Improv comedy is a practice of self-acceptance.
Comedy Therapy
Improv Comedy +
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy =
Play therapy for any age!
Are you struggling with feelings of disconnection and loneliness? Are you too self-critical or perfectionistic and want to work on your self-esteem and sense of self? Do you want to learn how to let go, have fun, and live in the moment? Do you want to get more in touch with your playful and creative inner child? Does the idea of doing improv comedy make you feel nervous, but you’re intrigued? Do you like to laugh?
Within a small, supportive group of 4-7 people that meets for twelve weeks, you will learn how to be more accepting of yourself so that you can feel calmer and more connected to other people, more often! You will practice your self-acceptance skills in real-time through tailored improv comedy exercises that are designed to support you on the path toward increasing your self-acceptance and self-confidence.
At its core, improv comedy helps you to take risks, make mistakes, and not take yourself so seriously. We will laugh a lot : )
Details
Location:
Monroe Office Suites
3570 E. 12th Ave.
Denver, CO 80206
+ Virtual option now available if you are located in Colorado!
Weekly Groups Currently Held On:
Mondays, 6:00-8:00pm
Tuesdays, 6:00-8:00pm
Daytime Option TBD - please inquire!
Group Duration: Each group experience is 12 weeks long.
Recommended Age Range: Comedy therapy is the best fit for individuals 13-years-old and up! We run groups by age (e.g., one group only for adolescents and a separate group only for adults).
Group Make-Up: 4-7 people with similar goals. This group is the best fit for people struggling with a mild to moderate amount of anxiety and/or depression. We really strive to create cohesive groups!
Cost: To be sustainable, the cost is $80 per 2-hour session. We don’t accept insurance, but we can provide a Superbill for you to submit to your insurance company directly for reimbursement. We offer a discount for anyone with Medicaid.
Suggested Readings:
The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It by David Carbonell
Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory by Deb Dana
The Courage to be Disliked: The Japanese Phenomenon That Shows You How to Change Your Life and Achieve Real Happiness by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
To sign up, please fill out this interest form below:
“I always felt nervous to go but felt like something had been released after each session.
I love the space to talk about what we are dealing with. I have never been actually excited to go to therapy until finding this group.
The play and improv was beneficial for my perfectionism because I got to experience just diving into things.
I loved connecting with people who I felt really understood me.”
More details can also be found here:
This lovely Counseling Today magazine article where Dr. Alison is interviewed : )
NPR Life Kit on how improv can make you more confident: https://www.npr.org/2022/10/19/1129907651/improv-can-build-confidence-heres-how-to-apply-it-to-your-everyday-life
And if you are lucky enough to speak Japanese, you can read this article about our program too: https://madamefigaro.jp/series/yukai/Sekaiyukai-LA-health.html
The academic journal article written by Dr. Alison and the clinicians who were running Second City’s Improv for Anxiety Program in Chicago: Phillips Sheesley, A., Pfeffer, M., & Barish, B. (2016). Comedic improv therapy for the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 11(2), 157-169. doi:10.1080/15401383.2016.1182880. Retrieved from ResearchGate.
If Loneliness Is an Epidemic, How Do We Treat It?: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/14/opinion/treating-loneliness.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Loved this study! https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2713374523000201
From UMR’s Newsletter in March 2023!