On Improv for Healing & Community w/ Shannon Stott

IN THIS EPISODE: Through an engaging conversation, Shannon Stott reveals how improv can be a transformative practice for personal growth, healing, and building empathetic connections across diverse experiences.

TOPICS: play, identity, Presence, healing, Improv, community

KEY FIGURES: Logan Kim, Shannon Stott, Yinka Freeman, Know Other Fest, Vivica C. Coxx, Jozie Clapp, Nika Cherelle, Kindman & Co.

SUMMARY:

In this episode, Logan Kim and Shannon Stott discuss the transformative power of improv as a healing and self-discovery tool. Shannon, the creator of 'Improv On and Off the Stage', shares her journey of discovering improv's potential through her experiences living in different cultures and learning to create worlds and connections quickly on stage.

The conversation centers around Shannon's workshops at Know Other Fest, a queer camping and wellness experience, where she led interactive improv exercises designed to help participants connect with themselves and others. They discuss specific games like the hand-raising awareness exercise and the clapping game, which illustrate how improv can help people learn to be present, make choices, and accept vulnerability in a low-stakes environment.

Throughout the episode, Shannon emphasizes that improv is more than just comedy-it's a method of communication, self-exploration, and building understanding between people. By creating imaginary scenarios and practicing acceptance through the principle of 'yes, and', participants can learn to be more present, accept different perspectives, and discover deeper aspects of themselves in a playful, supportive context.

KEY QUOTES:

• "You can connect with yourself. You're not as scary as you think. The depths of you aren't as scary as you think." - Shannon Stott

• "We're always sort of improvising... you don't even sort of like the signals. You're not aware sometimes of the signals your body's giving you." - Shannon Stott

• "If I can be vulnerable enough to get on stage and put my hand in the air and talk like a giraffe, where did that even come from? Who am I inside?" - Shannon Stott

• "You have to get comfortable with who you are, because who you are may be all you're ever going to be." - Logan Kim

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Shannon Stott uses improv as a healing practice to help people connect with themselves and others through playful, low-stakes interactions

• Improv can be a powerful tool for developing self-awareness by creating opportunities to tune into bodily sensations and make conscious choices

• Know Other Fest provides a unique queer community space where LGBTQ+ individuals can explore and express themselves freely away from external pressures

• The core principles of improv, like saying 'yes, and' and listening deeply, can be applied to real-life communication and understanding

• Connecting with oneself can be challenging, but play and improvisation offer a less intimidating pathway to self-discovery

• Presence and being in the moment are crucial skills that can be practiced through improvisational techniques

• Shannon's background of living in multiple cultures inspired her approach to improv as a method of world-building and mutual understanding

• Healing and personal growth can happen in spaces beyond traditional therapy, such as through creative practices like improvisation

This Episode is Bringing You To:

Community Highlight: Beyond the Binary Therapy Group

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@queerblackwomenallianceatx

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@nikacherrelle

Sex coach & host of The “It” Cast, Nika (they/them) breaks down shame & centers consent in sex ed.