to the next may feel productive, but actually only increases your anxiety even more. Give yourself a well-earned break and try these self-care tips. Make Your Home More Serene Just like it takes up space in the house, clutter can overwhelm…

Improv Life Lessons, ITG Blog, Self-Care