Improv Interviews Bob Mann - Nurse, Social Worker Improviser

Meet my good friend Bob Mann. We met during the pandemic and I had the good fortune to teach with him online at his alma mater, University of Oklahoma School of Social Work on "Improv and Therapy". Bob is an amazing human being who has dedicated his life to helping others. Bob has an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Tulsa Community College and a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Social Work from The University of Oklahoma School of Social Work. Bob started in mental health as a psych tech in 1987 and now carries nearly forty years in the field. He’s spent the last twenty-five in state and federal government in administrative and clinical roles. Bob’s direct clinical practice was providing intensive case management and substance abuse services to veterans experiencing homelessness. In 2011, Bob was inducted into the OU Social Work Hall of Fame. This was slightly less surreal than when he was Mr. August in the 2005 Oklahoma Men in Nursing Calendar. Bob performs with multiple troupes at OKC Improv and has performed in festivals across the country. Improv turned out to be the perfect companion to clinical work — a way to reconnect people through play, presence, and well-timed chaos. Bob’s current mission: blend improv, mental health, aging, and community in ways that help people heal, laugh, and maybe even surprise themselves. To see Bob in action check out his OKC Improv links https://youtu.be/79bH1JyDlHY?si=K4HSfFWbDZeenhO0 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu6Cs0xSIbOtY-Yng0ywl3DA8vOTrdaco&si=lEqHkcBDNe5-YacJ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu6Cs0xSIbOvmTdZ3C1d9r9dBg0kZQlc0&si=wwv_vGybpiLGw39e https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu6Cs0xSIbOsBwk2okrrMOwYFyNU0BKnq&si=JY2QS2D6TQUPLSdv Link to DOC reentry work https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/ps.62.1.pss6201_0073 VA HUD VASH Program