How we improv to improve
It’s a funny concept: using improvisation to improve health, communication and quality of life for those with and affected by Parkinson’s. I’ve been running workshops across the country over the last few months with that exact mission and the participant experience of the two hour class is almost always the same: curiosity, caution, doubt, laughter, understanding then excitement.
The great news is, I can say it definitely works. The positive results I observe and consistently hear about from participants include happiness, relaxation and mental clarity. At the end of my recent workshop in Brooklyn, I had one participant hold my hand and tell me how good it felt to be listened to. She had a tear in her eye and asked that I please hold another course. Several others expressed similar gratitude, and hugs were shared throughout the group.
One of the insights that was deeply interesting was how much those with Parkinson’s enjoyed playing improv games with those who didn’t have PD. We’ve had participants who do not have PD from ComedySportz, Rock Steady Boxing and the Parkinson Foundation join us. This, to me, is a very important next step so people get out of shining the light on the person with Parkinson’s - in essence, focusing on the PD - and, instead, participate in a group. This can help give some people with PD a sense of “normalcy”, a feeling of fitting in rather than being stared at. This is something many people, including my father, have said is very important, so they don’t feel controlled or defined by the disease.
While it’s easy, and not incorrect, to say this improv is something “you need to experience it to really understand”, it’s my job to try to qualify and quantify this work as effective so there can be more of it. This is personal for me, of course, because of my dad having PD. I’ve done this work with him and he’s felt the power of it. It’s personal on another level, too, because of how long I’ve studied and performed improvisation. I’ve always been fascinated by how quickly the masters came up with hilarious work on stage. It is a bit of a magic act - but like magic, or any other skill (performance or otherwise), it can be taught and learned.
The next level includes getting more doctors and wellness providers to play along and recognize the benefits for themselves. Many have already shown their support, like Dr. David Simon of Harvard BIDMC, Dr. Zoltan Mari at the Lou Ruvo Brain Center for Health and Dr. Sarah Mulukutla of Mindful Neurology.
If you’re interested in having a workshop in your community, please reach out to me: robert@cszlasvegas.com.
— written by Robert Cochrane