“Improv masks it, makes it fun. Like, oh, yeah, I'm just playing this silly game. But then when we sit and we start to debrief what that game brought up for us, we see that it brought up a lot more than just funny space aliens.”

Shannon Stott’s approach to improv isn’t just about laughter—it’s about listening to your body, accessing your truth, and practicing how you want to move through the world. In this conversation, Logan Kim and Shannon dive deep into how playful, low-stakes games can help us explore identity, make intentional choices, and connect more fully with ourselves and others.

“Most of the moments that we have are actually low stakes,” Shannon reflects. “And improv helps us remember that it’s possible to be right here—in this moment—making one choice at a time.”

In today’s fast-paced world, where stress, anxiety, and overwhelming daily demands are all too common, finding a way to take care of your mental health can often feel like an extra chore on your to-do list. But what if self-care didn’t feel like a chore at all? What if it was fun, engaging, and—dare I say—game-like? That’s exactly the experience I had with Finch, a self-care app that combines the power of gamification with mental wellness practices to help you stay consistent and motivated in your self-care journey.

In play therapy, monsters can be vanquished, adults can show up at just the right moment, magic can happen…In my work with adults, I’ve found that it’s less acceptable to play or to imagine. Adults come to their sessions and know that it’s therapy.