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PODCAST

Your Improv Brain

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

arts performing arts

All Episodes

20:58

Get better at improv by getting better at getting...

Your Improv Brain ·

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

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15:02

One skill at a time: a rep-based approach to changing...

Your Improv Brain ·

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

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14:20

Your brain knows when you're lying to it, so build an...

Your Improv Brain ·

2026/03/23

"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 pattern-driven ones, they don't work. During the 2026 Olympics, Eileen Gu described herself as an evidence person, not an affirmations person. Her confidence before competition comes from the specific preparation she's done: the hours of training, the technical breakdowns, the repetitions. Her brain trusts that archive because those are

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28:05

Special: How well do you actually know your improv...

Your Improv Brain ·

2026/03/18

This 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 regulation, and help neurodivergent improvisers understand themselves and help non-neurodivergent improvisers work better with their teammates and students.This is the first one. Hi! Think about the best improv team you've ever seen. That team where everyone seemed to know when to step in and when to hold back. That

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15:24

Metacognition and improv: how to use your monitoring...

Your Improv Brain ·

2026/03/16

"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 layer of the problem.This episode covers metacognition (thinking about your thinking) and why it matters for improv. During the 2026 Winter Olympics, freestyle skier Eileen Gu gave an interview that went viral. A reporter asked whether she thinks before she speaks. She gave a detailed breakdown of how she monitors her own

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11:16

Emotion in improv: when to start big and when to stay...

Your Improv Brain ·

2026/03/09

Emotion 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 the whole thing up in seconds.In this episode I talk about using emotion as part of your base reality. Most scenes start grounded, and that's usually what we're taught. But sometimes breaking that rule and starting at a full level 10 emotional reaction to something completely mundane creates something you remember for

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07:52

Your brain went blank? Try this scene start instead

Your Improv Brain ·

2026/03/02

Initiating 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 that Will Hines recommends: start by answering the question "where are you?" You can do it physically, verbally, or both, and it gives you and your scene partner something concrete to build on while your brain catches up.Two exercises in this one. The partner version, This Place Has So Much Flavour, has you enter a scene

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09:35

Assume, don't ask: how to start better improv scenes

Your Improv Brain ·

2026/02/23

Questions 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 questions are tricky at the top, what makes a good question versus a bad one in improv, and how assuming shared history with your scene partner gets things moving faster.I also talk about something that tripped me up early on: the weirdness of making assumptions about another person's character. If that feels uncomfortable to

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08:03

You don't need backstory: starting scenes in the middle

Your Improv Brain ·

2026/02/16

SURPRISE! 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 audience. In this episode, I talk about why exposition bogs down the top of your scene and how starting in the middle of the action gives your scene immediate momentum.This is the first in a short four episode series about the top of the scene, initiations, and base reality. I reference Truth in Comedy (linked in the show notes

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22:05

Five Vocal Exercises for Better Improv Characters

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/11/03

Get 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 improv. You do not need to do "funny voices" to be a good performer, you can work with the attributes of your own voice and make some subtle shifts.I explain how to use your own voice effectively. These subtle changes to your vocal dynamics can create clear, grounded characters that you can heighten in a variety of

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18:46

Own Your Weirdness: A Guide to Really Good Improv...

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/10/20

In 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 messy and imperfect parts are exactly what your scenes need.I discuss how neurodivergent performers can use their unique traits. The episode also covers how to collaborate effectively with scene partners who have different brain wiring. I share a personal story from my past as a dance fitness teacher. A very clumsy moment

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01:37

You might also like... The Human Internet Theory

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/09/10

The week I recorded this trailer and my first episodes - the second week of September 2025 - Sam Altman had just tweeted “I never took the dead internet theory that seriously but it seems like there are really a lot of LLM-run twitter accounts now.” And then a couple days later Inception Point AI announced they were going to generate 3000 new podcast episodes every week. With fake hosts. Calling anyone who doesn't like them "lazy luddites."It's time to take the dead internet theory seriously,

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19:27

Four Ways to Give your Characters a Clear Point of View

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/09/01

In 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 interesting thing about a character isn't what they do, butwhythey do it. A strong, consistent POV is the lens through which your character sees the world, and it’s what separates a memorable performance from a flat cliche.First, I'll give you a clear definition of what a point of view actually is (like, more than just an opinion)

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20:12

The Power of Silence: 3 Exercises to Improve Your Acting

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/08/25

Alt title: Get to Skin Suit Town: 3 Exercises to Improve Your ActingIn this episode, I'm diving into one of the best acting exercises you can give yourself: practicing scene work with little dialogue, or even none at all. I’ve found that learning to use physicality, emotional reactions, and environment is what changes a performance from "just saying words real good" to truly embodying a believable character. Or like... as I like to say because it is now improv canon, "get to skin suit town".I’ll

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18:11

3-Step System & Exercise to Manage Self-Criticism in...

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/08/18

Your 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 completely different approach: give that critical energy to your character.I break down the science of why your brain creates that critical voice and how it’s connected to a deep fear of social rejection. You will learn a practical three-step system for working with your inner critic instead of against it.The episode

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21:48

An Improv Workout: 6 Exercises to Build Your "Failure...

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/08/11

We know that failure is the engine of learning, but how do you actually practice it in a safe and productive way? In this episode, I provide a full workout plan with SIX specific exercises designed to put you in challenging situations. Learn practical drills for your practice groups or classes that train you to handle wild scenes, distracting environments, and even challenging scene partners. This is your guide to getting your reps in, building a tolerance for chaos, and developing the confidence

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19:51

How Forgetting Can Help to Get Out of Your Head in...

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/08/04

We are often taught that forgetting is a weakness, especially in improv where details seem really important. It's what we practice all the time!However, forgetting can be a skill to practice. In this episode, I explore the science behind why our brains are designed to forget, and how we can use this adaptive process to our advantage in our scenes and shows. Learn how letting go of details can reduce cognitive load, improve listening, and help you get out of your head and out of your own way in a

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18:48

Fail More to Learn More (Plus Seven Hacks to Help!)

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/07/28

What if the key to becoming a great improviser is the number of failures you accumulate? That moment when you feel like you have failed in a scene, or a scene is falling flat, can feel awful. But it is also one of the most valuable data points for your growth.In this episode, I help you reframe failure as a solvable technical problem. You will learn a toolkit of seven specific, actionable techniques to use that moment you feel a scene is failing. These techniques also help turn these moments into

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18:57

Improving Communication Skills So You Can Improvise...

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/07/21

To be a successful improviser, you have to communicate effectively with everyone on your team. But what happens when people think, communicate, and experience the world differently? In this episode, I break down the common causes of communication breakdown between improvisers, and why assuming everyone is on the same page can lead to invisible struggles and burnout. Discover the single most important skill that allows great improvisers to perform with literally anyone, and learn a clear, four-step

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19:18

Mind Blank on Stage? A 3-Step Reboot for Your Brain

Your Improv Brain ·

2025/07/14

That feeling of your mind going completely blank on stage is a top fear for any performer. But what if it's not a personal failure? This week, I explain how this is often a biological response to being overwhelmed, not a lack of ideas. In this episode, you'll learn a simple, three-step system to effectively reboot your brain when it crashes. This practical technique works with your body's natural responses to get you out of your head and painlessly back into the scene, turning a moment of panic into

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