The Need for Resilience

Research in psychophysiology reveals that the brain and body don't recognize the difference between imagination and reality. This suggests that when actors experience survival emotions 'in character', their own mental and physical wellbeing are impacted by those experiences.

This could put actors at risk of taking on the stress and traumas of their characters, developing burnout and other stress-related conditions, and ultimately becoming unable to continue their work as actors.

Resilience tools, self-hypnosis, and brain training modalities offer actors the ability to self-regulate, change their brain and body's response to stress, and maintain optimal health while navigating the challenges of an acting career.

Brain Training & Self-Regulation Tools for Casts

We work with casts to help them adopt healthy resilience habits and self-regulation tools into their performance routines to be able to...

• Safely come out of character
• Regulate their minds and bodies before and after performance
• Reduce stress to encourage creativity and inspiration in acting work
• Support their wellbeing during their contract

We work directly with the production team to customize tools and experiences that specifically cater to the production, the actors, and the demands of the show.

Depending on the production needs, services may be offered in a single workshop, a series of workshops, or ongoing support from a resilience specialist throughout the audition, rehearsal, and production process.

Resilience Consulting vs. Intimacy Coordination:
What's the Difference?

While intimacy coordinators help actors safely navigate intimate and violent scenes and may offer tools for de-roling, resilience and brain training work teaches actors self-regulation tools to support their mental and physical wellbeing throughout the entire production. This includes ongoing use of mental practices and tools to...

• change the brain and body's response to stress, both at work and in life
• safely get in and out of character
• regulate the nervous system when survival emotions arise
• find more joy in the work
• be more grounded, centered, and present in the work
• encourage and strengthen creativity in all genres
• & more

The Practices

Modalities utilized in cast resilience work include (but are not limited to):

• Self-hypnosis
• Practitioner-led hypnosis (for groups + individuals)
• Guided imagery & visualization
• Laughter yoga
• Guided meditation
• Breathing techniques
• Mind-body movement practices
• Installation (from Positive Neuroplasticity)
• Journaling

These services are available for not just actors, but the whole production team and crew!

Tools vary depending on the demands of the production and the needs of the actors. 

Resilience isn't just for tragedy

While much of this work involves providing actors self-regulation tools to safely navigate challenging and traumatic roles, resilience is necessary in all genres, including comedy!

Acting in any situation involves openness, vulnerability, and risk-taking. When our brains and nervous systems are under stress, taking risks becomes threatening and much more difficult. On the contrary, when we use tools to feel safe and regulated, we are open to embracing the unknown with curiosity and confidence.

So whether you're in a comedy, horror, drama, tragedy, or even improv, resilience tools are key to helping actors feel safe and able to show up with full access to their fearlessness and imagination!