What Can We Learn From Non-Verbal Communication?

In our webinar about non-verbal communication, I’m Communicating – Are You Listening?, we wanted to consider how we can recognise and respond effectively to early signs of distress, enabling us to take action and offer the best supports to the individuals in our care.

Communication can take many forms: we use spoken language to engage in conversations, ask and answer questions, and verbally articulate our innermost wants and needs. However, we can often communicate just as effectively, if not more so, through our non-verbal body language.

Often, our stance, posture, facial expression, and other unique mannerisms paint a very clear picture of how we are feeling, and what we are trying to communicate. For us as professionals, understanding this is central to our everyday practice, enabling us to tune into individuals’ emotions, anticipate where support might be needed, and take appropriate steps to reduce risk for all.

In short, understanding non-verbal communication helps us to spot early signs of dysregulation, and decide on the best support for individuals in our care.

Download our Stages of Distress and Support poster.

One behaviour, many meanings

We are all ‘behaving’ all of the time, and behaviours can have different meanings depending on the context, and the individual involved. For example, we cannot always assume that when someone screams, they are feeling dysregulated. They might be playing a game; perhaps they are happy or excited about something; or maybe they are not trying to communicate anything in particular. In these instances, the ‘behaviour’ may not require any attention or intervention from us at all.

However, for that person at another time, or for a different individual, the same behaviour – screaming – may be a sign of dysregulation; it could be an outward indication of inner distress; it might be an attempt to gain connection, or to self-soothe.

To choose the best response, we need to be able to identify and understand individuals’ baseline behaviours to recognise the early signs of dysregulation.

Download our One Behaviour, Many Meanings poster.

What are baseline behaviours?

Baseline behaviours are those that are typical for that individual when they are feeling calm, safe, and comfortable. They give us a benchmark for comparison and allow us to identify behaviours that may need our support.

By recognising their baseline, we can often respond to an individual when we observe something different, before they are in crisis.

Spotting the early signs of distress

The most effective way to spot early signs of distress is by getting to know a person, and their personal habits, preferences, and mannerisms. This ongoing process, where we invest time in building trust and forging strong relationships, enables us to become familiar with individuals’ tendencies, and recognise what is typical for them.