Play Your Way Sane

Improv, science, and the everyday.

Clay Drinko, Ph.D.

How Leading With Love Can Transform Your Team

There are two leadership styles: leading with love and leading with fear. Improvisation offers a ready-made roadmap for leading with love.

5 Fun Ways to Calm Down and Reduce Stress

This has been an incredibly stressful year. That's why it's vital that we turn off our body's stress response and relax every now and again. Here's how.

How to Shift Your Focus Away from the Dumpster Fire

Can't look away from the dumpster fire that is current events? Here's a fun way to shift your focus and why you definitely should.

The Ultimate New Year’s Resolution: Mindfulness

Instead of resolving to go to the gym more or lose that pandemic weight, becoming more mindful will help you boost your mood and make more positive changes throughout the year.

The Connection Cure for Our Addiction Crisis

Addiction is worsening because of the added stress of the pandemic. Here's how improv can play a role in helping people regulate and connect.

How I Play My Way Sane

Stress and anxiety levels are out of control. Here's how playing improv-inspired games can help you calm down and connect.

Surviving Election Season: Leave It at the Door

Current stress and anxiety levels are unprecedented. How can we survive the election season in one piece? Here are four tricks to make it out the other side.

How to Use Humor to Manage Stress

Stressed out and overwhelmed? Humor and laughter may be the best medicine. Here are four strategies to harness the power of humor to curb stress.

Improvisation Leads to Increased Participation, Even Online

As we continue to grapple with online learning, a new study shows that improvisation can help students participate more and focus better in class.

Positive Parenting in the Time of Coronavirus

Parenting has always been a challenge, but 2020 has made it a whole lot harder. Learn how improv can help you snap back into positive parenting by boosting attunement.

New Study on Improvisation and Stress Reduction

Public speaking can be stressful. A new study measures how improvisation may be able to help with stress reduction.

In Person or Remote, Social and Emotional Learning Is Key

Whether children are in school or not, their social and emotional learning should come first. Here's how to help young people feel secure and ready to learn in uncertain times.

New Research on Improv as Creative Aging

Being old doesn't have to be isolating and serious. New research shows that improvisation helps seniors boost their overall well-being, sense of community, and joy.

When Performance Failures Hold Us Back

Struggling to connect or adjust to change? It could be a performance failure. "Rehearsals for Growth" is a therapeutic method that integrates improvisation to help you thrive.

5 Games Couples in Conflict Should Play

Maintaining a relationship takes work, but it also takes play. Here are five games couples in conflict can play to strengthen their relationship and reconnect.

Flummoxing Together: Redefining Therapy with Improv

Therapists don't have all the answers, and when they pretend to, they may be missing out. Improvisation gives us a way to make therapy more spontaneous and collaborative.

Improv Boosts Creativity and Psychological Well-Being

Need a creative or confidence boost? New research shows that improvisation helps boost creativity and psychological well-being.

Improvisation's Benefits for People With Dementia

Dementia changes people. But the principles of improvisation can increase positive engagement and help caregivers and loved ones stay connected.

How to Deal with Uncertainty

Overwhelmed with the uncertainty of the current global crisis? Improvisation can teach us how to stay confident, calm, and connected amidst the uncertainty.

Meet Them Where They Are

Instead of being prescriptive, improvisation can help social workers and therapists meet their clients where they are through co-creation.

A Novel Finding: Improv and the Great Unknown

Afraid of the unknown? First study shows causal link between improvisation and uncertainty tolerance.

Stop Being So Stubborn and Stuck

Being stubborn and stuck on our own ideas can lead to conflict and a breakdown in collaboration. Improv gives us a path back.

The Improv Anxiety Treatment?

Is theatrical improvisation an effective anxiety treatment? New research is beginning to say yes.

Killing Creative Mortification

Shame can lead to creative mortification: when we give up on a creative pursuit altogether. Improvisation can teach us how to prevent creative mortification in three ways.

How Improvisation Changes the Brain

Research is finally revealing that theatrical improvisation can teach us how to reduce our inner critic and let creativity flourish.