In this episode of Playful Subversions, I sit down with my longtime friend and colleague Catherine Beckett, LCSW, PhD, whose work spans grief counseling, hospice care, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Catherine also happens to be a 20-year veteran of Portland’s Comedy Sports improv troupe, which becomes the perfect starting point for a conversation about play, trust, and the creative roots of therapy.
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Catherine and I first met at Smith College back in grad school—back when she was rappelling out of dorm windows, which felt like a fitting metaphor for how she still approaches both life and therapy: daring, disciplined, and a little bit weird in the best way. In our talk, she describes how she moved from scripted theater to improv, drawn by its sustainability and community. What began as a creative outlet turned into one of the most profound trainings she’s ever had as a therapist.
We explore the principles of improv—especially the “yes, and” mindset—as a model for clinical work. Catherine describes the structure of Comedy Sports: its clean, family-friendly humor, team dynamics, and even the way “fouls” are called for groaner jokes or crossing boundaries. I share my own reflections on how giving a scene partner the laugh rather than taking it mirrors something central to psychotherapy—the discipline of listening, giving space, and letting go of control.
To bring the spirit of improv into the episode, Catherine and I actually play a round of “Alphabet,” building a scene one letter at a time. The results—featuring chili, peaches, and a relationship on the verge of meltdown—show just how spontaneous and co-created the process can be. After the laughter, we talk about what it’s like to work through the anxiety of not knowing what to say next, and how trust and vulnerability are at the heart of both improv and therapy.
Catherine shares stories about performing while pregnant, bringing her son Dylan to shows, and watching him grow into an improviser himself. She also reflects on how performing comedy has helped her stay grounded and resist rigidity—both personally and politically. We connect the practice of improvisation to resisting authoritarianism: how learning to co-create, tolerate uncertainty, and trust others becomes a small but powerful act of defiance in a culture that demands control and compliance.
What emerges is a portrait of improv as more than entertainment—it’s a training ground for emotional honesty, collaboration, and creativity in the face of fear. Catherine’s practice, like her performances, is rooted in that same spirit of curiosity and play: a belief that healing happens not in perfection, but in the willingness to take a risk, make a mess, and keep saying yes, and...
