I Stole This Wellness Strategy From a Comedy Club

“Here’s your popcorn. Enjoy the show!” 

I said to a couple in their 30s as I handed over their snacks, then watched them disappear behind the dark red curtain into Austin’s ColdTowne Theatre. 

It smelled like Lonestar beer. 

The seats were folding chairs. 

And the stage? A black box where comedians either crushed… or crashed and burned. 

I was an intern working the counter to pay for improv classes while I was in college. 

And somewhere between studying, paying bills, and trying to figure out my life… 

I realized something I did not expect:

Every Wednesday night at 6 PM, I showed up to the small, rundown theaters meeting for improv classes with a small group of misfits who signed up as some sort of weird outlet to express ourselves creatively through half-humored comedy.

 Looking at the group, you saw a group of young 20-30-something-year-olds who were stressed and searching for meaning in life, who ironically thought they’d find it in one of Austin’s fringe counter culture comedy theaters.

 Every week, through a number of games, exercises, and scenarios, we laughed, cried, and grew extremely close. We developed a trust and belief in one another that we hadn’t found anywhere else.

It relieved stress.

It provided an outlet.

It made us feel ALIVE! 

Improv wasn’t just comedy. It was wellness. 

Wait… Improv as a wellness strategy? 

Sounds ridiculous… until you look at what the research suggests.

A 2020 research study titled Improv to Improve written in the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, found that engaging in a structured improv intervention led to significant improvements in psychological well-being and creativity. 

Imagine that… getting a space full of people questioning their existence, playing with hilarious scenarios actually IMPROVED their life. 

And it’s true, because I lived it. 

Another group of clinical and non-clinical studies found participation in improv activities was associated with lower levels of depression, decreased anxiety, and increased connectivity and hope in the future! 

Was improv… healing us? 

Now here’s where this hits home for you… 

A 2023 study found that improv workshops improved communication, interpersonal confidence, and adaptability within medical settings. 

That study doesn’t mean improv only works for nurse practitioners on the verge of burnout. It can work just as well for students in a classroom, organizations looking to scale, and large businesses wanting to boost productivity.

With improv improving:

• Creativity

• Productivity

• Wellbeing

• Connection

• Confidence

• Adaptability

• Social Skills

• & Self-efficacy

Not to mention IT’S FUN!

We need to be implementing this in 

- All classrooms 

- All departments 

- All year round

But that doesn’t mean you have to hire an old Austin wannabe comedian like me (who was never really that funny) to come in to run your improv workshops (although I’d love to). 

You, as the leader, can implement improv throughout the week/month/quarter with no real planning, training, or itinerary. (See? Improv.) 

Let me show you how…

“Isn’t that the Whose Line thing?” 

Yes… But not really. 

We’re not trying to create comedians. 

We’re using simple, low-risk improv games as: 

• structured brain breaks 

• team boosters 

• connection builders 

• a fast track to psychological safety 

If you can run a warm-up, you can run these games.

1) Pass the Clap 

Goal: focus, eye contact, group timing 

Setup: everyone stands in a circle. 

How to play 

1. One person starts by making eye contact with someone across the circle (or next to them). 

2. Starter claps once while clearly “sending” it to that person. 

3. The receiver claps once immediately to “catch” it. 

4. The receiver then makes eye contact with a new person and claps once to pass it on. (The goal is to synchronize claps) 

5. Keep it moving; clean, simple, one clap per pass. 

Easy upgrades 

• Speed Round: gradually increase speed without breaking focus. 

• Reverse: allow a “double clap” to reverse direction. 

• Two Claps: once they’re solid, start a second clap going at the same time. 

2) Yes, And Story 

Goal: collaboration, building on ideas, positivity, momentum 

Setup: everyone stands in a circle. 

How to play 

1. Pick a simple starting prompt (ex: “We found a mysterious box…”). 

2. Person A starts the story with one sentence. 

3. Person B responds with a sentence that begins “Yes, and…” and adds new information. 

4. Continue back and forth, each person adding one sentence at a time. 

5. Aim for 60–90 seconds, then end the story with a clear wrap-up. 

Rules 

• You must accept what the other person said (“Yes…”). 

• You must add something new (“…and”). 

Easy upgrades 

• One-Word Version: one word at a time, still honoring the “yes-and” spirit. 

• Theme Challenge: keep the story in a theme (space, school, sports, workplace). 

3) Gift Giving 

Goal: creativity, generosity, expressive communication 

Setup: pairs; one “giver,” one “receiver.” 

How to play 

1. The giver mimes holding an invisible gift (size/weight matters—sell it physically). 

2. The giver hands it to the receiver with enthusiasm. 

3. The receiver accepts it and immediately decides what it is by reacting out loud: “Oh wow… it’s a _____!” 

4. The receiver shows appreciation and briefly demonstrates how they’d use it (10–20 seconds). 

5. Switch roles and repeat. 

Rules 

• The giver doesn’t name the gift—the receiver defines it. 

• The receiver treats it as genuinely thoughtful (no sarcasm). 

Easy upgrades 

• Specific Occasion: “birthday,” “teacher appreciation,” “new job,” etc. 

• Emotion Layer: receiver reacts with a called-out emotion (excited, grateful, surprised)

• Round Robin: giver gives to multiple people quickly—like a gift parade.

Now, if you’ve made it this far into the article (and you’re not about to boo me off stage), let me share other reasons why this works (the part leaders miss)…

Individuality

In improv, everyone embraces everyone’s version of weird. 

People will do something silly, they’ll say something stupid, and our reaction is not to judge… It’s to laugh. 

When people feel free to express themselves, whether creatively or professionally (within boundaries), we increase trust and psychological safety.

These are the things people want more than anything but may never say. 

Encouragement

Improv can be scary at first. You’re asking people to be vulnerable, and preferably funny. That’s a lot of pressure!

Try not to force anyone before they’re ready (the games above are great low-risk options). 

Once they see how fun it is, they’ll join in. 

It’s also important to always be encouraging and supportive. 

When someone makes a fool of themselves, we never laugh at, we laugh along. 

Quick debrief questions (this is where growth happens) 

After any game, ask: 

1. What did you notice about communication? 

2. Where did you see support (or blocking)? 

3. How can we bring that into real work/class this week?

The real takeaway?

Instead of having students/ teams “winging it” in their work…

Create a space for them to play and explore in a way that generates productivity and teamwork.

So… here’s your popcorn. Enjoy the show. 

Because in real leadership (just like improv)

everything’s made up, and the points don’t matter… 

Until you decide what matters and are willing to go first. 

When will you implement these simple and fun improv games into your classroom or team meeting?

By the way, If you want my Wellness in the Classroom PDF (with more games), comment WELLNESS or email me at chase@chaseinspires.com. 

Let’s make moves,

 -Chase

 Planning an event, workshop, or PD around leadership, wellness, or personal growth? Let’s talk about how I can deliver actionable strategies for your students or team!

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