Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/557366
F r e e S O A P n o t e s w i t h M a s s a g e B o o k f o r A B M P m e m b e r s : a b m p . u s / M a s s a g e b o o k 35 chest and tend to look down more often. We can improve our scanning and skill for reading body language by paying attention to our own reactions to situations, as well as the reactions of others. When others are having an argument, watchers often hold their bodies in alert positions, tighten their stomachs, and tense their faces. They are reading and mirroring the body language of the people in conflict. BODY POSITION AND BODY MOTION Being aware of body language helps you hold your body in a position that encourages another to share and that helps the other take a position that encourages listening. An open body position invites a person to reveal information, while a closed body position discourages interaction. In an open body position, you face the other squarely while sitting at the same height. You lean forward slightly and uncross your arms and legs. When listening, your body movements respond to what the other is saying. You might nod your head to show understanding or lean forward at certain moments to indicate anticipation. These positions and movements tell the other person you are comfortable and interested in hearing what they have to say. In a closed body position, the listener turns the body slightly so the chest and abdomen are shifted away from the talker. A closed body position indicates wariness about sharing or a lack of confidence. Slumping in one's seat or leaning backward is another sign of disinterest or discouragement. When conversations get heated, people often fold their arms over their chests. This is a defensive position that physically closes off the listener and speaker. Distracted or disinterested listeners move their bodies in a way that is out of sync with the speaker's body. They might flip a pen in their hands, crack their knuckles, search for something in a bag, fiddle with an object on a table, cross and uncross their legs, or shift their weight often. In People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts, author Robert Bolton shares a story about Allen Ivey and John Hinkle, who trained six students in good listening behaviors. 2 The students began a class taught by a visiting professor in nonlistening body positions, slumped in their chairs and with crossed arms and legs. The visiting professor read his lecture from note cards and did not use gestures or interact with students. When signaled, the students assumed good listening positions, nodded at the instructor's comments, and actively listened. The instructor then began to use gestures within 30 seconds of the change, his speaking speed increased, and he began looking directly at the students. The lecture improved, and soon a lively discussion was taking place. During conversations with clients, think about your body position and body movements. Seek to place yourself in the best position to encourage the other person and exchange the best possible quality of information. If you practice often enough, good body positioning will become second nature and you will naturally use good body positioning when talking with clients. NOTES 1. Maureen Orey and Jenni Prisk, Communication Skills Training (Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development, 2006). 2. Robert Bolton, People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts (New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1986). Anne Williams is the director of education for Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals and author of Massage Mastery: from Student to Professional (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2012), and Spa Bodywork: A Guide for Massage Therapists (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006). She can be reached at anne@abmp.com. CL ASSROOM TO CLIENT Body language includes vocal cues like the pace and volume of words, facial expressions, body positions, and gestures.