Working with Nonverbal Communication to Navigate Conflict

Some of the best writers note that words, according to Virginia Woolf, often “miss the mark.” They can create misunderstandings, inflame emotions, and polarize groups of people. Maxine Sheets-Johnstone, a phenomenologist and dancer, advises us to go back to the “things themselves”: through detailed observation of the first language of all humans and sentient beings—movement—we can more accurately “read” other people and the world around us.

In this workshop, we will look at nonverbal language as one that is authentic (“the body does not lie”). Observing the nonverbal gives shades and layers of meaning that are often obscured in solely verbal communication. In this workshop, we will learn a simplified form of Labanotation- a movement notation system that uses existential dimensions of time, weight, space and flow to track the ongoing process of movement. It can also be used to track interpersonal movement as dialogue, and even tune into the rhythms of speech.

Learning to work with our clients with particular attention paid to their nonverbal language can help them develop a more authentic, integrated experience of self and connect with others in more gratifying ways. Comprehending the existential dimensions of nonverbal communication can reveal whole new layers of meaning and contribute to deeper understanding and increased harmony in a troubled and conflicted world.