Comedic Improv Therapy for the Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder

Comedic improv therapy, a group therapy model inspired by the practice of improv comedy, provides a novel treatment for social anxiety disorder by harnessing the following therapeutic elements: (a) group cohesiveness, (b) play, (c) exposure, and (d) humor. This article outlines the theoretical basis for this creative treatment and discusses important considerations for the practical application of this mode of therapy, such as the combination of comedic improv therapy with other modes of therapy. Lastly, this article describes an existing clinical program called Improv for Anxiety that integrates comedic improv therapy with group cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of social anxiety disorder.