Get better at improv by getting better at getting feedback (really! seriously!)

Get better at improv by getting better at getting feedback (really! seriously!)

From Your Improv Brain by Jen deHaan

April 6, 2026 · 21 min · Episode 46

About this episode

This episode explores how to effectively receive and process feedback in improv, focusing on the brain's response to emotional delivery.

OUT NOW! Get my latest guides, all about getting and giving improv notes! Find them and what's inside the guides at https://improvupdate.com/notes. 50% discount on your second guide if you grab them together. Getting improv notes can affect your nervous system, and your brain. We look at why your brain rewrites feedback and how you can separate the actual content from the emotional delivery (aka, the framing). When a coach gives you feedback after a scene, your brain often processes their tone and body language before the actual words. This means you might react to a perceived threat before you even hear the advice. We explore a metacognitive approach to receiving improv notes that helps you manage this early physiological response. You will learn an exercise to isolate objective facts, and we cover why writing down your feedback immediately can prevent rumination. Go here for links to ALL episodes in this series on metacognition: https://improvupdate.com/receiving-improv-notes-and-understanding-how-your-brain-rewrites-the-feedback/ RESOURCES & LINKS: NEW! Student and Teacher Guides on Notes: https://improvupdate.com/notes Contact BOC: https://www.instagram.com/b3oc BOC will…

People in this episode

Host: Jen deHaan

Topics covered

  • improv
  • feedback
  • metacognition
  • nervous system
  • coaching
  • emotional delivery

Keywords

  • improv notes
  • feedback
  • nervous system
  • metacognitive approach
  • coaching
  • emotional response
  • objective facts

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BOC, Highwire Improv, IMDB

Books & works: Eileen Gu clip, Billy Mai

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