Project Present and Mohr Improv
St. Louis
Contact:
314-749-8302
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Services:
Project Present improves the quality of life for individuals living in the early stages of Alzheimer's, dementia, and/or memory loss through engaging improvisation workshops to encourage interpersonal connection, creative expression, and joyful collaboration.
Project Present provides caregivers with an immersive workshop exploring a unique set of applied improvisational tools for caring with grace and compassion. Through the process, caregivers build a unique support system based on positive collaboration and creative communication. Each participant will leave the workshop series with a new set of tools to be a more effective and compassionate caregiver.
PROJECT PRESENT provides engaging improv workshops to individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and memory loss. Participants engage in a series of improv exercises celebrating being present and in the moment which provides meaningful social engagement through the exploration of applied improvisation practices. Through the process, individuals are part of a creative, collaborative experience. There are no mistakes, all ideas are accepted, individuals are validated, and positive energy is abundant. All participants will benefit from this immersive experience.
Joint improv workshops are an opportunity for individuals living with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and/or memory loss and their caregivers to participate in a shared collaborative experience.
Participants will engage in a series of improv exercises together celebrating joyful social interactions.
Project Present facilitates workshops and trainings for individuals working in the field of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and memory care through the practice of applied improvisation.Workshops can be tailored to the needs and goals of your organization.
Testimonials:
The caregiver training equipped me with new and very positive ways to respond to the crazy things that come up while caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. By improvising ideas with the group we were forced to be creative and think outside of the box. And while we did that, we relaxed and had fun. We let our guard down, which allowed us to open up even more about our challenges. The chemistry was very much influenced by the nature of the activities that you led us through, and it was all very positive. Separate from that, the commonalities between improv and caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s are fascinating. The list of principles that you taught us guide me in my everyday responses to my mother.
But even in this last stage, I use your techniques to communicate with Roz now that she is nonverbal. Mirroring her facial expressions, staring in each other’s eyes are very calming ways of communicating without saying anything.
The improvisation sessions that include caregivers and loved ones with Alzheimer’s gives us a chance to ENJOY each other! What a gift THAT is! It’s the highlight of my time with my mother because it is so fun to see her laugh and to engage as an equal. When we are trying to come up with ideas in the moment, she’s as sharp as I am! It is awesome to see.
I can’t begin to express how much your improv classes have meant to me. Although my husband still won’t participate, the classes and the interaction with the other caregivers have been invaluable to me. I had so many questions and really didn’t know where to turn. Just knowing that others are in the same boat and being able to share frustrations with people who understand — no way to describe how much it means. I truly look forward to the classes and “getting out of my head”! I hope we will be able to continue and share this experience with others!
What you are doing is absolutely what is needed. It is the key. You don’t know what this has done for my heart. When I heard my husband laughing, my heart was literally singing. You can’t find something like this {workshop} anywhere. It is so much fun and so important.
Your workshop was, by far, the most meaningful and relevant team building exercise we’ve ever done. The skills we practiced are ones that we can immediately apply in workplace interactions and are also tremendously beneficial as dementia communication skills to cultivate with our amazing caregiving families. And it was just plain fun!!! The laughing muscles in my head were actually sore from so much laughing. Good for the soul and so uplifting!!
About:
Ann Marie Mohr has been using applied improvisation since she started teaching Improvisation, Acting, and Advanced Improvisation at Washington University in 2007. Ann Marie founded Mohr Improv (mohrimprov.com) in 2009 where she has worked with a wide range of businesses and organizations to help foster collaboration, improve communication strategies, and promote creative thinking using the principles of applied improvisation. She then began Project Present a 501 (c) (3) organization (projectpresent.org) whose mission is to improve the quality of life for both individuals living in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and/or dementia and their caregivers through engaging improvisation workshops to encourage interpersonal connection, creative expression, and joyful collaboration. Project Present provides workshops for individuals living with dementia, caregivers, shared joint improv sessions, professional trainings, and general presentations. Mohr attended Washington University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s Clinician Partner’s Program and has recently become a Certified Dementia Practitioner.