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ForwardSession 7: Promoting Tolerance of Uncertainty and Ambiguity via Behavioral Improvisation
No previous experience with improvisation is required!
The abilities to tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity are of obvious benefit in medical and psychiatric practice. Both have been linked to lessened work-related stress in medical students and doctors. Although related, tolerance of uncertainty and tolerance of ambiguity are separable constructs. Tolerance of uncertainty has typically been defined as the capacity to be comfortable with lack of information about the future, whereas tolerance of ambiguity refers to the capacity to be comfortable with insufficient information in the present. A substantial body of literature links tolerance of uncertainty to lower worry, burnout, generalized anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues; a smaller body of literature links tolerance of ambiguity to psychological well-being. Importantly, tolerance of both uncertainty and ambiguity can be increased via psychological practices. Because it inherently involves exposure to uncertainty and ambiguity, behavioral improvisation seems well-suited to promoting both forms of tolerance.
The leaders of this largely experiential workshop will invite participants to explore a series of simple improvisational exercises as a means of gently augmenting these tolerances. They will draw on their close collaboration with Paul Sills, founding director of Chicago’s Second City, who used similar exercises to train renowned actors such as Alan Arkin and Alan Alda. After an overview of current research and theory on tolerance of uncertainty and ambiguity, the bulk of the week will be devoted to engaging in and discussing a series of simple and enjoyable improv exercises in a safe, highly supportive atmosphere.
Psychology CE Credit Statement
The Medical College of Wisconsin is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Medical College of Wisconsin maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
This activity contains content or processes that may be potentially stressful.
Target Audience
- Physicians
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants
- Nurses
- Pharmacists
- Psychologists
- Social Workers
- Psychiatry Residents
- Medical Students
- Allied Health Professionals
Learning Objectives
Participants who engage in this education intervention will be able to:
- Distinguish between intolerance for uncertainty (IU) and intolerance for ambiguity (IA)
- Identify the importance of IU and IA in relation to anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, and other mental health concerns
- Explain how IU and IA are relevant to psychotherapy and how both can be addressed therapeutically
- Demonstrate greater tolerance of uncertainty and ambiguity in a behavioral setting
Monday:
- What are intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and intolerance of ambiguity (IA)?
- Definitions, similarities and differences
- Philosophical issues
- Assessment of IU and IA
- IU as a transdiagnostic factor in mental disorder
- Review of literature linking IU to anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, long-term physical health conditions, etc.
- Review of evidence linking IU and IA to stress in medical settings
- Tolerance of ambiguity as a cross-modal strength in psychotherapy
- Methods to increase tolerance of uncertainty
- Basic principles of behavioral improvisation
- Warm-up exercises
Tuesday:
- Behavioral improvisation Skills 1
Wednesday:
- Behavioral improvisation Skills 2
Thursday:
- Behavioral improvisation Skills 3
Friday:
- Summary and conclusions
- Wrap-up exercises
Lodging in July and August is in great demand; you must make reservations early. A block of suites has been set aside at the Landmark Resort. These suites will be held until June 5th, 2026, or until they are filled.
From its site on the bluff, the Landmark offers outstanding views of the waters of Green Bay with 294 units comprised of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom suites. Facilities include the Carrington Pub and Grill, 1 indoor and 3 outdoor pools, 2 tennis courts, whirlpools, steam rooms, and a fitness center and game room. The Landmark Resort is Door County’s largest and best full-service facility.
The Landmark Resort
4929 Landmark Drive
Egg Harbor, Wisconsin 54209
Reservations: (800) 273-7877
http://www.thelandmarkresort.com
To book through our discounted group rate, please call the Landmark reservation line at (800) 273-7877 and state that you are attending the Door County Summer Institute. No group code is required.
Group rates cannot be booked online.
Frederick J. Heide, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in the San Francisco Bay Area. There he was a member of the core faculty for 37 years and won both the Master Teacher and Teacher of the Year Awards. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from The Pennsylvania State University in 1981 and has co-presented with Lee Becker at DCSI for 27 continuous seasons. He received the Outstanding Research Contribution Award from the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy (AABT) for his oft-cited work on relaxation-induced anxiety and has published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Psychophysiology, Mindfulness, Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, Behavior Research and Therapy, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, and elsewhere. He also served as associate editor of the APA journal PsycCRITIQUES. Dr. Heide co-founded and has performed for five decades with Northern Sky Theater, which has received the Wisconsin Governor’s Award for Arts, Culture and Heritage. Dr. Heide has co-authored two dozen shows including Belgians in Heaven, Hell’s Belgians, and Packer Fans from Outer Space (with Lee Becker and James Kaplan) and the deer-hunting musical Guys & Does (with Lee Becker and Paul Libman). He has also recorded four albums (including 2026’s Birthplace of the Thunder with his band Zen of Thieves) and published a book of 55 original songs (2022’s Tangled in Wonder). Dr. Heide studied improvisation with The Second City’s founding director Paul Sills and created several shows with him, including Moon of the Long Nights and Ya Ya You Betcha. In 2023 he received the Winifred Boynton Creative Spirit Award for his significant and enduring contributions to Door County.
Lee Becker began improvising over 35 years ago with ComedySportz while attending UW Madison. He helped found ComedySportz NYC, and worked with the group in Milwaukee, performing and running workshops in all three locations. He is a core member of Northern Sky Theater where he is a performer, musician, and playwright. Lee was a founding member of Door Shakespeare in Door County, WI, and has also performed and written for First Stage Children’s Theater in Milwaukee. Along with Doc Heide, he has been a workshop facilitator for DCSI for over 20 years, providing trainings using role play and Spolin theater games. He has done similar work as a guest teacher at Alliant University’s CA School of Professional Psychology.
Activity Director:
Carlyle H Chan, MD
Professor of Psychiatry and
the Institute for Health and Equity-Bioethics and Humanities
Medical College of Wisconsin
Planning Committee Members:
Ellen Leitner, MSW, LCSW
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Kevin Bozymski, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP
Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Science
Medical College of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Kylie Lenz, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Heather M. Smith, PhD, ABPP
Lead Psychologist
Director of Psychology Training
Milwaukee VA Medical Center
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Marisa Stich, APNP
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
In accordance with the ACCME® Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, Standard 3, all persons in control of content must disclose any relevant financial relationships. It is the policy of the Medical College of Wisconsin to identify, mitigate and disclose the absence or presence of all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies held by the speakers/presenters, authors, planners, and other persons who may influence content of this accredited continuing education. The following in control of content had no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
- Carlyle H Chan
- Ellen Leitner
- Kevin Bozymski
- Kylie Lenz
- Heather M. Smith
- Marisa Stich
- Frederick J. Heide
- Lee Becker
Accreditation Statement:
The Medical College of Wisconsin is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Designation of Credit Statement
The Medical College of Wisconsin designates this live activity for a maximum of 15 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Hours of Participation for Allied Health Professionals
The Medical College of Wisconsin designates this activity for up to 15 hours of participation for continuing education for allied health professionals.
Available Credit
- 15.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
- 15.00 APAAPA credit.
- 15.00 Hours of ParticipationHours of Participation credit.
- 15.00 NASW
- 15.00 NP Contact Hours
- 15.00 PAPA credit.
Price
Credit MUST be claimed before November 30, 2026.
We highly encourage you to complete the evaluation and credit steps before leaving on your last day!
Early Bird Tuition for 5-day sessions (3 hrs/day) is $735. After June 1st, the price will increase to $785. Graduate and medical students and resident physicians will have a discounted rate, so please contact Caimen at [email protected] to inquire about this discount. A $1 fee is added during checkout to cover the PayPal transaction fee.
To receive a refund, the request must be made at least 15 days before the requested session begins, and a $50 cancellation fee will be deducted from the refund amount. If the refund request is received less than 15 days before the session begins, the full registration fee will be forfeited.
5-Day Pricing | 5-Day Pricing |
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$735 | $785 |
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Registration for courses managed by MCW Office of Continuing Professional Development can only be completed through our portal at https://ocpe.mcw.edu/. Course registrations made through other sites cannot be honored. MCW Office of Continuing Professional Development is not able to refund fees paid through unaffiliated registration sites, such as eMedEvents.com, MedConfWorld.com, EventEgg.com, and 10times.com. Please report any unauthorized websites or solicitations for registrations to [email protected].