『Your Improv Brain』のカバーアート

Your Improv Brain

Your Improv Brain

著者： Jen deHaan
無料で聴く

今ならプレミアムプランが3カ月 月額99円

2026年5月12日まで。4か月目以降は月額1,500円で自動更新します。

概要

 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 Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpJen deHaan アート エンターテインメント・舞台芸術
エピソード
  • Steamrolling and getting steamrolled: Three exercises for both sides

    Steamrolling and getting steamrolled: Three exercises for both sides
    2026/04/20
    Steamrolling 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 themselves. This episode covers both sides.It starts with what steamrolling actually looks like in a scene (and it probably has less to do with how much someone talks than you think), then gets into the reasons it happens, including some ADHD-specific patterns like verbal processing and dopamine-seeking that can lead to steamrolling without even realising it. There's also a nervous system layer here, because steamrolling can function as a fight response to uncertainty, and getting steamrolled can trigger a freeze or shutdown that makes the whole dynamic worse.The second half of the episode gets practical. If you're being steamrolled, there are in-scene tools you can try, like pointed questions and well-timed interrupts, and there are exercises to practise both of those with a scene partner.There's also a solo exercise for building the skill of shifting your character mid-scene. And if you're the one steamrolling, there's some homework about building curiosity toward your scene partners and tracking whether the other characters in your scenes are actually getting to be someone.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Steamrolling is about who controls the scene's content, and it can happen even when both people are talking equally.Anxiety and a desire to save the scene cause steamrolling more often than ego does.ADHD-related verbal processing, impulse control, and/or dopamine-seeking can create steamrolling patterns without the person realising it.Getting steamrolled can involve a freeze or shutdown response, where your nervous system deactivates and you lose access to your ideas.The single most effective focus for someone who tends to steamroll is curiosity about their scene partner's character.CHAPTERS:00:00 What steamrolling feels like from the inside01:27 Why steamrolling is about scene content, not volume03:01 How to tell if a scene was steamrolled06:10 Patterns vs. one-off big scenes07:19 Why steamrolling happens09:22 ADHD and steamrolling11:43 The nervous system perspective13:43 What to do when you're being steamrolled17:48 Exercise: the direct redirect20:41 Exercise: getting your voice in23:05 Solo exercise: the character shift monologue25:31 Homework for steamrollersRESOURCES:E46: Processing feedback/notes (referenced directly in the episode): https://improvupdate.com/receiving-improv-notes-and-understanding-how-your-brain-rewrites-the-feedback/E47: Page for THIS episode with all of those things to consider about steamrolling: https://improvupdate.com/steamrolling Downloadable Guides all about notes and feedback in improv (for students and for teachers/coaches): https://improvupdate.com/notesRELATED EPISODES:E29: Improving Communication Skills So You Can Improvise With Anyone https://improvupdate.com/improving-communication-skills-improvise-with-anyone/E28: Mind Blank on Stage? A 3-Step Reboot for Your Brain https://improvupdate.com/mind-blank-on-stage-a-3-step-reboot-for-your-brain/E33: 3-Step System & Exercise to Manage Self-Criticism in Improv https://improvupdate.com/3-step-system-exercise-to-manage-self-criticism-in-improv/E46: Processing feedback: https://improvupdate.com/receiving-improv-notes-and-understanding-how-your-brain-rewrites-the-feedback/Downloadable contentDownload the Free Post-Show Reflection Guide: Sent to your inbox when you subscribe to either newsletter (and added to the footer to each message if you're already subscribed).NEW! Comprehensive guides all about getting notes as a student, or giving them as a teacher. Two guides, big discount if you get both! https://improvupdate.com/notesGet a booklet with six exercises to help you get reps in challenging scenes called "Exercises to Ruin You"Get more downloadable booklets here: https://improvupdate.com/downloadsReview the showPlease consider leaving a review wherever you review podcasts. Don't know where? Here are some options.Apple Podcasts | PodchaserIt helps out! Thanks!Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZRSupport the show and get creative templates and assets: https://share.uppbeat.io/...
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    31 分
  • Get better at improv by getting better at getting feedback (really! seriously!)

    Get better at improv by getting better at getting feedback (really! seriously!)
    2026/04/06
    OUT 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 guide if you grab them together.Getting improv notes can affect your nervous system, and your brain. We look at why your brain rewrites feedback and how you can separate the actual content from the emotional delivery (aka, the framing). When a coach gives you feedback after a scene, your brain often processes their tone and body language before the actual words.This means you might react to a perceived threat before you even hear the advice. We explore a metacognitive approach to receiving improv notes that helps you manage this early physiological response. You will learn an exercise to isolate objective facts, and we cover why writing down your feedback immediately can prevent rumination.Go here for links to ALL episodes in this series on metacognition: https://improvupdate.com/receiving-improv-notes-and-understanding-how-your-brain-rewrites-the-feedback/RESOURCES & LINKS: NEW! Student and Teacher Guides on Notes: https://improvupdate.com/notesContact BOC: https://www.instagram.com/b3ocBOC will travel to teach you! https://highwireimprov.com/boc-tour/Watch Billy Mai in this: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089491Free PDF note tracker: https://improvupdate.com/newsletterLink to podcast version: https://improvupdate.com/improvbrainEileen Gu clip mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bthfcm5R7EgEvidence based approach episode: https://improvupdate.com/why-just-be-confident-doesnt-work-and-what-to-do-instead/CHAPTERS:0:06 How your brain rewrites your improv feedback1:23 The Eileen Gu metacognition example2:56 Separating objective content from subjective emotional framing4:16 The first wave nervous system response to tone and body language6:09 Brian James O'Connell and sorting your feedback into categories8:18 Why vague notes cause stress and worst case scenario thinking10:03 How teachers and coaches control the feedback framing10:52 Preventing rumination by capturing the evidence on paper12:22 Rejection sensitive dysphoria and the physiological reaction to notes13:46 Buying your brain time for the second wave of cognitive processing14:56 A partner exercise to practice separating facts from delivery17:11 A solo exercise for spotting your own framing patternsHey so for whatever reason my audio editor decided to HATE my butt today, and I've re-rendered this episode five times now. I've never gone beyond two renders in nearly 50 episodes! "For sure this one will be fine, I'll just render it." Nope. Now I'm at five test listens and there was always some little blip blunder every time that I missed (something got shifted at the beginning and caused a cascading error). Usually in the second half. Fun. funfunfun So if I've missed a blip in this one? I'm sorry. But I can't re-render and listen to my darn voice any longer lol I'm done it is what it is. Downloadable contentDownload the Free Post-Show Reflection Guide: Sent to your inbox when you subscribe to either newsletter (and added to the footer to each message if you're already subscribed).NEW! Comprehensive guides all about getting notes as a student, or giving them as a teacher. Two guides, big discount if you get both! https://improvupdate.com/notesGet a booklet with six exercises to help you get reps in challenging scenes called "Exercises to Ruin You"Get more downloadable booklets here: https://improvupdate.com/downloadsReview the showPlease consider leaving a review wherever you review podcasts. Don't know where? Here are some options.Apple Podcasts | PodchaserIt helps out! Thanks!Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZRSupport the show and get creative templates and assets: https://share.uppbeat.io/p4od8inwhc2jAboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching creative arts to adults. You can find her full bio here.This episode was and edited and ...
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    21 分
  • One skill at a time: a rep-based approach to changing improv habits

    One skill at a time: a rep-based approach to changing improv habits
    2026/03/30
    You 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 about why that happens and what to do about it. Your brain runs on pathways, and the ones you've reinforced the most fire first under pressure. Understanding a concept intellectually doesn't change the pathway on its own, which is why a single workshop or class series on a skill often doesn't stick.The good news is those pathways can change. Neuroplasticity, my friend!Drawing on Olympian Eileen Gu's approach to neuroplasticity and metacognition, this episode breaks down how repeated, focused practice on a single skill can start to compete with your old defaults. For neurodivergent brains, this is both encouraging (your current defaults aren't necessarily permanent) and sometimes frustrating (executive function challenges can make sustained practice harder to maintain). The exercise this week is designed to give you a high volume of reps on one specific habit, with a solo modification you can adapt to conversations in your everyday life.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Your first instinct in a scene is whatever brain pathway has been reinforced the most, and those pathways can change with focused repetition.Understanding a concept intellectually and performing it automatically live in different parts of your brain, which is why knowing better doesn't always translate to doing better.Your nervous system needs to feel safe enough to let you practise new patterns honestly, because stress responses will default to the oldest, most reinforced pathway.Targeting one specific skill at a time (rather than trying to fix everything at once) gives that new pathway the best chance of forming.Solo practice and real-world conversations can both build improv-relevant pathways outside of rehearsal.CHAPTERS:00:00 Why your brain defaults to old habits under pressure01:16 How brain pathways work and why the most reinforced one fires first02:36 Eileen Gu on neuroplasticity and tinkering like a scientist03:35 Applying this to your improv practice04:05 Why understanding a concept doesn't change the pathway on its own05:51 What this means for neurodivergent brains06:36 Nervous system regulation as a prerequisite for building new defaults08:28 Exercise: Stop That Move (partner version with coach)12:31 Solo modification: recording yourself and practising in everyday conversationsRESOURCES and RELATED EPISODES:Eileen Gu's metacognition and neuroplasticity commentary (referenced across recent episodes) https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-tbAaPXNeSgUCB Improv Manual: https://ucbcomedy.com/store/ucb-manual/Evidence based confidence episode: https://improvupdate.com/why-just-be-confident-doesnt-work-and-what-to-do-instead/Memory and recall episodes: https://improvupdate.com/memory-and-recall-exercise-improv-jams-57/Article for this episode: https://improvupdate.com/how-to-stop-defaulting-to-your-old-improv-habits/Video for this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rad6ubzuV98Downloadable contentDownload the Free Post-Show Reflection Guide: Sent to your inbox when you subscribe to either newsletter (and added to the footer to each message if you're already subscribed).NEW! Comprehensive guides all about getting notes as a student, or giving them as a teacher. Two guides, big discount if you get both! https://improvupdate.com/notesGet a booklet with six exercises to help you get reps in challenging scenes called "Exercises to Ruin You"Get more downloadable booklets here: https://improvupdate.com/downloadsReview the showPlease consider leaving a review wherever you review podcasts. Don't know where? Here are some options.Apple Podcasts | PodchaserIt helps out! Thanks!Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZRSupport the show and get creative templates and assets: https://share.uppbeat.io/p4od8inwhc2jAboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching ...
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    15 分
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