Rahla Kahn

Rahla Kahn was forced to become a visionary.  With her weird name, Valentine’s Day as her birthday, and being voted “Most Original” in both junior high and high school, she couldn’t help but live a life outside of the box.  In 1983 that rarified atmosphere brought together her love of acting and her interest in psychology when she created The Power of Play®.  Since that time, she has been teaching her message of creativity, humor, authenticity and hope through seminars in Los Angeles and around the country. 

Her work was inspired after studying improvisation with legendary teacher, Viola Spolin.  Shortly after that she became one of the original members of The Groundlings, Los Angeles’ premier improvisational theater company.  Her understanding and knowledge of improvisational games and techniques grew under the guidance of artistic director, Gary Austin.

Her deep interest and curiosity in how the mind and the emotions affect health, led her to Norman Cousins, author of Anatomy Of An Illness, and radiation oncologist, Dr. O. Carl Simonton, author of Getting Well Again.  Cousins and Simonton were so intrigued by Rahla’s concepts of applying the rules of improvisational theater to health and life that they personally mentored her and helped her find opportunities to develop her program.  She assisted Dr. Simonton at several “Healing Power of Laughter & Play” conferences in the mid 1980’s and continues to present her work at The Simonton Cancer Center’s week-long residential retreats for cancer patients and their caregivers in Santa Barbara, California.

Cousins introduced Rahla to an opportunity that led to her serving on staff at the Mental Health Association’s Step Up On Second facility in Santa Monica, California, from 1984 to 1993.  Her work with mentally ill and homeless adults and Vietnam veterans received wide public attention, including an article about her work in the Los Angeles Times.   She has served as a guest facilitator at the Wellness Community and weSPARK cancer support facilities in the Los Angeles area numerous times.

In recent years, The Power Of Play® has expanded greatly.  Seeing the need to introduce the business world to this material, Rahla adapted her work to benefit corporate clients and smaller businesses.  A pu-pu platter sampling of her diverse clients includes The Harlem Globetrotters, American Express, Viad, IBM, Vistage, the City of Scottsdale, The Dr. Gladys T. McGarey Medical Foundation, San Diego State University, Hyrian, and most recently The Motion Picture Television Fund Wellness Program and the United States Army. 

She coaches executives and employees on enhanced presentation skills, authentic communication and work/life balance; is a motivational and inspirational keynote speaker; works with private clients and couples on personal issues; helps cancer patients, their families and caregivers through her program, “Fight Cancer With An Attitude!”; and facilitates seminars and trainings based on the principles embodied in The Power Of Play®.

Richard Rossner

Richard Rossner  has a varied background in the creative arts and comedy. An honors graduate in communications from Boston University, his writing and performing talent brought him to Los Angeles, where he wrote situation comedies and variety television shows including, “She’s The Sheriff,” “Comedy Break,” “Full House," “The End Hunger Televent” and "The Live Aid Concert." In addition, he has worked as a voice-over actor in commercials, cartoons and corporate media.

Richard met Rahla Kahn while studying improvisational theater at The Groundlings in Los Angeles.  His partnership in The Power Of Play® has been a perfect fit to satisfy his creative spirit, as well as his desire to help people fulfill their potential.  He has become an integral part of The Power of Play® by using his many talents to write, produce and deliver trainings, speeches and Power of Play® informational products and materials.

Richard and Rahla have been improvising a life together since their marriage in 1987.   When Richard isn’t translating Rahla’s energetic enthusiasm onto the written page for others to understand, he freelances his writing ability to help those who need a shot of creative “wordsmithing.”