Zen-prov!
Unleash your inner creativity, find more Focus, and have fun in a Supportive community!
A Seriously Silly Way to Practice Zen
In today’s world, being PRESENT is more difficult than ever.
Being a human being is hard enough; struggling to find presence, joy, playfulness, or resilience can make life even more challenging.
Zen-prov! helps us cultivate these skills so we can approach life more skillfully. Through fun and interactive group exercises, we strengthen our ability to bring more presence, self-compassion, courage, and adaptability to our life so that can improve our work, relationships, and general well-being.
This four-week class combines the principles and practices of improvisation and Zen to help us push our growth-edges and find greater wellness.
SO… WHAT WILL I ACTUALLY DO IN CLASS??
Each class consists of improv comedy games and exercises, group discussion and reflection, and guided practices (e.g., mindfulness exercises). We explore how the concepts and skills practiced in class translate into everyday life. Each class, you’ll leave with concrete homework exercises to continue building on throughout your day.
This class differs from traditional improv classes in that we spend significant time processing our experiences and exploring how improv applies to life. We strive to create a safe and supportive space where everyone can be vulnerable, explore their growth edges, and benefit from experimentation and looking silly together!
What Can I Expect To learn Through This Class?
Through interactive improv games, guided meditation exercises, and group reflection, you can expect to learn:
How to strengthen your mindfulness muscle by cultivating present-moment attention.
How to identify and skillfully work with your inner-critic by celebrating failures and practicing self-compassion.
How to better manage anxiety by learning to step into the unknown—a scary endeavor, but made fun and supportive through a safe group atmosphere.
How to think on-the-spot and be more flexible in conversations and in life.
How to find your voice and become more confident in group settings.
How to become a better listener through deep listening and getting out of your own head.
How to trust your intuition and instincts by allowing your thoughts and behaviors to flow without self-censoring.
How to stop overthinking everything and let life unfold naturally.
How to prioritize the good of the whole (i.e., collective) over our own ego—shifting from me to we!
*Please note this class is NOT psychotherapy and should not be used as a replacement for therapy or other medical treatment.
“Zen-prov left me very relaxed after the class and helped my internal dialogue. It is a lovely exploration of Zen tenants and Improvisation practice that leaves you feeling introspective and less critical of your impulses to make quick decisions! A wonderfully valuable course! Also it’s simply a lot of fun! ”
““I had always been intrigued about meditation and self-realization, but had never found the right time or venue to explore that. Zen-prov has been a natural, fun way to start learning these principles and seeing how they can fit into my life. The games are fun, and Matt creates an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing and exploring new thoughts and ideas. Every zen-prov session yielded several “aha” moments, where I was able to reflect on something I said or did, and discover something new about myself. And even if the goal of zen-prov isn’t to be funny, the laughs my classmates and I shared along the way only added to the great community feel each session had. I love zen-prov!” ”
Who Is This Class For?
You are interested in improv—whether you’re an experienced player or never taken a class before!—and you want to practice improv in a safe atmosphere where you can reflect on yourself and how improv relates to life experiences such as relationships, anxiety/overthinking, the inner critic, self-sabotage, and getting in touch with purpose/meaning.
You are a practitioner or wanting to practice mindfulness/meditation, Zen/Buddhism, and/or other aspects of personal growth and want to do this in a fun, interactive community setting!
You are an actor/actress/performer who wants to practice getting out of your head, thinking more quickly on your feet, and compassionately taming the inner critic.
“Zen-prov! was seamless in my experience. I appreciate the patience and tempo of the class and Zoom room. What I found to be the most fun was how improv techniques tie into keeping oneself in the moment. I thoroughly enjoyed how we framed that technique in the everyday. ”
Cost
$350 - Four Weeks
Still considering the investment? Very wise of you! This is a significant investment of time and resources. You should feel ready-to-go before signing up.
Here is some helpful context regarding your investment:
Most private coaching sessions cost upwards of $500 or more per 1-hour session. Zen-prov! consists of four 1.5-hour sessions (less than the price of a single coaching session).
Most “online courses” are asynchronous, meaning you do it by yourself. Zen-prov! is live each week and is geared towards social connection and support.
Other improv courses usually cost between $150-$550. The benefit of those courses is that they’re typically more focused on acting/performing. If that’s what you’re looking for, definitely sign up for that course! Zen-prov! is unique in that we take significant time to explore the psychological aspect of improv and how it can improve our everyday life. It is a safe psychological space where we can explore and discuss scary things like anxiety and self-judgment!
About Your Instructor
Matthew Goodman, Ph.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, consultant, and speaker. He has been practicing meditation for 15 years. Upon moving from Detroit to Los Angeles, Matt lived and practiced in a Zen Buddhist monastery before pursuing his doctorate in clinical psychology. For the past 10+ years, he has taught mindfulness to children, adolescents, and adults in a variety of settings (e.g., hospitals, clinics, meditation studios). Matt has also been practicing improv for 7+ years, including being a student at the world-famous Groundlings. He teaches classes weaving together improv, mindfulness, and other personal-development tools to help people create positive inner and outer change. Outside of his professional role he can be found splurging on over-priced decaf lattes, doing yoga, hiking, making up new recipes, and never following through on other people’s Netflix recommendations (which he feels bad about and would like to be more open-minded towards).
Still Have Questions? Wanna Chat more?…
Send a message!
Or Shoot me an email
I am happy to answer questions via email or set up a time to talk : )
hello@matthewgoodmanphd.com