Despre acest podcast
Your Improv Brain is a show that helps you understand your brain (and body!) to be a happier, better performer. I'll also explore the intersection of improv comedy, neurodivergence, and the science of performance. Episodes cover how different brain types, including neurodivergent and neurotypical minds, experience comedy and performance. The show discusses creating supportive environments and understanding cognitive differences in improv practice.
Your Improv Brain also explores how neurodivergence, including ADHD and autism, impacts how we learn, coach, and perform. Host Jen deHaan - who is certifying in multiple programs based on nervous system regulation - gets into the science of why we freeze up on stage, how to find flow state, and using nervous system regulation tools to become a more resilient improviser and actor.
Why this show is for you
Whether you are neurodivergent or neurotypical, this show provides a neuroinclusive lens on the creative process. We move beyond "yes and" to discuss:
How different brain wiring affects ensemble teamwork.
Overcoming stage fright and the "body" side of performance.
Tools for autistic and ADHD improvisers to thrive in rehearsals and shows.
Improving coaching techniques for comedy teachers and directors.
About the host
Hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen is an autistic and ADHD comedy performer, writer, and improv enthusiast. These episodes offer a deep dive into the intersection of cognition and creativity to help you work more efficiently, learn more effectively, and ultimately, be funnier. More about Jen at https://jendehaan.com/about.
Note: This show was formerly titled "Neurodiversity and Improv."
Produced by: https://StereoForest.com
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Episoade
Cele mai noi 20 din 51 episoade
- Answer The "More Energy" Improv Note Your OWN Way · 20 min · Episodul 51You get the "more energy" note in improv and nobody tells you what to actually change. I take that note apart and look at what your teacher was probably reacting to. The energy…
- Confidence vs Hesitation in Improv Scenes · 22 min · Episodul 50WORKSHOPS! Check out what's coming up for the Off Script Workshops. We're working on stuff brought up in this ep. https://yourimprovbrain.com/offscript If you start building your…
- Improv Freeze Fix! Set Up In Advance as a Default Move · 16 min · Episodul 49You're in a scene, it's your turn, and your brain goes somewhere else. Going blank on stage, hitting that freeze, is near the top of most improvisers' fear lists, and I want to…
- The Three Best Ways to Learn (or Improve) at Improv · 24 min · Episodul 48NEW WORKSHOPS! Find all the information on the newly released website at https://YourImprovBrain.com/offscript Someone asked in an improv forum how you should actually learn…
- Steamrolling and getting steamrolled: Three exercises for both sides · 31 min · Episodul 47Steamrolling is one of those improv topics where everyone wants to talk about the people doing it to them, and almost nobody wants to consider whether they might be doing it…
- Get better at improv by getting better at getting feedback (really! seriously!) · 19 min · Episodul 46OUT NOW! Get my latest guides, all about getting and giving improv notes! Find them and what's inside the guides at https://improvupdate.com/notes. 50% discount on your second…
- One skill at a time: a rep-based approach to changing improv habits · 15 min · Episodul 45You know that thing where you learn a skill in class, you can explain it to someone else, and then you get into a scene and your brain does the old thing anyway? This episode is…
- Build an evidence archive for more confidence on stage · 14 min · Episodul 44"Just be confident." "Trust yourself." "Ya got this." You've heard these things, and you might have even said them. And for a lot of brains, especially analytical or…
- Special: How well do you actually know your improv teammates (offstage skill building) · 28 min · Episodul 43This is a special extended (podcast-only) episode of Your Improv Brain on neurodivergent inclusion in the improv community. These episodes will focus on inclusion, nervous system…
- Metacognition and improv: how to use your monitoring brain in a scene · 15 min · Episodul 42"Get out of your head" is advice that sounds reasonable until you try to follow it. When you do, you end up monitoring whether you're monitoring the scene. That's just another…
- Trailer for Your Improv Brain (2026) · 2 minYour brain goes blank in the middle of a scene. Or the opposite happens: twelve ideas at once and you can't pick one, so you stand there smiling while your scene partner waits…
- Improv initiations: when to start big and when to stay grounded · 11 min · Episodul 41Emotion connects you to your scene partner, your character, and the audience. It gives a scene depth and grabs attention fast. And if you use it at the top of a scene, it can set…
- Your brain went blank? Try this scene start instead · 8 min · Episodul 40Initiating a scene can be stressful at any level, and when your brain goes blank up there, it's easy to panic. In this episode I talk about a simple approach to scene initiations…
- Assume, don't ask: how to start better improv scenes · 10 min · Episodul 39Questions at the top of a scene are an advanced move, and if you're still building your skills, they can stall your scene before it gets going. In this episode I break down why…
- You don't need backstory: starting scenes in the middle · 8 min · Episodul 38SURPRISE! I'm back. Hi! :) Starting a scene with two people standing there asking "who are you?" or explaining a bunch of backstory is one of the quickest ways to lose your…
- Five Vocal Exercises for Better Improv Characters · 22 min · Episodul 37Get the PDF "Vocal Basics for Improv" with all the exercises and concepts from this episode at https://improvupdate.com/downloads. This episode is all about using your voice in…
- Own Your Weirdness: A Guide to Really Good Improv (Performances) · 19 min · Episodul 36In this episode, I explain how to commit to your authentic self in your improv practice. You will learn to reframe perceived weaknesses into compelling strengths on stage. Your…
- Four Ways to Give your Characters a Clear Point of View · 19 min · Episodul 35In this episode, I'm really getting into what I believe is the most important element for creating a compelling character: their point of view. I’ve found that the most…
- The Power of Silence: 3 Exercises to Improve Your Acting · 20 min · Episodul 34Alt title: Get to Skin Suit Town: 3 Exercises to Improve Your Acting In this episode, I'm diving into one of the best acting exercises you can give yourself: practicing scene…
- 3-Step System & Exercise to Manage Self-Criticism in Improv · 18 min · Episodul 33Your inner critic might be a key reason you feel stuck, anxious, or in your head during an improv scene. But trying to fight it or ignore it doesn't work. This episode reveals a…
