Harnessing the Power of Body Language

From frowning and folding our arms, to smiling broadly and nodding, our body language plays a huge part in how we communicate in our daily lives. The way we move and hold our bodies can reveal exactly what we are thinking and feeling at any particular moment in time, without us having to say a single word.

Being mindful about how we present ourselves, and understanding what our body language communicates, is a central part of our roles in education and health and social care settings. And we shouldn’t underestimate both the positive and negative impact it can have: while relaxed, calm body language has the power to defuse and de-escalate behaviour, tense, confrontational body language can spark further escalation.

Communication in a crisis

Our body language is particularly important when a child, young person, or adult is in crisis. During times of heightened stress and anxiety, the thinking part of the brain, or prefrontal cortex, shuts down, and the survival part of the brain, or amygdala, kicks in.

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for executive functioning capacity, such as comprehending spoken language, reasoning, and problem-solving, so when we are in a fight, flight or freeze state, our ability to process words reduces, and we focus our attention instead on a person’s body language, facial expression, posture, and gestures.

Read more about support through a crisis.

By understanding this concept, we can begin to reflect on how we can support behaviour, and de-escalate challenging situations, by capitalising on the power of body language. To do this, we need to become more aware of how we communicate non-verbally, and understand the impact our body language can have on those around us, especially in times of crisis.

Understanding personal space

An awareness of personal space is the first step to understanding the effect of body language. Everybody has their own interpretation of personal space, and what is acceptable to one person, may not be acceptable to another. Whether we are working with nursery children, or in an adult setting, understanding individual boundaries of personal space is key to developing safe and trusting relationships, and avoiding difficult situations.

The distance between us and another person can be thought of as different spaces, depending on their proximity to us. Using outstretched arms, we can imagine where these various spaces begin and end: beyond our fingertips is social space; between our fingertips and elbow is personal space; and from our elbow to shoulder is intimate space. The closer someone encroaches on these zones, the more uncomfortable it can feel.

Respecting personal space

If we feel like somebody has entered our personal or intimate space, it can appear threatening and aggressive. And this may sometimes be completely unintentional: as professionals, we can often find ourselves peering over someone’s shoulder, or sitting next to them, to support them with a task. Nevertheless, this closeness, no matter how well-meaning, has the potential to cause heightened stress and anxiety.