non verbal communication speech therapy

Total Communication Approach & Other Strategies for Non-Verbal Children

Maria De Leon, MS, SLP

A child that is termed non-verbal or minimally verbal uses no or few consistent words to communicate. We know how difficult it can be to figure out children’s wants and needs when they are not using their speech to express themselves. The good news is that even though non-verbal children are not using words to communicate, it doesn’t mean they are not trying to communicate. We are all social beings that crave social connections in one way or another, and all we need is to find a way to do so. In this blog, we will dive into the total communication approach.

Total Communication Approach

How to get started? You can use the Total Communication Approach by accepting and using all forms of communication verbal and non-verbal (i.e., vocalizations, eye gaze, facial expressions, gestures, sign language , Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) , etc.). Our goal is for children to feel understood, even if they cannot use their voice to speak.

Importance of Prelinguistic Skills (Pre-Verbal Skills)

Research in early child development has demonstrated that long before children learn how to produce speech, they communicate with eye gaze, vocalizations, gestures, facial expressions, and body language. Having these prelinguistic abilities , or pre-verbal skills, lead to positive language outcomes. Additionally, being able to read these non-verbal means of communication may help us better understand what a non-verbal child might want to communicate. It is crucial to remember that every child is different and that sometimes a child may need some instruction to learn how to use these skills to communicate.

Try these strategies:

Use prelinguistic skills during your daily routines. You can use gestures, facial expressions, and eye gaze during mealtimes by modeling and providing opportunities for the child to imitate and communicate. For example, pausing between bites gives the child time to ask for more food or to get your attention. The child can use eye gaze (i.e., looking at an object and then looking back you), vocalizations (ah, ma,), and gestures (pointing, waving arms, moving a limb), etc. After the child gives you the action, reward them immediately so they can start making the connections between action/item and words.
Use pictures or real objects to communicate. Using pictures/objects is an excellent strategy to incorporate choice making. Making choices gives the child a sense of independence and may reduce frustration because it allows them to have some control. For example, you can present two pictures of their preferred objects or display the objects themselves. When we show the pictures or objects, we want to hold them close to our face and accept any form of communication (signs, vocalizations, eye gaze, gesture, etc.) Once the child understands the skill, we can use it to communicate various things in different environments. These are some examples of choices: “Which book would you like to read?” “Would you like to use crayons or paint today?” “Would you like to eat oranges or apples?” “What shirt would you like to wear today?” etc.
Use a simple recordable button switch. This device is a switch where a message is recorded, and when activated, it plays back the recording. You can find affordable options for this button-voice recording device online.

Here are some examples of how to use the switch to communicate with a non-verbal child:

During storytime, select books with phrases that repeat themselves and record a word or phrase to have the child fill in the line of a repetitive story. The same idea can be used for music time.
During playtime, you can use the button to build up anticipation and create meaningful interactions with the child. For example, during a tickle game, you can record “go” and wait for the child to activate the button. You can use the recording “go” for swinging, knocking down towers, etc. In the beginning, the child might not understand the connection between hitting the button and something happening, and this is ok. With extensive modeling and practice, the connections will begin forming.

Key Takeaways

It is important to remember that we all have the desire to communicate, and we all do so in our ways. Prelinguistic or non-verbal communication is a rich form of communication that is the basis for symbolic and efficient communication development. Ensuring that non-verbal children are being understood increases their likelihood of success and reduces any frustrations that may arise from not being able to communicate.

If you have questions about prelinguistic skills, the total communication approach, switches for non-verbal children or would like more information on how to get started, get in touch with your speech language pathologist. Additionally, feel free to contact NAPA’s Pediatric Speech Therapy Program for a free consultation with one of our speech language pathologists. We specialize in early language development, AAC and treat a diverse range of diagnoses including aphasia. We are here to help – reach out anytime!

About the Author  

Maria De Leon is a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) at NAPA Center, with more than five years in the special education field. She has worked with a variety of families to help children reach their highest potential. She has a specialization in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and a passion for advocating for individuals with communicative disorders. She loves coffee and, on the weekend, you can find her catching up on tv shows with her kitty and puppy.

About NAPA Center

NAPA Center is a world-renowned pediatric therapy clinic, offering pediatric therapy for children of all ages in traditional or intensive settings. With six clinic locations and intensive therapy pop-up sessions worldwide, NAPA is committed to helping children lead their happiest, healthiest lives. At NAPA, we take an individualized approach to therapy because we understand that each child is unique with very specific needs. For this reason, no two therapeutic programs are alike. If your child needs our services, we will work closely with you to select the best therapies for them, creating a customized program specific to your child’s needs and your family’s goals. Let your child’s journey begin today by contacting us to learn more.

References:

Malloy, Peggy. (2009). “Teaching Prelinguistic Communication. Practice Perspectives—
Highlighting Information on Deaf-Blindness”. National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB). https://eric-ed-gov.jpllnet.sfsu.edu/?id=ED531766
Watson, LR., & Flippin, M. (2008) “Language outcomes for young children with autism spectrum Disorders”. ASHA Leader 13(7): 8–12. https://leader.pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/leader.FTR1.13072008.8

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Types of Nonverbal Communication

Often you don't need words at all

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Tim Robberts / Getty Images

Why Nonverbal Communication Is Important

How to Improve

Nonverbal communication means conveying information without using words. This might involve using certain facial expressions or hand gestures to make a specific point, or it could involve the use (or non-use) of eye contact, physical proximity, and other nonverbal cues to get a message across.

A substantial portion of our communication is nonverbal. In fact, some researchers suggest that the percentage of nonverbal communication is four times that of verbal communication, with 80% of what we communicate involving our actions and gestures versus only 20% being conveyed with the use of words.

Every day, we respond to thousands of nonverbal cues and behaviors, including postures, facial expressions, eye gaze, gestures, and tone of voice. From our handshakes to our hairstyles, our nonverbal communication reveals who we are and impacts how we relate to other people.

9 Types of Nonverbal Communication

Scientific research on nonverbal communication and behavior began with the 1872 publication of Charles Darwin's The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals . Since that time, a wealth of research has been devoted to the types, effects, and expressions of unspoken communication and behavior .

Nonverbal Communication Types

While these signals can be so subtle that we are not consciously aware of them, research has identified nine types of nonverbal communication. These nonverbal communication types are:

Facial expressions
Paralinguistics (such as loudness or tone of voice)
Body language
Proxemics or personal space
Eye gaze, haptics (touch)
Artifacts (objects and images)

Facial Expressions

Facial expressions are responsible for a huge proportion of nonverbal communication. Consider how much information can be conveyed with a smile or a frown. The look on a person's face is often the first thing we see, even before we hear what they have to say.

While nonverbal communication and behavior can vary dramatically between cultures, the facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, and fear are similar throughout the world.

Deliberate movements and signals are an important way to communicate meaning without words. Common gestures include waving, pointing, and giving a "thumbs up" sign. Other gestures are arbitrary and related to culture.

For example, in the U.S., putting the index and middle finger in the shape of a "V" with your palm facing out is often considered to be a sign of peace or victory. Yet, in Britain, Australia, and other parts of the world, this gesture can be considered an insult.

Nonverbal communication via gestures is so powerful and influential that some judges place limits on which ones are allowed in the courtroom, where they can sway juror opinions. An attorney might glance at their watch to suggest that the opposing lawyer's argument is tedious, for instance. Or they may roll their eyes during a witness's testimony in an attempt to undermine that person's credibility.

Paralinguistics

Paralinguistics refers to vocal communication that is separate from actual language. This form of nonverbal communication includes factors such as tone of voice, loudness, inflection, and pitch.

For example, consider the powerful effect that tone of voice can have on the meaning of a sentence. When said in a strong tone of voice, listeners might interpret a statement as approval and enthusiasm. The same words said in a hesitant tone can convey disapproval and a lack of interest.

Body Language and Posture

Posture and movement can also provide a great deal of information. Research on body language has grown significantly since the 1970s, with popular media focusing on the over-interpretation of defensive postures such as arm-crossing and leg-crossing, especially after the publication of Julius Fast's book Body Language .

While these nonverbal communications can indicate feelings and attitudes , body language is often subtle and less definitive than previously believed.

People often refer to their need for "personal space." This is known as proxemics and is another important type of nonverbal communication.

The amount of distance we need and the amount of space we perceive as belonging to us are influenced by several factors. Among them are social norms , cultural expectations, situational factors, personality characteristics, and level of familiarity.

The amount of personal space needed when having a casual conversation with another person can vary between 18 inches and four feet. The personal distance needed when speaking to a crowd of people is usually around 10 to 12 feet.

The eyes play a role in nonverbal communication, with such things as looking, staring, and blinking being important cues. For example, when you encounter people or things that you like, your rate of blinking increases and your pupils dilate.

People's eyes can indicate a range of emotions , including hostility, interest, and attraction. People also often utilize eye gaze cues to gauge a person's honesty. Normal, steady eye contact is often taken as a sign that a person is telling the truth and is trustworthy. Shifty eyes and an inability to maintain eye contact, on the other hand, is frequently seen as an indicator that someone is lying or being deceptive.

However, some research suggests that eye gaze does not accurately predict lying behavior.

Communicating through touch is another important nonverbal communication behavior. Touch can be used to communicate affection, familiarity, sympathy, and other emotions .

In her book Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters , author Julia Wood writes that touch is also often used to communicate both status and power. High-status individuals tend to invade other people's personal space with greater frequency and intensity than lower-status individuals.

Sex differences also play a role in how people utilize touch to communicate meaning. Women tend to use touch to convey care, concern, and nurturance. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to use touch to assert power or control over others.

There has been a substantial amount of research on the importance of touch in infancy and early childhood. Harry Harlow's classic monkey study , for example, demonstrated how being deprived of touch impedes development. In the experiments, baby monkeys raised by wire mothers experienced permanent deficits in behavior and social interaction.

Our choice of clothing, hairstyle, and other appearance factors are also considered a means of nonverbal communication. Research on color psychology has demonstrated that different colors can evoke different moods. Appearance can also alter physiological reactions, judgments, and interpretations.

Just think of all the subtle judgments you quickly make about someone based on their appearance. These first impressions are important, which is why experts suggest that job seekers dress appropriately for interviews with potential employers.

Researchers have found that appearance can even play a role in how much people earn. Attractive people tend to earn more and receive other fringe benefits, including higher-quality jobs.

Culture is an important influence on how appearances are judged. While thinness tends to be valued in Western cultures, some African cultures relate full-figured bodies to better health, wealth, and social status.

Objects and images are also tools that can be used to communicate nonverbally. On an online forum, for example, you might select an avatar to represent your identity and to communicate information about who you are and the things you like.

People often spend a great deal of time developing a particular image and surrounding themselves with objects designed to convey information about the things that are important to them. Uniforms, for example, can be used to transmit a tremendous amount of information about a person.

A soldier will don fatigues, a police officer will wear a specific uniform, and a doctor will wear a white lab coat. At a mere glance, these outfits tell others what that person does for a living. That makes them a powerful form of nonverbal communication.

Nonverbal Communication Examples

Think of all the ways you communicate nonverbally in your own life. You can find examples of nonverbal communication at home, at work, and in other situations.

Nonverbal Communication at Home

Consider all the ways that tone of voice might change the meaning of a sentence when talking with a family member. One example is when you ask your partner how they are doing and they respond with, "I'm fine." How they say these words reveals a tremendous amount about how they are truly feeling.

A bright, happy tone of voice would suggest that they are doing quite well. A cold tone of voice might suggest that they are not fine but don't wish to discuss it. A somber, downcast tone might indicate that they are the opposite of fine but may want to talk about why.

Other examples of nonverbal communication at home include:

Going to your partner swiftly when they call for you (as opposed to taking your time or not responding at all)
Greeting your child with a smile when they walk into the room to show that you're happy to see them
Leaning in when your loved one speaks to show that you are listening and that you are interested in what they're saying
Shoving your fist into the air when you're upset that something isn't working

Nonverbal Communication in the Workplace

You can also find nonverbal communication in the workplace. Examples of this include:

Looking co-workers in the eye when speaking with them to be fully engaged in the interaction
Throwing your hands in the air when you are frustrated with a project
Using excitement in your voice when leading work meetings to project your passion for a specific topic
Walking down the hall with your head held high to convey confidence in your abilities

Nonverbal Communication in Other Situations

Here are a few additional examples of nonverbal communication that say a lot without you having to say anything at all:

Greeting an old friend at a restaurant with a hug, handshake, or fist bump
Placing your hand on someone's arm when they are talking to you at a party to convey friendliness or concern
Rolling your eyes at someone who is chatting excessively with a store clerk as a line begins to form
Scowling at someone who has cut you off in traffic, or "flipping them the bird"

Nonverbal communication serves an important role in conveying meaning. Some benefits it provides include:

Strengthening relationships : Nonverbal communication fosters closeness and intimacy in interpersonal relationships.
Substituting for spoken words : Signaling information that a person might not be able to say aloud. This can be helpful in situations where a person might not be heard (such as a noisy workplace) or in therapy situations where a mental health professional can look at nonverbal behaviors to learn more about how a client might be feeling.
Reinforcing meaning : Matching nonverbal communication to spoken words can help add clarity and reinforce important points.
Regulating conversation : Nonverbal signals can also help regulate the flow of conversation and indicate both the start and end of a message or topic.

Nonverbal communication is important because it can provide valuable information, reinforce the meaning of spoken words, help convey trust, and add clarity to your message.

How to Improve Your Nonverbal Communication Skills

If you want to develop more confident body language or improve your ability to read other people's nonverbal communication behaviors, these tips can help:

Pay attention to your own behaviors : Notice the gestures you use when you're happy versus when you're upset. Think about how you change the tone of your voice depending on the emotions you are feeling. Being aware of your own nonverbal communication tendencies is the first step to changing the ones you want to change. It can also give you insight into how you're feeling if you're having trouble putting it into words.
Become a student of others : It can also be helpful to consider how others around you communicate nonverbally. What do their facial expressions say? What type of gestures do they use? Becoming familiar with their nonverbal communication patterns helps you recognize when they might be feeling a certain way quicker because you're actively watching for these cues. It can also help you recognize nonverbal behaviors you may want to adopt yourself (such as standing tall when talking to others to display self-confidence ).
Look for incongruent nonverbal cues : Do you say that you're fine, then slam cupboard doors to show that you're upset? This can give those around you mixed messages. Or maybe when someone is speaking with you, they are saying yes while shaking their head no. This is another example of incongruent behavior. Both can be signs of feeling a certain way but not yet being ready to admit or discuss it.
Think before you act : If your middle finger seems to automatically fly up when a car cuts you off—even if your young child is in the back seat, causing you to regret it as soon as it happens—you can work to stop this reaction. Train yourself to stop and think before you act. This can help you eliminate or replace nonverbal behaviors that you've been wanting to change.
Ask before you assume : Certain types of nonverbal communication can mean different things in different cultures. They can also vary based on someone's personality . Before assuming that a person's body language or tone means something definitively, ask. "I notice that you won't look me in the eye when we speak. Are you upset with me?" Give them the opportunity to explain how they are feeling so you know for sure.

A Word From Verywell

Nonverbal communication plays an important role in how we convey meaning and information to others, as well as how we interpret the actions of those around us.

The important thing to remember when looking at nonverbal behaviors is to consider the actions in groups. Consider what a person says verbally, combined with their expressions, appearance, and tone of voice and it can tell you a great deal about what that person is really trying to say.

American Psychological Association. Nonverbal communication (NVC) .

Hull R. The art of nonverbal communication in practice . Hear J . 2016;69(5);22-24. doi:10.1097/01.HJ.0000483270.59643.cc

Frith C. Role of facial expressions in social interactions . Philos Trans R Soc B Biol Sci . 2009;364(1535):3453-8. doi:10.1098/rstb.2009.0142

Goldin-Meadow S. How gesture works to change our minds . Trends Neurosci Educ . 2014;3(1):4-6. doi:10.1016/j.tine.2014.01.002

Guyer JJ, Briñol P, Vaughan-Johnston TI, Fabrigar LR, Moreno L, Petty RE. Paralinguistic features communicated through voice can affect appraisals of confidence and evaluative judgments . J Nonverbal Behav . 2021;45(4):479-504. doi:10.1007/s10919-021-00374-2

Abdulghafor R, Turaev S, Ali MAH. Body language analysis in healthcare: An overview . Healthcare (Basel) . 2022;10(7):1251. doi:10.3390/healthcare10071251

Mccall C, Singer T. Facing off with unfair others: introducing proxemic imaging as an implicit measure of approach and avoidance during social interaction . PLoS One . 2015;10(2):e0117532. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0117532

Wiseman R, Watt C, ten Brinke L, Porter S, Couper SL, Rankin C. The eyes don't have it: lie detection and Neuro-Linguistic Programming . PLoS One . 2012;7(7):e40259. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040259

Sekerdej M, Simão C, Waldzus S, Brito R. Keeping in touch with context: Non-verbal behavior as a manifestation of communality and dominance . J Nonverbal Behav . 2018;42(3):311-326. doi:10.1007/s10919-018-0279-2

Bambaeeroo F, Shokrpour N. The impact of the teachers' non-verbal communication on success in teaching . J Adv Med Educ Prof . 2017;5(2):51-59.

Dilmaghani M. Beauty perks: Physical appearance, earnings, and fringe benefits . Economics & Human Biology . 2020;38:100889. doi:10.1016/j.ehb.2020.100889

Darwin C. The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals .

Wood J. Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters .

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Speech Blubs

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Your Non-verbal Child: How to Set Communication Goals

Natalie barnes.

Speech Therapist and Audiologist , Cape Town , South Africa

Jan 17, 2022 There are many reasons why your child may be non-verbal. The key is for you to identify and understand the range of their communication difficulty and possibly the underlying cause. In this blog you will find out about stages of communication, setting your speech goals for a non-verbal child, and how to actively encourage your child's communication.

Having a non-verbal child isn’t easy. Even knowing what a child’s communication development stages are is a lot of work. Not to mention learning to understand nonverbal communication, speech therapy goals, or even what it means to have effective communication with your child, your non-verbal child.

The best place to start is to take the first step and learn about setting goals and objectives that are realistic. First, let’s look at what ‘non-verbal’ means.

Encourage Communication with Non-verbal Child

Help your child make requests.

Encourage Your Child Refuse or Tell You “No”

Help Your Child Learn to Greet and Say “Bye”

Encourage your child to interact or make comments, help your child make choices.

How Speech Blubs Can Help your Child

For example, your child may be non-verbal due to a language disorder or speech delay ; they may even have a physical speech impediment that prevents them from being able to speak at all.

The most common cause of children being non-verbal is that they have difficulty understanding social interactions and responding within them – something that is largely seen in autistic children and other developmental disorders such as Down syndrome.

What is Communication?

Before you can help your nonverbal child to verbalize, you need to understand why you want them to verbalize, and what skills they require to do so.

Children and adults verbalize in order to communicate. Communication happens when one person sends a message to another person. You can send this message in a variety of ways and for different reasons.

The core aspects of communication involve:

How you communicate, and
Why you communicate.

Communication is a process. Effective communication is built through interaction and connection, which is the basis of two-way communication . Oftentimes, non-verbal children have difficulty verbalizing because they have some degree of difficulty interacting with others. This makes developing communication skills even harder.

In order to have successful interactions your child needs to:

Respond to others’ communication attempts, and
Initiate communication attempts with others

If you’d like to learn more about communication and how complex it can be, watch this video .

Your Child’s Likes and Dislikes

Nonverbal Child Communication Activities

The most important tool to use when working on communication with non-verbal children is targeting their likes and dislikes. You can use these to encourage communication by focusing on their likes so that you know what motivates them to communicate. Use structured activities that will incorporate your child’s likes and dislikes!

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Just because your child isn’t speaking, doesn’t mean that they aren’t communicating . Children communicate through actions, sounds, body language, and words. If you discover how your child communicates, you can develop their strengths and teach them other forms of communication through those modalities.

Your child may be communicating non-verbally:

Crying or screaming
Moving their body next to people and things they are interested in
Turning their body away from people and things they aren’t interested in
Using gestures and facial expressions
Reaching with an open hand for things they want
Taking your hand to get you to do things for them
Looking at things they want
Pointing to things they want and then at you for assistance
Using pictures
Making sounds and speech sounds

It’s not enough to simply look at how your child communicates, you also need to look at why they communicate. Once you know the purpose of their communication you can help your child find more ways and more reasons to communicate .

In her book “ More Than Words : A Guide to Helping Parents Promote Communication and Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ,” author Fern Sussman describes non-verbal children as being on a four-stage continuum.

By identifying your child’s stage of communication, you will know what they can and cannot do, as well as what you can expect them to do next. This will help you set communication goals for them.

These are the four stages of speech and language development by Fern Sussman:

1) Own Agenda Stage

A child at this stage wants to play alone and appears uninterested in people and activities around them. They don’t understand that they can affect people by sending a message directly to them, so they display no intentional communication. You can expect your child to:

Understand almost no words
Almost never interact with other children
Cry or scream to protest
Interact with you briefly
Want to do things alone
Reach for what they want
Look at what they want
Play in unusual ways

2) Requester Stage

A child at this stage is beginning to realize that their actions can have an effect on you . They ask you for things they want or need by pulling or leading you to it, and they enjoy playing physical “People Games.” You can expect your child to:

Echo/copy a few words that you say in an attempt to communicate
Understand the steps in familiar routines
Request that you continue a physical “People Game” with eye contact, smiles, body movements, and sounds when you pause or stop playing
Occasionally follow directions if they can see what they need to do

3) Early Communicator Stage

A child at this stage is using specific gestures, sounds, pictures or words consistently to ask for things in very motivating situations. Their social interactions last longer and their communication is more intentional , though they still mainly communicate to ask you to do things for them. You can expect your child to:

Interact with you and familiar people in familiar situations
Take more turns in “People Games”
Begin to protest or refuse using the same forms of communication
Occasionally use the same forms of communication to get your attention or to show you something
Understand simple, familiar sentences with visual cues
Understand the names of familiar objects and people without visual cues
Say “hi” and “bye”
Answer yes/no questions
Answer “what’s that?” questions

4) Partner Stage

A child at this stage is a more effective communicator with a certain set of language skills. They should be able to talk and carry on a simple conversation . They sometimes can’t come up with their own words and rely on memorized words or phrases.

This usually happens in unfamiliar situations when they don’t understand what is being said and struggle to grasp the rules of conversation. You can expect your child to:

Participate in longer interactions with you
Play with other children successfully in familiar play routines
Draw your attention to something
Ask and answer questions
Talk about the past and the future
Express feelings
Make up their own sentences
Sometimes repair or fix what they say when someone doesn’t understand them

Setting Communication Goals

Now that you have read about the stages of communication, and know your child’s level of communication, you can set goals for them to challenge and actively encourage their communication.

You can do this by following Fern Sussman’s communication continuum as described in her book “More Than Words,” as well as this post.

Just because your child isn’t speaking, doesn’t mean that they aren’t communicating.

The key to helping your child communicate lies in setting realistic expectations for them . Ultimately, you want your child to achieve the following primary goals:

Interaction with you and other people
Communicating in new ways
Communicating for new reasons

The best way to achieve these goals is to use your child’s likes and dislikes, as well as their stage of communication .

Once you know your child’s stage, continue reading this article.

1) Goals for the Own Agenda Stage

Encourage your child to have joyful interactions with you in physical “People Games”
Set up situations for your child to communicate intentionally, starting with requests
Teach your child to take turns using forms of communication (body movement, eye contact, smiling, sounds, etc.) during physical and sensory play
Increase your child’s understanding of activities so that they can begin to respond to what you say

For more information, guidance, and techniques on how to work with your non-verbal child at the Own Agenda stage watch this video:

2) Goals for the Requester Stage

Help your child use an action or sound to get you to continue a physical “People Game”
Help your child replace pulling and leading you with forms of communication
Increase the things for which your child makes requests
Help your child understand several familiar words
Encourage your child to play “People Games” with other familiar people – like siblings or grandparents

This video will tell you how to work with a child at the Requester Stage:

3) Goals for the Early Communicator Stage

Teach your child to take turns with you and other people in physical “People Games”
Encourage your child to initiate physical “People Games” rather than just waiting for you to do so
Help your child increase their use of communication forms to make requests in new situations
“Echoes/copying” into spontaneous speech
Gestures into signs, speech, or picture communication
Picture communication into verbal communication
Single-word communication into short phrases
Refuse and protest
Answer questions
Say “hello” and “bye”
Shift their gaze between you and something they’re interested in
Draw your attention to someone or something
Comment on unusual or favorite things
Help your child understand familiar words and phrases and follow simple directions

4) Goals for the Partner Stage

Replacing “echolalia/copying” with their own words
Using correct words and sentences in conversation
Answering closed- and open-ended question
Talking about the past and future
Talking about feelings
Playing “Pretend”
Showing them how to start and end a conversation
Showing them how to stay on topic
Explaining that others don’t always understand what they mean so they have to change what they say
Explaining that they should ask for clarification if they don’t understand
Identify and describe feelings
Make comparisons
Problem-solve
That other people have different points of view
Help your child play and communicate successfully with other children

How to work with kids at the Early Communicator or Partner stage :

The best way to get your non-verbal child communicating is by giving them a reason to communicate . It is very tempting to ensure that your child has everything they need and that it is well within reach. However, if your child doesn’t have any difficulty getting what they want, then they don’t have any reason to communicate with you. Thus, you need to create situations that encourage communication.

Here are some suggestions to encourage children of all ages to communicate for a variety of reasons. Remember that not all of these communications need to be verbal . If your child communicates using sounds, gestures, facial expressions, or even pictures, then it counts as a communicative attempt.

Place their favorite things out of reach

If you place your child’s favorite food or toy on a high shelf or countertop that they can see but cannot reach, then they are more likely to ask you for help so that they can get it. You can also place these items in a clear plastic container that is hard to open. Your child will be able to see what they want, but they will have to ask you for help to get it

Use people toys

These toys are hard to operate and encourage interaction because your child needs your help to make them work. Give your child time to look at the toy and step in when you see them becoming frustrated or when they ask for your help.

Wind-up and squeeze toys

Once you have wound up a toy or squeezed it to make it jump it will stop moving. Hand it to your child and wait for them to request that you make it move again

Blow a few bubbles and then pause. Wait for your child to ask you to blow them again

Blow up a balloon and let the air out, then put the balloon to your mouth and wait for your child to ask you to blow it up again

Music boxes

Wind up the music box and let the music play, then wait for your child to ask you to do it again once the music has stopped

Jack-in-the-box

Wind up the jack-in-the-box and let him pop out. Wait for your child to ask you to do it again

Mirrors are fantastic for playing peek-a-boo games and copycat games. You can play any game or sing any song in front of the mirror. Wait for your child to ask you to do any of the activities again, and encourage them to play copycat games with you

Offer things bit-by-bit

If you give your child everything they want all at once, then they won’t need to ask you for anything. By giving your non-verbal child things in small amounts, you are providing them with more opportunities to communicate their needs to you. Some toys, like Lego ’s, are easy to give out bit-by-bit, as are snacks like raisins and potato chips.

Give all but one

Give your child all but one of the things they need for an activity. Hold it out of their reach, but in their view, and wait for them to ask you for it .

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Offer their least favorite things

Offer your child food, drink, or a toy that you know they do not like so that you give them the opportunity to say “no”

Let your child end the activity

Wait until your child gets bored with an activity and then let them tell you, through whatever mode of communication they prefer, that they have had enough

Use puppets, stuffed animals , or Legos

A puppet or a Lego Minifigur e can demonstrate greeting and saying “bye” by repeating the action several times as you make the puppet appear and disappear behind your back, encouraging your child to say it with you and then on their own

Ut ilize your window

Stand at your window when you are expecting guests and wave at them and say “hi” as they walk up to your door. Encourage your child to do the same and then eventually to do it on their own. You can do this when the guest leaves as well

Create predictable routines, then present a surprise

Adding a surprise to your daily routines encourages your child to react and to hopefully want to communicate about it

Look through a book whilst pointing and naming pictures, then turn a page and point to a picture but don’t say anything, let your child name the picture. Let your child help you unpack the groceries and show great interest in the items, naming them as you take them out of the bag. When you come to your child’s favorite food, wait for them to get excited and name it

Offer something different

Play with toys that use multiple pieces, like puzzles, and pass your child each piece. Then give them something completely different (like a marble) and wait for them to react

Make mistakes “accidentally”

Children love it when their parents make mistakes and do something silly. You could put their shoes on their feet the wrong way or try and put their trousers over their heads whilst getting dressed. You can wait for your child to react and then laugh about it

When all is going smoothly, make something go wrong

A good idea is when you are eating dinner or breakfast, you can “accidentally” drop your fork on the floor and wait for your child to react or let you know

Pretend you don’t know where things are

You and your child can search for things together if you act like you don’t know where they are. Exaggerate your distress and wait for your child to react

Pretend that you’re “broken”

Set situations up so that it looks like you are experiencing difficulty doing things. You could pretend that you don’t hear the doorbell ringing which gives your child an opportunity to get your attention and tell you what is going on

Start with easy choices

The easiest choice for your child to make is between two things that they can see. One must be something they really like and the other something that they dislike. Hold the choices up in front of them and at first, offer the favorite choice last.

This is because children who are first learning to make choices often choose the last object presented. Once your child is experienced in making choices, you can offer the favorite choice first.

Give visual cues

Your child will need visual cues to help them make choices at first. You can hold real objects, point to real objects, or point to pictures of real objects. Present these in the same way that you did for their easy choices and then increase the level of difficulty

Yes/No choices

This is the same method that you used for helping your child make easy choices, however, you now want to encourage them to verbalize. Hold up what they don’t want and encourage them to say “no.” If your child cannot answer, respond to them to show them what they should do and then try again. Do this with the item that they want as well

Speech Blubs was built for non-verbal children

Our app has plenty of vocabulary activities for your child to choose from, which encourages them to communicate intentionally by selecting what they would like to do and by working through the different situations in each of our “games.” By doing this, your child will learn and understand several familiar words and use them to initiate communication in new situations.

The kids on our app prompt your child when to speak, and because of the fun nature of our “games,” you’re likely to find your child requesting to play and responding to you in no time at all!

The app supports non-verbal children by allowing them to learn initially whilst observing the kids in the app. They can then begin to imitate the kids when they’re ready.

Remember, if you are unsure about why your child may be non-verbal or if they are having difficulty communicating, you can use our free screener by downloading our app. The screener will highlight your child’s strengths and weaknesses and we’ll even give you a personalized report and actionable advice with the results. You can download the app from the App Store or Google Play .

You have an ally in Speech Blubs and our biggest success is seeing your child achieve their greatest potential.

Have a question for our Speech Therapists?

The author’s views are entirely his or her own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Blub Blub Inc. All content provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgement, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

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Therapy Brands Celebrates Mental Health Providers!

Mental Health Awareness Month

Therapeutic approaches for non-verbal clients.

Non-verbal client signing during therapy session

As a mental health provider, you are honored to work with a diverse variety of individuals. With different backgrounds, needs, and experiences, each person you work with teaches you something new and gives you a chance to become better at your craft while helping someone strengthen their skills. Most often, the therapeutic setting involves the exchange of dialogue. Verbal communication is frequently viewed as a pillar of mental health care because communication is how providers and their clients exchange thoughts, experiences, ideas, and feedback. But what happens when verbal communication is not an option?

Why Might a Client Be Non-Verbal?

Clients may be non-verbal for a wide number of reasons. Some of the most common include:

Non-Verbal Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – According to the CDC , autism spectrum disorder is “a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain.” It is an umbrella term that covers many different developmental disabilities showing issues with social communication, interactions, repetitive behaviors, different ways of learning, paying attention, and more. Someone with ASD may be non-verbal for their entire life, a period in their life, or for intermittent periods in their life, depending on their unique symptoms, experiences, and circumstances.
Apraxia of Speech – Apraxia of speech is a motor speech disorder that makes it challenging to speak. As a child, the pathways that a brain uses to communicate messages to your muscles and mouth to talk and make noises do not work as they should – impacting speech. Adults can develop apraxia of speech after a brain injury, stroke, dementia, tumors, or brain disease. Depending on the severity of their apraxia, a client may have varying levels of difficulty speaking to their provider or may be completely non-verbal.
Aphasia – Aphasia is a disorder that impacts one’s ability to communicate – usually after a stroke or head injury. Someone with Aphasia may be non-verbal or may speak in short/incomplete sentences that do not make sense, confuse their words, speak unrecognizable words, and have trouble understanding others. They may also struggle to understand written language.
Selective Mutism/Traumatic Mutism – Selective mutism is a complex anxiety disorder in children/adolescents marked by their inability to speak in social settings. They often have a genuine fear of social interactions that causes them to go silent. This may apply to the therapeutic setting. A provider working with children may encounter a child that does not speak to them out of anxiety. This is different from traumatic mutism, which applies to all situations, not just social ones. Children may go completely non-verbal after experiencing something traumatic due to their inability to process that event.

While you may have clients that are unable to or have difficulty communicating verbally, the relationship can still thrive. As their provider, you need to implement non-verbal communication methods to help bridge the gap.

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What is Non-Verbal Communication?

Non-verbal communication is the “act of conveying information without the use of words.”

Types of Non-Verbal Communication and Tips to Apply Them in Therapy

Body Language

Client: Even with verbal clients, body language can tell quite a bit. Pay attention to how your client is moving or positioning themselves to try and interpret their mood/emotions/feelings. Changes in body language can include posture, hand movements, and eye contact. For example, if their shoulders are tense, they’re hunched over, and their arms are crossed, they may be feeling nervous, reserved, or even frustrated. You can use body language to help your clients feel more at ease by making sure you remain relaxed, your arms stay uncrossed, and you don’t use rapid movements that could alarm them.
Movement – How are they moving in their space? Are they tapping their foot rapidly? They may be anxious. Opening their arms for a hug or a handshake? Then they may be open to the opportunity in front of them. Are they exploring the room around them? Then they may be curious.
Gestures – Pay attention to how your client is using their hands and arms to gesture around them. Are they pointing? They may want to show you something. Are they making a shape? They may be trying to describe something. You can try to repeat your client’s gestures to show that you understand what they’re communicating to you.
Paralanguage – Paralanguage is a type of speech that does not involve words but may involve intonation, pitch/speed, hesitation noises, gestures, and facial expressions. They are the vocal but nonverbal elements of communication by speech. A client may be using paralanguage to emphasize a point or communicate a feeling/emotion around an idea. For example, a non-verbal client may point emphatically at something they want to show you and say “ah!” to show you that it is important to them that you see.
Facial Expressions – Facial expressions can tell you a lot. A wrinkled brow can tell you when someone is perturbed. A teary eye can tell you when someone is upset or sad. A smile can tell you when someone is feeling joyful or happy. You may not need someone to use words to tell you how they feel if they can express it with their facial expressions. As therapists, you should try to maintain a calm and reassuring face when communicating with clients in a way that helps them know that you understand them.
Eye Contact – Eye contact combined with facial expressions can tell a therapist everything they need to know about a client’s feelings. Fluttered eye contact with a worried brow and told you that someone might be nervous around you. Lack of eye contact can tell you that someone may not be ready to communicate with you. Constant eye contact can tell you that someone is listening to you. As their provider, you should always make eye contact with your clients when they’re communicating with you.
Touch – Also known as haptics, touch is a form of non-verbal communication that includes handshakes and high-fives in the therapeutic setting. For therapists working with children, it may be appropriate to give a high-five when completing an activity to communicate a good effort.

There are many ways to communicate with non-verbal clients and still have a thriving therapeutic relationship.

TheraNest Professional offers everything you need to power your practice, all in one place, 24/7, so you can get back to what you do best – helping clients. Interested in learning more? Sign up for a free 21-day tria l today!

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Nonverbal Communication Skills: 19 Theories & Findings

In it, he introduces the concept of dramaturgy, which compares everyday social interactions to actors’ portrayals of characters, suggesting that one’s social interactions are analogous to a string of varying performances (Ritzer, 2021).

Goffman’s work also included the concept of impression management. The key to impression management includes appearance; your manner of interacting; and the attitudes conveyed through gestures, facial expressions, and nonverbal skills (Ritzer, 2021).

William Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage.”

I’m not a trained actor, but teaching public speaking courses has made me aware that audiences seem to prefer speakers who use a variety of hand gestures. These gestures signify the speaker as “warm, agreeable, and energetic” (Goman, 2021).

Just that nugget of information has taught me to incorporate hand gestures to develop my public speaking skills.

What other nonverbal communication skills enhance daily interactions?

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free . These science-based tools will help you and those you work with build better social skills and better connect with others.

This Article Contains:

What is nonverbal communication, 9 types of nonverbal communication skills, is nonverbal communication important, 2 psychology theories and models, 8 fascinating research findings, importance in counseling and healthcare, resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

Nonverbal communication is a way to convey information “achieved through facial expressions, gestures, touching (haptics), physical movements (kinesics), posture, body adornment (clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, tattoos, etc.), and even the tone, timbre, and volume of an individual’s voice (rather than spoken content)” (Navarro & Karlins, 2008, p. 2–4).

In this YouTube video, Joe Navarro explains several nonverbal communication cues, exposes some myths, and discusses his work with nonverbal communication in law enforcement.

Marco Iacoboni (2008, p. 81), author of Mirroring People , takes it a step further, stating that “gestures accompanying speech have a dual role of helping the speakers to express their thoughts and helping the listeners/viewers understand what is being said.”

To competently read body language, Navarro and Karlins (2008) provide suggestions such as rigorous observation and a familiarity with the person’s baseline behaviors. They also recommend watching for changes, or ‘tells.’

Navarro and Karlins (2008) advise becoming familiar with universal behaviors and contextualizing nonverbal cues. However, cultural norms could inhibit rigorous observation.

Characteristics of nonverbal communication

The United States is considered a low-context communication culture (MacLachlan, 2010). This means that much of the information in a message comes directly from words rather than through implication or body language.

This style of communication involves lots of verbal detail so as not to confuse listeners. Low-context cultures rely less on nonverbal communication, which can obscure or censor portions of the message.

Nonverbal communication is culturally determined, and it is largely unconscious. It indicates the speaker’s emotional state. When nonverbal cues conflict with the verbal message, it may convey confusion or deception (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Finally, nonverbal communication varies by gender and displays power differentials, information effective leaders can use to influence others (Hybels & Weaver, 2015; Henley, 1977).

Nonverbal communication of successful leaders

It’s essential for leaders to read body language, also known as decoding. Deciphering between engagement (e.g., nodding, tilting the head, open body postures) and disengagement (e.g., body tilting away, crossed arms and legs) can be the difference between success and failure (Goman, 2021).

Successful actors could be considered professional first-impression artists. Like actors, leaders often find themselves center stage; they must learn the art of creating first impressions.

Subjective awareness and the ability to express yourself nonverbally are known as encoding – crucial for positive first impressions. Advice from professional actors includes a maintaining a pleasant facial expression, good posture, pausing, breathing, relaxing, and avoiding hiding your hands (Shellenbarger, 2018).

This video , 8 Things Successful People Do to Look Confident , provides quick tips for confident body language even if you’re not feeling confident.

First impressions are said to be formed in less than seven seconds (Goman, 2021). In this short time, others formulate labels such as “powerful,” “submissive,” or “trustworthy.” Evolved leaders incorporate mindfulness to help.

Naz Beheshti (2018) states, “Evolved leaders… use nonverbal tools mindfully and deliberately to reinforce their message.” She goes on to say, “this lifts the value of your communication and your value as a leader” (Beheshti, 2018).

Awareness of self, others, and the situation (mindfulness) allows us to ensure that our gestures and body language align with our spoken words. This creates congruence and generates trustworthiness (Beheshti, 2018; Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

This means we are analyzing several, simultaneous nonverbal cues. A frustrated person may tap their foot, cross their arms, and tightly squeeze their biceps (Jones, 2013). These clusters may cross over and include a variety of nonverbal categories, summarized below.

1. Kinesics

Kinesics is the study of how we move our body, specifically the head, hands, body, and arms (Jones, 2013). This includes sending messages through facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and posture.

Haptics is the study of touch or coming into physical contact with another person (Hybels & Weaver, 2015). Throughout history, touch has been surrounded by mystery and taboo. We are perplexed by healing touch and riveted by stories of infants who perished due to lack of touch. Touch can denote relationship, status, power, and personality (Henley, 1977).

Cultural norms dictate guidelines regarding touch. Mindfulness regarding social and environmental settings is prudent. We greet a friend at an informal party differently than we would greet a boss or coworker in a professional setting.

3. Proxemics

The study of space and distance is called proxemics, and it analyzes how people use the space around them (Hybels & Weaver, 2015).

This YouTube video is a fun demonstration of students completing a school project on personal space and the discomfort felt by both humans and animals when social norms are violated.

4. Territory

Territory is often used to display power or reveal a lack thereof.

“'[P]osture expansiveness,’ positioning oneself in a way that opens up the body and takes up space, activated a sense of power that produced behavioral changes in a subject independent of their actual rank or role in an organization” (Goman, 2021).

Expansiveness conveys power.

5. Environment

Environment includes objects we use to adorn ourselves and the artifacts we surround ourselves with in order to create an impression. These objects provide nonverbal cues that help others form impressions (Jones, 2013).

6. Paralinguistics

Paralinguistics, also known as vocalics, is the study of how we speak and involves pitch, volume, rate of speech, tone, quality, tempo, resonance, rhythm, and articulation to help determine the context of the message (Jones, 2013).

7. Chronemics

Chronemics is the study of time, including how it is used. Nancy Henley (1977, p. 43), author of Body Politics: Power, Sex & Nonverbal Communication , asserts “Time is far from a neutral philosophical/physical concept in our society: it is a political weapon.”

Henley (1977, p. 47) describes the concept of “ritual waiting,” stating, “The more important the person, the longer we will ungrudgingly wait for the service or honor of attention.”

8. Attractiveness

The power of drawing attention to oneself doesn’t rely on physical appeal alone. Although facial symmetry and fashion of adornment are important (Jones, 2013), people who master good eye contact, have a lively face, offer encouragement, and use open gestures are also considered attractive (Kuhnke, 2012).

9. Olfactics

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Nonverbal communication is very important, as you could reveal unintentional information, as well as cause your communication to be misinterpreted.

Leakage: Unintentional messages

Teaching social–emotional skills to incarcerated people provided me with a powerful lesson about the nuances of nonverbal communication. On a particularly challenging day, I thought it wise to meditate and center myself prior to entering the jail. However, upon seeing me, the people inside began inquiring what was going on with me. What did they detect?

Nonverbal leakage can be shown through micro-expressions, which are “very fast facial movements lasting 1/25 to 1/5 of a second” and indicate a person’s real feelings (Ekman, 2003, p. 214).

This YouTube video is the opening scene of the series Lie to Me , based on the work of Paul Ekman regarding micro-expressions.

Varying statistics on the value of nonverbal communication may cause concern for those less practiced, but which statistics are accurate?

Crossed messages

The original research from Mehrabian and Ferris (1967) regarding nonverbal communication is widely interpreted. Elizabeth Kuhnke (2012, p. 10), author of Body Language for Dummies , interprets the study, saying, “55% of the emotional message in face-to-face communication results from body language.”

A nonverbal communication formula often cited is 7–38–55, which indicates 7% of the message comes from words, 38% vocal, and 55% facial. However, Lapakko (2007) believes this formula is reckless, faulty, and misleading. Sometimes the nonverbal elements of a message, such as gestures with directions, are incredibly important, and at other times incidental.

In addition, what something “means” in communication is connected to such variables as culture, history of the relationship, people’s intentions, personal experiences, time of day and specific words used. It would be naive to suggest all these nuances could be neatly quantified, and therefore attributing a precise formula to nonverbal communication is flawed in many ways.

So regardless of statistics and formulas, we know that nonverbal communication is essential and that people skilled at both reading and interpreting body language tend to enjoy greater success in life than those not skilled (Goleman, 1997).

Basic emotion theory

Basic emotion theory (BET) posits that emotions are a “grammar of social living” that situate us in the social and moral order of society (Keltner, Sauter, Tracy, & Cowen, 2019, p. 133). In addition, emotions structure interactions, particularly in relationships that matter. BET is integral to emotional expression.

Foundational to BET is the assumption that emotional expressions coordinate social interactions in three ways:

Through rapid conveyance of important information to aid in decision making
To evoke specific responses
To serve as incentives for others’ actions

This is accomplished through reward systems such as parents smiling and caressing a child who exhibits specific behaviors (Keltner et al., 2019).

BET initially focused on six basic emotions. Literature reveals there are over 20 emotions with distinct, multimodal expressions, providing a deeper structure and highlighting the advancing nature of emotional expression (Keltner et al., 2019).

Neural resonance

Two people who like each other will mirror each other’s facial expressions, gestures, postures, vocalics, and movements. This is known as neural resonance, and it aids the accurate transfer of information from one person to another (Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

To fully understand what another is saying, “you have to listen to and observe the other person as deeply and fully as possible” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 81). Neural resonance uses mirror neurons to create cooperation, empathy, and trust.

Studying nonverbal communication is revealing and intriguing. Most experts will include aspects such as eyes, facial expressions, and hands, but digging deeper reveals less-acknowledged nonverbal nuggets.

1. The benefits of yawning

Yawning is one of the fastest and simplest ways to lower mental stress and anxiety (Waldman & Manning, 2017). Social norms dictate that we refrain from yawning in specific settings, but yawning has many benefits. Did you know that snipers are taught to yawn before pulling the trigger (Waldman & Manning, 2017)?

According to Waldman and Manning (2017), yawning stimulates alertness and concentration; optimizes brain activity and metabolism; improves cognitive functioning; increases recall, consciousness, and introspection; decreases stress and relaxes the upper body; recalibrates a sense of timing; enhances social awareness and empathy; and increases sensuality and pleasure.

2. Feet don’t lie

According to Navarro and Karlins (2008), the most honest part of our body is our feet, as demonstrated by small children who dance with happiness or stomp in frustration. Many people look to the face for truth; Navarro and Karlins take the opposite approach:

“When it comes to honesty, truthfulness decreases as we move from the feet to the head” (Navarro & Karlins, 2008, p. 56), reasoning that emotions are suppressed through fabricated facial expression.

3. Gestures that help

Gestures improve memory and comprehension skills. Gestures may convey information that can influence how listeners respond, depending on the hand being used. “We tend to express positive ideas with our dominant hand and negative ideas with the other hand” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 44).

4. The eyes have it

“Social network circuits are stimulated through face-to-face eye contact, decreasing cortisol, and increasing oxytocin. The result is increased empathy, social cooperation, and positive communication” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 135).

Eyes reveal a lot about us. When we are aroused, troubled, concerned, or nervous, our blink rate increases. Once we relax, our blink rate returns to normal (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

5. Power posing for success

Body language affects how others see us and how we view ourselves. In this YouTube video, Amy Cuddy discusses her research on power posing and how it affects success.

Amy Cuddy’s book is also discussed in our article listing books on imposter syndrome .

6. Fingers crossed

One explanation of the origin of crossing fingers for good luck comes from early beliefs in the power of the cross. The intersection of the digits, epitomizing the cross, was thought to denote a concentration of good spirits and served to anchor a wish until it came true (Keyser, 2014).

7. Fake positivity is harmful

Positivity that doesn’t register in your body or heart can be harmful. According to Barbara Fredrickson (2009, p. 180), “fake smiles, just like sneers of anger, predict heart wall collapse.” To truly benefit from a smile, touch, or embrace, you need to slow down and make it heartfelt.

8. Stand up straight

Poor posture can reduce oxygen intake by 30%, resulting in less energy (Gordon, 2003). Stooping over can make us look and feel old and out of touch. By straightening up, we can make significant differences in how we think and feel. The effect is bi-directional; attitude influences posture, just as posture influences attitude.

Good rapport between clients and practitioners stems from mirroring and synchronicity associated with neural resonance (Finset & Piccolo, 2011; Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

Carl Rogers’s Client-Centered Therapy is based on an empathetic understanding of clients. Nonverbal communication provides valuable information for both the client and the therapist. Showing you like and accept a client may be the most important information a therapist can convey (Finset & Piccolo, 2011).

Nonverbal patterns in therapy evolve over time. Specific behaviors that further the therapeutic process include “a moderate amount of head nodding and smiling; frequent, but not staring, eye contact; active, but not extreme, facial responsiveness; and a warm, relaxed, interested vocal tone” (Finset & Piccolo, 2011, p. 122).

Conscious awareness of nonverbal cues can aid in rapport building. Leaning toward the other signals comfort, whereas leaning away or crossing your arms signals discomfort (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Torsos and shoulder blades seem innocuous; however, blading away (turning slightly) from another person shows discomfort, while blading toward or facing another squarely shows a level of comfort (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Open palms are an ancient sign of trustworthiness that help establish rapport and are considered nonthreatening (Kuhnke, 2012). Hidden hands (placed in pockets or behind backs) signal disconnection and reluctance to engage. To display respect, keep an open posture with your muscles relaxed and weight evenly distributed.

Mirroring and matching go a long way to show synchronicity. Be careful to avoid mimicry, which signals disrespect (Kuhnke, 2012). Too much of a good thing can jeopardize credibility. An extended, fixed gaze into another’s eyes or effortful smiling can seem awkward, or worse.

This short YouTube video explains the dynamics of fluctuating facial expressions, based on the work of Charles Darwin and Paul Ekman.

This Silent Connections worksheet is an exercise for groups that combines mindfulness and nonverbal communication to build connections.

Someone who lacks the ability to make eye contact during conversation can be easily misinterpreted. To overcome this nonverbal communication issue, our Strategies for Maintaining Eye Contact can be very useful.

Our blog post 49 Communication Activities, Exercises, and Games includes six nonverbal communication activities for adults and three nonverbal exercises that work for families and children.

The blog post What Is Assertive Communication? 10 Real-Life Examples includes nonverbal qualities that complement and enhance assertive statements. Hints for eye contact, facial expressions, and posture can be found throughout.

In the blog post Cultivating Social Intelligence : 3 Ways to Understand Others , we discuss characteristics of social intelligence, including body language.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others communicate better, this collection contains 17 validated positive communication tools for practitioners. Use them to help others improve their communication skills and form deeper and more positive relationships.

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Updated monthly. 100% Science-based.

“The best positive psychology resource out there!” — Emiliya Zhivotovskaya , Flourishing Center CEO

Nonverbal communication is an essential communication skill. Nonverbal expertise aids in delivering clear messages and forming positive impressions. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture to make a difference. Gently stroking the hand of a grieving friend speaks volumes.

Viewing life as a series of dramatic performances, as implied by both Shakespeare and Goffman, can add a sense of intrigue and adventure to enhancing nonverbal communication. These essential skills will help us achieve goals.

Just as the highly motivated thespian will study and polish their craft, anyone wanting to succeed in their career or interpersonal relationships can study and practice the nuances of nonverbal communication.

Actors and public speakers often practice their craft in front of a mirror or videotape themselves to reflect on strengths and weaknesses.

This article includes a myriad of resources to help improve nonverbal communication skills with many additional resources available.

By starting with something as simple as posture, we exit stage right, headed toward the competency of center stage. Break a leg!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free .

Beheshti, N. (2018, September 20). The power of mindful nonverbal communication. Forbes . Retrieved April 26, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nazbeheshti/2018/09/20/beyond-language-the-power-of-mindful-nonverbal-communication/?sh=6f40b3d71501
Ekman, P. (2003). Emotions revealed: Recognizing faces and feelings to improve communication and emotional life . Holt Paperbacks.
Finset, A., & Piccolo, L. D. (2011). Nonverbal communication in clinical contexts. In M. Rimondini (Ed.), Communication in cognitive-behavioral therapy (pp. 107–128). Springer Science + Business Media.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2009). Positivity . Crown Publishing Group.
Goffman, E. (1956). The presentation of self in everyday life . University of Edinburgh.
Goleman, D. (1997). Emotional intelligence . Bantam Trade Paperback.
Goman, C. K. (2018, August 26). 5 Ways body language impacts leadership results. Forbes. Retrieved May 1, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2018/08/26/5-ways-body-language-impacts-leadership-results/?sh=5c1b235c536a
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15 Therapy Activities to Engage Non-Verbal Children

Working with non-verbal children can present a unique set of challenges. It is not uncommon for Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Special Education Teachers to encounter non-verbal children in their therapy jobs. Therapists’ resources are often limited in the variety of activities to engage this audience. However, speech therapists can maximize learning moments for their students by utilizing a variety of effective tools and resources. Luckily, there are several activities you can incorporate into your therapy job – here are 15 of the best!

1. Routines Boards – Use visual boards with single-step actions to help clients learn common routines. You can create a board for brushing teeth which includes Get Toothbrush, Wet Toothbrush under Faucet, Apply a Small Amount of Toothpaste, Brush Front of Teeth, Brush Back of Teeth, Brush Sides of Teeth, etc. Include as much or as little detail as the individual client needs to complete the task. Other visual boards might include Packing Backpack for School, Doing Homework, and Cleaning Up After Dinner.

2. Red Light, Green Light – Non-verbal children often struggle with basic commands. Use games like Red Light, Green Light to encourage them to follow directions in a way that can be carried over to the home environment. Use rewards for positive responses. To play Red Light, Green Light, line the children up in a straight line. Explain to them that, when you say Green Light, the children move forward. When you say Red Light, the children must stop. The terms “Red Light” and “Green Light” can then be used for other actions as one of their basic commands.

3. Practice Sharing – Play is an important activity for non-verbal children, and school-based therapists can facilitate this activity by practicing sharing. While the child is engaged in play with an object such as a toy car or tea set, occasionally take the toy from them. Then help the child learn ways to communicate that they want the toy back. This may be through the use of sign language or body language.

4. Daily Journals – Even non-verbal children have something to say, and journaling can be a valuable tool that school-based therapists can incorporate. Journals can be written or provide pictures and illustrations for children who cannot write. Use writing prompts to stimulate ideas. Prompts might include Favorite Foods, I Feel ____ When ____, My Best Friend Is ____.

5. See and Say – For younger children, animal sounds are a great way to introduce verbal communication. Use toys such as “See and Say” to help children identify animals by their sounds and begin to verbalize those sounds. Simple animal toys can also be used to facilitate this activity.

6. Modeling – The students take turns modeling the emotion shown in the picture using pictures of emotions such as sad, happy, angry, and hurt. This helps non-verbal children recognize emotions in others and learn how to display those emotions so that children can be recognized as expressing them .

7. Hide and Seek – Using a toy or other reward, a therapist’s job is to hide an object in the room and encourage the student to use functional communication to locate the toy or reward. Sign Language, PECs, or body language can be used to seek answers to the object’s location.

8. Sensory Bags – Sensory bags are a great way to help non-verbal children develop coordination, learn concentration, and use multiple senses while exploring their environment. Sensory bags can be made with various materials, including rice, flour and water, and even hair gel. Create bags that allow children to draw or search for treasures.

9. Playing House – Role play games can be an excellent way to help younger students learn words for common household items or social interactions. Other ideas for role play include restaurant, school, or store.

10. The Name Game – Non-verbal children often struggle with recognition of their own names. Speech and language therapists can play the Name Game to help them identify with the sound of their own name and respond appropriately. Play this game in small groups of 3 or 4 students calling out names at random, including the names of the students present. Whenever a student’s name is used, have the other students point to that student and have the student whose name was called, stand up. When the student stands, provide a small reward such as a sticker or a small piece of candy.

11. Textures and Feelings – While non-verbal children struggle to communicate with the spoken word, they do not lack a sense of touch, and certainly have a full range of emotions. School-based therapists can put together a box of materials with different textures to help identify emotions that “feel” like the textures they are touching. Sand paper might be frustration, while cotton balls might be love. Use pictures or word queue cards with emotions.

12. Build a Sandwich – Therapists can help non-verbal children learn steps and details through the use of pretend assembly play. Using materials to create the ingredients for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or S’mores is a fun way to teach students the importance of steps and how to navigate directions.

13. Face Puzzles – Use Face Puzzles to allow children to show what emotions they may be feeling or help them identify what emotions would be appropriate in various settings.

14. Experience Books – When a child goes on a field trip or has a unique experience, that activity can be utilized as an ongoing teaching tool through the use of Experience Books. During the field trip, take lots of pictures of the things the child sees and does. Then print those pictures out with short sentences that help to recall and describe the experience. Picture books can help children identify objects and emotions they may not experience daily but can recall and are familiar with.

15. Same and Different – Sorting, matching, and classifying are the beginning steps to communication, whether verbal or non-verbal. Playing activities like Same and Different allows the therapist to integrate these skills with more advanced levels of communication. Same and Different activities come in the form of worksheets, card sets, and even iPad apps.

In addition to these, there are a variety of websites that offer online speech therapy activities, including Owlie Boo , Mommy Speech Therapy , and Tiny Tap .

Whether teaching children the beginning stages of becoming verbal or working with students who cannot become verbal, we hope these activities help to expand your list of tools and make your therapy job easier!

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Looking for a therapy job? Check out our current openings: https://jobs.txsource.com

In the realm of speech therapy, the collaboration between therapists and a child’s primary support system—parents and caregivers—is pivotal. This partnership not only enhances the child’s progress but also fosters a supportive environment conducive to continuous learning and development. Engaging parents and caregivers in speech therapy goals requires thoughtful strategies and effective communication, ensuring that […]

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10+ Best Wordless Videos for Speech Therapy: Animated Shorts

10+ of the best wordless videos for speech therapy and language development. We’ve compiled a list of all of our favorite animated shorts in this quick post!

Animated shorts are entertaining for kids of all ages and also incorporate some (sneaky) language-based concepts. These wordless videos are great as a therapy material... "Even without any speech?” Of course!

Wordless videos provide opportunities for spontaneous commenting, problem solving, and emotional inferencing (just to name a few). Since we use them so frequently in therapy, we decided to compile a list of 12 of our personal favorites.

“But I want to know how I can apply them in speech therapy!” We’ve got you covered there too! Check out our post from back in February discussing specific ways to use wordless videos in speech therapy to target specific language concepts.

Best Wordless Videos for Speech Therapy

Mouse for Sale

Snack Attack

Sweet Cocoon

Ormie the Pig

Carrot Crazy

For the Birds

The Egyptian Pyramids

Trouble in Paradise

La Petite Cordonnier (The Small Shoemaker)

Comment below to tell us your favorite wordless video!

Looking for more resources?

Never run out of entertaining wordless videos and animated shorts.

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Our comprehensive goal banks for school-aged language, AAC, Early Intervention & preschool, and fluency are available on our site or Teachers Pay Teachers store !

Save time creating goals with over THOUSANDS of possible goal combinations. Select your own combination of DO + CONDITION + CRITERION (and consistency) statements to develop personalized and measurable goals for your caseload.

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Nonverbal Autism: Can Speech Therapy Help?

Autism is not a disease. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to persistent deficits in social interactions, communication, and interpersonal relationships. Autism is a spectrum disorder because the signs and symptoms may affect people to varying degrees.

An early diagnosis of autism can help a child receive the necessary support and therapy. Early interventions can help make up for some of the communication deficits characteristic of ASD. However, there is no cure for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

While most individuals on the spectrum experience communication challenges and speech delays, around 25% to 30% children with ASD may not speak at all.

What Is Non-Speaking Autism?

Earlier, experts referred to this type of autism as nonverbal autism . These days, authorized sources refer to it as non-speaking autism spectrum disorder . The term “nonverbal” may not be entirely accurate since the person may prefer other means of communication over spoken words.

It is common for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to repeat what they hear. Experts refer to this as ‘echolalia.’ While it is not a trait of nonspeaking autism, it may contribute to speech delays in a child.

Even when a person is “minimally verbal” or “non-verbal”, they may choose to use written words and picture boards to communicate. Research shows that most of them can recognize and understand the words they hear.

Neurotypical children babble in attempts to “copy” the speech of adults. It signals the early development of speech and language in a child. Children who don’t babble by the age of 4-months are at a higher risk of nonspeaking ASD.

However, parents of nonspeaking children with ASD shouldn’t lose all hope. Research shows that a majority of all 4-year olds with ASD have the chance of developing spoken language with correct intervention. Speech therapy for non verbal autism is typically recommended for children with ASD and their parents since they typically do not have any intellectual disability.

What Are the Causes of Nonverbal Autism?

Currently, there is no literature on the causes of nonspeaking Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Even the most renowned neuroscientists, psychologists, and neurologists are yet to discover what causes some people to not use spoken language.

Recently published studies show deficits in the oscillations of theta and gamma waves in the brain of minimally verbal children. It may open doors for new research in the areas concerning the causes of nonspeaking autism in the population.

It can be especially confusing since these people may prefer to use American Sign Language (ASL), picture tools, and communication boards. They are not averse to communicating entirely, but they prefer non-spoken forms of communication.

Some individuals with autism may have childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). It makes it nearly impossible for these children to speak without the intervention of a trained speech-language pathologist (SLP).

Your pediatrician will also check your child for any malformations of the articulators and loss of hearing. This will rule out physiological anomalies that may keep your child from speaking.

However, most children on the spectrum do not have childhood apraxia of speech or articulatory malformations. They simply do not speak!

How is Nonspeaking Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosed?

If your child is over a year old and hasn’t said their first words yet then you should speak with a speech-language pathologist (SLP). An SLP should be able to conduct necessary tests and evaluations to determine if your child has autism.

You can compare your child’s speech and language development with a standardized speech checklist to understand if you need to consult an expert.

Most children and adults with autism spectrum disorder have difficulties continuing a conversation with a person, or speaking in a social setup. However, those with nonspeaking autism may not speak at all.

In some cases, children have childhood apraxia of speech, selective mutism or childhood-onset fluency disorders that co-occur with autism and make communication challenging.

To receive a confirmed diagnosis, you may need to talk to your pediatrician. They should be equipped to screen your child for ASD. The pediatrician may request a battery of tests including –

A Physical Examination
Blood Tests
MRI and CT scans
Hearing Tests

The reports of these tests may help to rule out other potential causes of a child’s mutism.

Depending on the report of these tests the medical professional may request more tests, such as –

A full medical history of the parents and child
Older reports and review of the mother’s pregnancy, complete with the list of medicines consumed during the time
A complete review of the child’s health, hospitalizations and medical treatments

A developmental-behavioral clinician may use the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) and the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS-3) for the assessment of younger children who are experiencing severe speech and language delay.

What Are The Early Signs Of Nonspeaking Autism?

It is not easy to recognize the signs of autism in a young child. Here are a few signs of non-verbal autism that are present in very young children –

They do not respond to their name by their first birthday
They do not laugh or babble by the time they are 12-months old
The child may not point by the time they are 14-months old
A child with ASD typically doesn’t pretend play by the time they are 24-months old
The child may avoid eye contact and prefer to remain alone
A child with ASD may become upset or agitated by minor changes in their daily routine
They may rock their body or flap their hands (stimming) for comfort

How Does Speech Therapy Help Children With Nonspeaking Autism?

There is no cure for autism. The existing treatment for autism relies on behavioral interventions, speech therapy and family counseling. These can help a person overcome the more severe symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and certain developmental delays.

Here’s how speech therapy can motivate children with nonspeaking autism to talk –

1. Speech Therapy Can Encourage Interactions

Studies show that children on the spectrum respond positively to play-based therapy. Speech therapists incorporate play-based therapy which includes toys that entice the child.

You can create a list of activities with the help of the speech-language pathologist (SLP) that both you and your child enjoy.

Play-therapy with your child will give you more chances to interact with them. If your child doesn’t have any aversion towards socializing, your therapist may recommend groups for your child’s play therapy sessions. They may get to interact with other children with similar diagnoses and you will get the chance to speak to their parents.

2. It Builds Communication Skills

It may sound counterintuitive to a concerned parent. However, research shows that children with nonspeaking autism may prefer other forms of communication.

With the help of an SLP you can determine which methods of communication your child prefers. They may rely on gestures, nodding or pointing.

Try to exaggerate your response to their efforts. For example, if your child points towards the dog. Extend your hand, and say “Dog”. Or, nod and say “yes” out loud when responding to your child’s request.

Always respond to your child’s gestures with spoken words. Point to an object before saying its name or interacting with it in front of your child.

3. It Teaches Alternative and Augmentative Forms Of Communication (AAC)

Children with nonspeaking autism may simply prefer other forms of communication. Your child may already be using the no-tech to low-tech options of Alternative and Augmentative Forms of Communication (AAC) like pointing, gesturing or drawing.

An SLP can teach them how to use other tech-powered options like using an app on an iPad or smartphone.

Some older children with nonspeaking autism benefit from learning the use of speech-generating devices on a computer.

When your child begins attending therapy, you will understand whether they may advance in their speech skills. In most cases, children with autism understand spoken language, but prefer to use other forms of language to communicate.

The target of speech therapy in such cases is to provide them with resources and teach them the skills necessary for communication.

4. Speech Therapy Can Boost the Understanding of Language

Although not very common, some children with nonspeaking ASD may have deficits in the understanding of spoken language .

Attending therapy sessions with an experienced speech therapist or SLP can help them expand their understanding of verbal communication.

Children on the spectrum often struggle with understanding the intention of the speaker. Studies show that speech therapy sessions can enable a child to understand the meaning behind facial expressions and determine the intention of an individual to some extent.

Therefore, speech therapy can boost their communication skills significantly.

What Lies Beyond Speech Therapy?

Since many, if not most individuals with nonspeaking autism spectrum disorder prefer not to use spoken language for communication, speech therapy may not benefit older children.

If your child is speaking a few words after attending speech therapy, that is a sign of improvement. As your SLP will say, speech therapy for autism takes time, especially in the case of someone with nonspeaking autism.

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What is body language?

The importance of body language, types of body language and nonverbal communication, how body language can go wrong, how to improve nonverbal communication, tip 1: learn to manage stress in the moment, tip 2: develop your emotional awareness, tip 3: better read body language, body language and nonverbal communication communicating without words.

Your facial expressions, gestures, posture, and tone of voice are powerful communication tools. Here’s how to read and use body language to build better relationships at home and work.

Body language is the use of physical behavior, expressions, and mannerisms to communicate nonverbally, often done instinctively rather than consciously. Whether you’re aware of it or not, when you interact with others, you’re continuously giving and receiving wordless signals. All of your nonverbal behaviors—the gestures you make, your posture, your tone of voice, how much eye contact you make—send strong messages.

In fact, it’s not the words that you use but your nonverbal cues or body language that speak the loudest. They can put people at ease, build trust, and draw others towards you, or they can offend, confuse, and undermine what you’re trying to convey. These messages don’t stop when you stop speaking either. Even when you’re silent, you’re still communicating nonverbally.

In some instances, what comes out of your mouth and what you communicate through your body language may be two totally different things. If you say one thing, but your body language says something else, your listener will likely feel that you’re being dishonest. If you say “yes” while shaking your head no, for example. When faced with such mixed signals, the listener has to choose whether to believe your verbal or nonverbal message. Since body language is a natural, unconscious language that broadcasts your true feelings and intentions, they’ll likely choose the nonverbal message.

However, by improving how you understand and use body language and nonverbal communication, you can express what you really mean, connect better with others, and build stronger, more rewarding relationships—both in your personal and professional relationships.

Your nonverbal communication cues—the way you listen, look, move, and react—tell the person you’re communicating with whether or not you care, if you’re being truthful, and how well you’re listening. When your nonverbal signals match up with the words you’re saying, they increase trust, clarity, and rapport. When they don’t, they can generate tension, mistrust, and confusion.

If you want to become a better communicator, it’s important to become more sensitive not only to the body language and nonverbal cues of others, but also to your own.

Body language can play five roles:

Repetition: It repeats and often strengthens the message you’re making verbally.
Contradiction: It can contradict the message you’re trying to convey, thus indicating to your listener that you may not be telling the truth.
Substitution: It can substitute for a verbal message. For example, your facial expression often conveys a far more vivid message than words ever can.
Complementing: It may add to or complement your verbal message. As a boss, if you pat an employee on the back in addition to giving praise, it can increase the impact of your message.
Accenting: It may accent or underline a verbal message. Pounding the table, for example, can underline the importance of your message.

The many different types of nonverbal communication or body language include:

Facial expressions. The human face is extremely expressive, able to convey countless emotions without saying a word. And unlike some forms of nonverbal communication, facial expressions are universal. The facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust are the same across cultures.

Body movement and posture. Consider how your perceptions of people are affected by the way they sit, walk, stand, or hold their head. The way you move and carry yourself communicates a wealth of information to the world. This type of nonverbal communication includes your posture, bearing, stance, and the subtle movements you make.

Gestures. Gestures are woven into the fabric of our daily lives. You may wave, point, beckon, or use your hands when arguing or speaking animatedly, often expressing yourself with gestures without thinking. However, the meaning of some gestures can be very different across cultures. While the “OK” sign made with the hand, for example, usually conveys a positive message in English-speaking countries, it’s considered offensive in countries such as Germany, Russia, and Brazil. So, it’s important to be careful of how you use gestures to avoid misinterpretation.

Eye contact. Since the visual sense is dominant for most people, eye contact is an especially important type of nonverbal communication. The way you look at someone can communicate many things, including interest, affection, hostility, or attraction. Eye contact is also important in maintaining the flow of conversation and for gauging the other person’s interest and response.

Touch. We communicate a great deal through touch. Think about the very different messages given by a weak handshake, a warm bear hug, a patronizing pat on the head, or a controlling grip on the arm, for example.

Space. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during a conversation because the other person was standing too close and invading your space? We all have a need for physical space, although that need differs depending on the culture, the situation, and the closeness of the relationship. You can use physical space to communicate many different nonverbal messages, including signals of intimacy and affection, aggression or dominance.

Voice. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. When you speak, other people “read” your voice in addition to listening to your words. Things they pay attention to include your timing and pace, how loud you speak, your tone and inflection, and sounds that convey understanding, such as “ahh” and “uh-huh.” Think about how your tone of voice can indicate sarcasm, anger, affection, or confidence.

Can nonverbal communication be faked?

There are many books and websites that offer advice on how to use body language to your advantage. For example, they may instruct you on how to sit a certain way, steeple your fingers, or shake hands in order to appear confident or assert dominance. But the truth is that such tricks aren’t likely to work (unless you truly feel confident and in charge). That’s because you can’t control all of the signals you’re constantly sending about what you’re really thinking and feeling. And the harder you try, the more unnatural your signals are likely to come across.

However, that doesn’t mean that you have no control over your nonverbal cues. For example, if you disagree with or dislike what someone’s saying, you may use negative body language to rebuff the person’s message, such as crossing your arms, avoiding eye contact, or tapping your feet. You don’t have to agree, or even like what’s being said, but to communicate effectively and not put the other person on the defensive, you can make a conscious effort to avoid sending negative signals—by maintaining an open stance and truly attempting to understand what they’re saying, and why.

What you communicate through your body language and nonverbal signals affects how others see you, how well they like and respect you, and whether or not they trust you. Unfortunately, many people send confusing or negative nonverbal signals without even knowing it. When this happens, both connection and trust in relationships are damaged, as the following examples highlight:

Jack believes he gets along great with his colleagues at work, but if you were to ask any of them, they would say that Jack is “intimidating” and “very intense.” Rather than just look at you, he seems to devour you with his eyes. And if he takes your hand, he lunges to get it and then squeezes so hard it hurts. Jack is a caring guy who secretly wishes he had more friends, but his nonverbal awkwardness keeps people at a distance and limits his ability to advance at work.
Arlene is attractive and has no problem meeting eligible men, but she has a difficult time maintaining a relationship for longer than a few months. Arlene is funny and interesting, but even though she constantly laughs and smiles, she radiates tension. Her shoulders and eyebrows are noticeably raised, her voice is shrill, and her body is stiff. Being around Arlene makes many people feel anxious and uncomfortable. Arlene has a lot going for her that is undercut by the discomfort she evokes in others.
Ted thought he had found the perfect match when he met Sharon, but Sharon wasn’t so sure. Ted is good looking, hardworking, and a smooth talker, but seemed to care more about his thoughts than Sharon’s. When Sharon had something to say, Ted was always ready with wild eyes and a rebuttal before she could finish her thought. This made Sharon feel ignored, and soon she started dating other men. Ted loses out at work for the same reason. His inability to listen to others makes him unpopular with many of the people he most admires.

These smart, well-intentioned people struggle in their attempt to connect with others. The sad thing is that they are unaware of the nonverbal messages they communicate.

[Read: Tips for Building a Healthy Relationship]

If you want to communicate effectively, avoid misunderstandings, and enjoy solid, trusting relationships both socially and professionally, it’s important to understand how to use and interpret body language and improve your nonverbal communication skills.

Find your space for healing and growth

Regain is an online couples counseling service. Whether you’re facing problems with communication, intimacy, or trust, Regain’s licensed, accredited therapists can help you improve your relationship.

Nonverbal communication is a rapidly flowing back-and-forth process that requires your full focus on the moment-to-moment experience. If you’re planning what you’re going to say next, checking your phone, or thinking about something else, you’re almost certain to miss nonverbal cues and not fully understand the subtleties of what’s being communicated.

As well as being fully present, you can improve how you communicate nonverbally by learning to manage stress and developing your emotional awareness.

Stress compromises your ability to communicate. When you’re stressed out, you’re more likely to misread other people, send confusing or off-putting nonverbal signals, and lapse into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns of behavior. And remember: emotions are contagious. If you are upset, it is very likely to make others upset, thus making a bad situation worse.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress, take a time out. Take a moment to calm down before you jump back into the conversation. Once you’ve regained your emotional equilibrium, you’ll feel better equipped to deal with the situation in a positive way.

The fastest and surest way to calm yourself and manage stress in the moment is to employ your senses—what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch—or through a soothing movement. By viewing a photo of your child or pet, smelling a favorite scent, listening to a certain piece of music, or squeezing a stress ball, for example, you can quickly relax and refocus. Since everyone responds differently, you may need to experiment to find the sensory experience that works best for you.

In order to send accurate nonverbal cues, you need to be aware of your emotions and how they influence you. You also need to be able to recognize the emotions of others and the true feelings behind the cues they are sending. This is where emotional awareness comes in.

[Read: Improving Emotional Intelligence (EQ)]

Being emotionally aware enables you to:

Accurately read other people, including the emotions they’re feeling and the unspoken messages they’re sending.
Create trust in relationships by sending nonverbal signals that match up with your words.
Respond in ways that show others that you understand and care.

Many of us are disconnected from our emotions—especially strong emotions such as anger, sadness, fear—because we’ve been taught to try to shut off our feelings. But while you can deny or numb your feelings, you can’t eliminate them. They’re still there and they’re still affecting your behavior. By developing your emotional awareness and connecting with even the unpleasant emotions, though, you’ll gain greater control over how you think and act. To start developing your emotional awareness, practice the mindfulness meditation in HelpGuide’s free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit .

Once you’ve developed your abilities to manage stress and recognize emotions, you’ll start to become better at reading the nonverbal signals sent by others. It’s also important to:

Pay attention to inconsistencies. Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said. Is the person saying one thing, but their body language conveying something else? For example, are they telling you “yes” while shaking their head no?

Look at nonverbal communication signals as a group. Don’t read too much into a single gesture or nonverbal cue. Consider all of the nonverbal signals you are receiving, from eye contact to tone of voice and body language. Taken together, are their nonverbal cues consistent—or inconsistent—with what their words are saying?

Trust your instincts. Don’t dismiss your gut feelings. If you get the sense that someone isn’t being honest or that something isn’t adding up, you may be picking up on a mismatch between verbal and nonverbal cues.

Evaluating body language and nonverbal signals

Eye contact – Is the person making eye contact? If so, is it overly intense or just right?

Facial expression – What is their face showing? Is it masklike and unexpressive, or emotionally present and filled with interest?

Tone of voice – Does the person’s voice project warmth, confidence, and interest, or is it strained and blocked?

Posture and gesture – Is their body relaxed or stiff and immobile? Are their shoulders tense and raised, or relaxed?

Touch – Is there any physical contact? Is it appropriate to the situation? Does it make you feel uncomfortable?

Intensity – Does the person seem flat, cool, and disinterested, or over-the-top and melodramatic?

Timing and place – Is there an easy flow of information back and forth? Do nonverbal responses come too quickly or too slowly?

Sounds – Do you hear sounds that indicate interest, caring or concern from the person?

More Information

Take Control of Your Nonverbal Communication (video) - How to notice and use body language. (Harvard Business Review)
Herrando, C., & Constantinides, E. (2021). Emotional Contagion: A Brief Overview and Future Directions. Frontiers in Psychology , 12 , 712606. Link
How to Use All 5 Senses to Beat Stress | Psychology Today . (n.d.). Retrieved July 28, 2022, from Link
Wertheim, E., 2008. The Importance of Effective Communication . Retrieved July 28, 2022, from Link
Segal, Jeanne. The Language of Emotional Intelligence: The Five Essential Tools for Building Powerful and Effective Relationships (McGraw-Hill, 2008) Link
De Stefani, Elisa, and Doriana De Marco. “Language, Gesture, and Emotional Communication: An Embodied View of Social Interaction.” Frontiers in Psychology 10 (September 24, 2019): 2063. Link
Nonverbal Communications . (n.d.). Retrieved July 28, 2022, from Link

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Nonverbal Communication in Psychotherapy

Gretchen n. foley.

Dr. Foley is a Fourth Year Resident at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Dayton, OH

Julie P. Gentile

Dr. Gentile is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Medical Student Mental Health Services at Wright State University, and Medical Director of Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities Mental Health Program.

The mental status examination is the objective portion of any comprehensive psychiatric assessment and has key diagnostic and treatment implications. This includes elements such as a patient's baseline general appearance and behavior, affect, eye contact, and psychomotor functioning. Changes in these parameters from session to session allow the psychiatrist to gather important information about the patient. In psychiatry, much emphasis is placed on not only listening to what patients communicate verbally but also observing their interactions with the environment and the psychiatrist. In a complimentary fashion, psychiatrists must be aware of their own nonverbal behaviors and communication, as these can serve to either facilitate or hinder the patient-physician interaction. In this article, clinical vignettes will be used to illustrate various aspects of nonverbal communication that may occur within the setting of psychotherapy. Being aware of these unspoken subtleties can offer a psychiatrist valuable information that a patient may be unwilling or unable to put into words.

Introduction

An estimated 60 to 65 percent of interpersonal communication is conveyed via nonverbal behaviors. 1 Unfortunately, the emphasis in the clinical setting is disproportionately placed on verbal interactions. 2 Many nonverbal behaviors are unconscious and may represent a more accurate depiction of a patient's attitude and emotional state. 2 They can belie a patient's anxiety regarding a specific topic discussed in therapy despite verbal assertions that the subject is inconsequential and not causing distress. It is critically important to consider a patient's nonverbal behaviors when assessing risk of harm to self or others. Alternatively, nonverbal behaviors may shed light on feelings of transference and counter-transference between patient and physician.

Nonverbal Communication

All nonverbal behavior must be interpreted within context. Knapp and Hall specifically address the issue of physicians' limited training in nonverbal communication. 3 “Clearly, physicians can use this kind of knowledge. However, it is very important that physicians not only notice cues but that they draw appropriate interpretations from them.” 3 Nonverbal cues cannot be interpreted in a vacuum. No single behavior or gesture means the exact same thing in every conceivable context. For example, consider the hand gesture of extending only the index and middle fingers, spread apart in a V shape, while closing the rest of the hand. This might signify a number, two. In the United States if the palm is facing the individual using this gesture it signifies “victory” and if the palm is facing others it is identified as a symbol meaning “peace.” In England, however, making the American “V for victory” sign is an insult with sexual connotations. In London, displaying the American peace sign instead represents victory.

There are multiple layers of context to consider. First, a psychiatrist should take into consideration the environment in which an interaction is taking place. During an initial interview, patients may seem anxious about talking to a complete stranger about their problems or appear distracted as they take in the novelty of the psychotherapist's office. Crossing one's arms across the chest might mean the patient is not open to pursuing a particular avenue of exploration; however, in another case it might simply be indicative of the office temperature being too cold for comfort. Second, psychiatrists must consider a particular individual's typical presentation and usual mental status examination. Some individuals are naturally more expressive in terms of general animation, gestures, and affect. Others may carefully control and modulate their feelings. Certain cultures have different rules as to when it is acceptable to express a particular emotion and to what degree. Third, it is helpful to look at nonverbal behaviors globally rather than center on the minutiae. Instead of focusing on any one single gesture, it is more effective and useful to accurately interpret several behaviors that occur simultaneously. Finally, a psychiatrist must reflect on the interaction occurring between patient and physician in real time. The psychiatrist's own nonverbal actions may in turn affect a patient's behavior.

Clinical Vignette

Mrs. Jones was a 44-year-old married woman who initially presented with a chief concern of worsening anxiety for the past several months.

Mrs. Jones reported being bothered by increasing worry, poor sleep, feelings of fatigue, and a decreased ability to focus. Her symptoms were especially intense in her occupational setting as a receptionist in a busy medical office. She decided to seek treatment after an argument with a patient with whom she was “really snippy,” which resulted in one of the female physicians in the practice pulling her aside to ask if everything was okay. Mrs. Jones was genuinely surprised when this doctor mentioned that she seemed “irritable” lately. When she thought about this comment later, she realized she had increased her smoking from a half pack daily to nearly a full pack per day. She reported having “always been a worrier” but had never before received mental health services. Her only experience with psychotropic medication was zolpidem (Ambien®) prescribed by her primary care physician after she complained of insomnia earlier in the year. She acknowledged feeling uncomfortable about seeing a psychiatrist because “you might think I'm crazy.” During the initial consultation, Mrs. Jones's eye contact was fleeting and her palm was sweaty upon shaking hands with the psychiatrist. She chose a seat on the couch, the furthest position away from the psychiatrist, and pulled a pillow onto her lap. Her speech was soft and somewhat rapid. She appeared nervous, fidgety, and kept rubbing the back of her neck. When this repeated gesture was brought to her attention by the psychiatrist, she reported frequent headaches and neck pain.

Practice Point: The Mental Status Examination

Establishing baseline mental status. The initial mental status exam can provide valuable information about a patient and begins when a new patient is first seen in the waiting area. However, it takes time to accurately identify a particular individual's baseline. A first impression may be influenced by anxiety about coming to see the psychiatrist. What is the patient's posture? Is the patient nervous and fidgeting or appearing calm and relaxed? Does the patient appear depressed or easily startled, for example when a door slams shut? Is there a gait disturbance as the patient walks into the office?

Once in the interview room, there are a number of observable, nonverbal behaviors that produce information about the patient. One should take notice of where the patient chooses to sit, posture during the interview, whether eye contact is maintained, and how the patient reacts to interpretations beyond simple verbal acknowledgment. Over time, the psychiatrist becomes attuned to the patient's baseline appearance, attitude, and behavior. Some of these nonverbal behaviors may point the psychiatrist in the direction of a specific diagnosis ( Table 1 ). 4

Examples of nonverbal behavior as diagnostic criteria

Source: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press Inc.;2000.

Principles of Nonverbal Behavior

Shea 5 characterizes the basic principles of nonverbal behavior into three areas: proxemics, kinesics, and paralanguage. Proxemics refers to how interpersonal relationships and behavior are changed by the distance between two people. Kinesics includes how the body moves. This includes such elements as posture, body movements, gestures, eye behaviors, and facial expressions. Each refers to elements of the mental status exam in a different guise (e.g., general appearance and behavior, psychomotor functioning, eye contact, and affect). Paralanguage includes other mental status elements, such as prosody, rate, rhythm, volume, tone, and pitch of speech. 5

Knapp and Hall 4 conceptualize these basic elements similarly, referring to the communication environment, which includes both physical and spatial elements, the individual's physical characteristics, and body movement and position. They further subdivide the latter element into gestures, posture, touching behaviors, facial expressions, eye behavior and vocal behavior. Touching behaviors include simple “nervous habits,” including playing with a tissue or objects on the desk in session or clasping the hands together, as well as behaviors designed to decrease anxiety or serve as self-soothing methods, including rubbing the forehead, crossing the arms across the body, or running the palms over the lap.

In the clinical vignette, Mrs. Jones's behavior clearly indicated she was anxious about the appointment. She put the maximum amount of physical distance available between herself and the psychiatrist. Furthermore, she “hid” behind the pillow as a sort of protective barrier and had a difficult time sustaining eye contact.

It would be prudent to see if behaviors such as these illustrated in the case vignette change after the patient becomes more comfortable with the psychiatrist. If they do not dissipate over time, a psychiatrist might conclude that this level of anxiety is actually the patient's baseline mental state. Commenting on Mrs. Jones's neck-rubbing behavior elicited a report of muscle tension and further validated the psychiatrist's tentative assessment.

Clinical Vignette Continued

Mrs. Jones was initially unable to pinpoint a reason for her worsening anxiety. “I don't know why I'm so keyed up,” she replied when asked. When the psychiatrist inquired about major life changes or stressors, she was insistent there was nothing in particular that was troubling her and crossed her arms over her chest, zipping up her cardigan in the process. Mrs. Jones described her childhood as “normal” and “good” and denied any history of abuse, trauma, or neglect. She reported a relatively stable marriage for the past 24 years and said there was no increase in marital conflict recently. She described her husband as “supportive” and had no complaints about their relationship, yet made diminished eye contact when her marriage was the topic of discussion. She had two children, a 17-year-old son preparing to graduate from high school in a matter of months and a 24-year-old daughter who was enrolled in graduate school several states away. Mrs. Jones reported close and nonconflicted relationships with both of them. The psychiatrist noted that nearly every time her son came up in discussion, Mrs. Jones would take her cigarette lighter out of her pocket and twirl it around in her hand. Further exploration revealed he was planning on enlisting in the military after graduation and Mrs. Jones was not supportive of this decision.

Practice Point: A Changing Mental Status Examination

When aspects of the mental status exam change, it is important that the psychiatrist explore this further in order to determine the significance of the shift from baseline. A departure from a patient's normal baseline appearance and behavior should always be noted. Precisely because nonverbal communication is often unconscious, these behaviors might be a more accurate reflection of a patient's internal emotional state. 2 Changes in nonverbal behavior that occur during the therapeutic interaction may alert the psychiatrist that a patient is not yet able to tolerate discussion of a particular issue.

In the case of Mrs. Jones, there was a strong nonverbal reaction whenever her marital relationship was mentioned. Mrs. Jones's diminished eye contact, the crossing of her arms, and the zipping up of her sweater literally serve to close herself off from the psychiatrist. Despite denying any concerns about her marriage, the psychiatrist concluded from her behavior that there was something threatening to the patient about that topic. Perhaps Mrs. Jones would be more open to discussing this at a future time. In other instances, nonverbal behavior may help direct the psychiatrist to an issue needing further exploration even if the patient states the topic involved is unimportant or irrelevant.

In this vignette, the touching of the cigarette lighter was an indicator of discomfort, as smoking is one of the ways Mrs. Jones attempted to cope with her anxiety.

Mood Versus Affect: Congruent or Incongruent

Another aspect of the mental status examination involves comparison of a patient's stated mood versus his or her perceivable affect. If a patient states he or she feels “depressed” and appears sad, tearful, and uninterested in maintaining personal grooming and demonstrates psychomotor retardation, the psychiatrist would conclude the affect is congruent with the stated mood. Conversely, if an individual states he feels “depressed” yet appears euthymic, smiling, laughing, and enthusiastically interactive, the conclusion would be that the affect is incongruent with the stated mood. This does not necessarily mean the patient in question is not feeling depressed, but the psychiatrist would take note of the inconsistency and explore further through interview and continued observation of the patient.

Nonverbal behavior is very similar. Sometimes the facial expression, appearance, eye contact and body movements match the verbal expression of the patient. On the other hand, the nonverbal behavior may send a contrary, or incongruent, message relative to a patient's verbal communication. These inconsistencies may represent the patient's unconscious feelings or unstated thoughts and require further exploration in order to conduct effective psychotherapy. The inappropriate or blunted affect and disorganized behavior often seen in patients with schizophrenia make it challenging for the psychiatrist to accurately understand the patient's internal emotional experience.

Nonverbal behaviors can be of critical importance in identifying and evaluating the risk of dangerousness to self or others. A patient who denies any history of self-injurious behavior yet has multiple linear scars on his or her forearms would be considered at elevated risk for future self-harm or accidental completed suicide. A patient who is upset about being involuntarily admitted to the hospital may exhibit his or her anger through nonverbal behavior. He or she may raise the volume of the voice, clench the jaw, and tighten the hands into fists. The psychiatrist may recognize these as signs of agitation and take pre-emptive action to prevent the situation from escalating. If the patient also has dilated pupils and appears diaphoretic this may further warn the psychiatrist of an increased risk for impulsive or violent behavior.

Over the course of psychotherapy, Mrs. Jones became more comfortable in sessions. Her eye contact improved and her fidgeting decreased. She began sitting on the end of the couch closer to the psychiatrist. During one appointment, Mrs. Jones spontaneously shared more about her employment situation. She had worked in the same medical office for many years. It was a busy practice and she had greatly enjoyed her job until the last several months. When describing her work, she appeared happy and excited until she stated that a new male physician had recently joined the staff. At this point, Mrs. Jones's facial expression transformed and she appeared subdued. The psychiatrist also noted she reverted to her anxious mannerisms seen at initial presentation, so the psychiatrist invited Mrs. Jones to discuss whatever she was comfortable sharing.

Mrs. Jones indicated the new physician had been flirting with her and it was making her uncomfortable. In one case, the physician gave her an unsolicited neck massage. She reported feeling “frozen and trapped” at the time. Mrs. Jones did not reciprocate this physician's feelings but felt unsure how to deal with the unwanted attention without causing a problem in the office. Once, she told the physician she was not interested, but he joked about it and did not appear to take her concerns seriously. When sharing this information with the psychiatrist, Mrs. Jones's voice became soft and meek. Mrs. Jones put her hand to her eyebrow, covering one side of her face, looked at the floor and became uncharacteristically silent. The psychiatrist inquired if she somehow felt ashamed about the interactions with this physician. Mrs. Jones immediately started to cry and admitted she had never disclosed the flirtation to anyone else. She felt very guilty for not telling her husband about the interactions at work. In addition, Mrs. Jones felt she must have done something to “lead him on” as the physician was continuing this behavior despite her noninterest. She reported that the issues at her job reminded her of an incident in her adolescence where she had been sexually assaulted by a boyfriend after attempting to break off the relationship. “It was my fault then, and it's my fault now.”

Practice Point: Significant Information Revealed Through Nonverbal Behaviors

Nonverbal behaviors, in particular facial expressions and paralanguage, can reveal significant information pertaining to a patient's affective state.

Facial expression. Facial expression is one of the more straightforward nonverbal behaviors to identify and interpret, and is also one of the most studied elements of nonverbal communication. Ekman and Friesen 6 identified several facial expressions of emotion that are relatively similar and easily identifiable across cultures. The six classic emotions that are recognized and understood by members of most cultures are surprise, fear, disgust, anger, happiness, and sadness. 7 Ekman and Friesen later developed a facial atlas that catalogs every facial muscle and its role in each of these emotional states ( Table 2 ). This information is the basis of an encoding system used to classify facial expressions for research purposes. 8 In clinical use, being able to recognize and differentiate between similar expressions (e.g., fear and sadness or disgust and anger) is important when treating alexithymic patients who have difficulty articulating their feeling state. The study of facial expression has been further refined in order to detect emotional “leakage” via very subtle “microexpressions” or fleeting, involuntary, nonverbal facial indicators of an emotion that someone attempts to conceal by voluntarily displaying another affective state. 8

Universal facial expressions of emotion

Source: Ekman P, Friesen WV. Unmasking the Face. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc.; 1978.

Paralanguage. Paralanguage is also revealing. Just as there are facial expressions that appear to be universally understood, vocally expressed emotions are also readily identifiable by members of different cultures. 9 In fact, an individual often can differentiate the appropriate emotional state of a speaker when the words spoken have no contextual relationship to the emotion being expressed, even if words are spoken in a foreign language. 10 In Pell's study, 10 native Argentinean Spanish-speaking (and monolingual) listeners accurately identified the emotion of joy 89 percent of the time and the feeling of anger 81 percent of the time when spoken in “pseudo-utterances,” which are nonsense words modeled after Spanish linguistic properties that removed any content or contextual clues with which to identify the emotion. 10 Furthermore, the same listeners also were fairly successful identifying emotions of speakers talking in other languages. In fact, 77 percent of the listeners correctly identified the feeling of anger when the words were spoken in German, 74 percent accurately identified sadness spoken in English, and 77 percent rightly identified sadness when spoken in Arabic. 10

A psychiatrist can rely on both visual (i.e., facial expressions) and auditory (i.e., paralanguage) output to discern a patient's emotional state. However, there are occasions where one or the other variable is missing from the equation. For example, the nonverbal patient will still be able to express a feeling state via facial expression or hand gestures. There are also patient-physician interactions lacking the benefit of being able to see the patient. If the patient states he is not angry during a telephone conversation with the psychiatrist, but his voice rises in volume and takes on a harsher tone, the physician may reasonably infer that the patient is angry about something but is either unable or unwilling to recognize his emotional state or is reluctant to share his true feelings at that point in time.

In the vignette, Mrs. Jones displayed a significant and rapid shift in facial expression from happy to sad when the topic of the new male physician in her office arose. The psychiatrist picked up on this as well as the return of her fidgeting and gently encouraged Mrs. Jones to share what was on her mind. Mrs. Jones then appeared ashamed and embarrassed, indicated by her downcast eyes and by covering her face, yet she was unable to freely talk about this emotional state as evidenced by her silence. Again the psychiatrist recognized the change in her nonverbal behavior and made an interpretation regarding the patient's visible affect. This facilitated Mrs. Jones's sharing more details about the situation at work as well as a traumatic past event that likely had considerable influence on how she felt about and navigated the difficult position she faced.

The nonverbal behavior of the psychiatrist and the value of videotapes and process notes. In the case vignette of Mrs. Jones, when the treating psychiatrist reviewed details of the previous appointment by referring to process notes and a videotape of that session, she concluded the psychotherapy had stalled. When the topic of previous sexual abuse was mentioned by Mrs. Jones, the treating psychiatrist observed that she herself appeared uncomfortable and subtly leaned back in the chair and crossed her own legs and arms. Immediately after this, Mrs. Jones had abruptly changed the subject, stating “But you don't want to hear about all that.”

Reflecting on her own behavior, the treating psychiatrist realized that she did not comment on this and subsequently Mrs. Jones discussed more superficial topics. She noted Mrs. Jones had appeared considerably less animated and engaged in the session after the topic shifted to more mundane events.

The psychiatrist reflected on how she felt during this particular session. She realized that she had been unsure how to explore the sexual assault at that point because the patient appeared uncomfortable. She wondered if she might have been projecting her own concerns and discomfort about addressing such an anxiety-provoking topic onto Mrs. Jones. The psychiatrist realized she did not respond verbally to Mrs. Jones's comment about not wanting to hear further information about the sexual assault, but had communicated her own anxiety nonverbally. The psychiatrist had not recognized that the patient was responding to the psychiatrist's own discomfort and corresponding nonverbal behavior.

Practice Point: Nonverbal Behaviors of the Psychiatrist

Nonverbal behaviors of the psychiatrist greatly impact the dialogue in psychotherapy. Just as the psychiatrist is observing the patient in the office, the patient is observing the psychiatrist. Nonverbal behavior plays a significant role in establishing the therapeutic alliance in any patient-physician interaction. In psychotherapy settings, it is critically important to the formation of rapport between the patient and psychiatrist. Rapport is the essential groundwork that must be laid between both parties in order for them to continue building a strong therapeutic alliance in which to work together toward mutual goals. Rapport is influenced by three nonverbal behavior elements: attentiveness, positivity-negativity, and coordination. 11

Attentiveness. Attentiveness refers to each individual's capability for focusing attention on the interaction occurring between the patient and psychiatrist in the here and now. 11 Clearly if a patient feels the psychiatrist is distracted or uninterested in what he or she is saying, this undermines rapport. The psychiatrist can display interest in the patient by giving undivided attention to the conversation at hand and encourage further communication with nonverbal behaviors such as making eye contact and nodding.

Positivity-negativity. Positivity-negativity refers to how interacting individuals are responding to each another. 11 Are they enjoying one another's company and showing this through nonverbal behaviors such as smiling, laughing, leaning forward in their chairs, and adopting open postures? Or are they uncomfortable with one another and displaying indifference or hostility and creating physical distance or barriers between one another?

Coordination. Coordination refers to the similarity in the nonverbal behavior of the patient and psychiatrist. 11 This can be conceptualized by thinking about how one person mirrors another's behavior. Examples include making eye contact at the same moment, returning a smile, or adopting and changing position in tandem with the patient.

In the clinical vignette, the psychiatrist unconsciously displayed signals of discomfort that Mrs. Jones identified even though no words to that effect were exchanged. While the patient's reading of the psychiatrist's nonverbal communication may have been conscious or unconscious, it likely contributed to the patient's comment regarding the psychiatrist not wanting to hear any more about the past sexual assault. Furthermore, the psychiatrist missed an empathic opportunity to regroup and reassure the patient that she was open to listening to whatever Mrs. Jones wished to share. Through careful review of the process notes and videotape, the treating psychiatrist became aware of this and was able to utilize the information in subsequent sessions, facilitating the patient's exploration of the past abuse at the next appropriate opportunity.

Nonverbal behavior contributes significantly to all interpersonal communication but unfortunately is often only a peripheral area of focus in the psychotherapeutic setting. While listening carefully to the patient is obviously a fundamental aspect of psychotherapy, there may be additional diagnostic and therapeutic information to be gained from watching the nonverbal behaviors expressed by a patient. Nonverbal signals can alert a psychiatrist to important affective states that may otherwise be overlooked or denied. They can also help identify how comfortable a patient is with a given topic of discussion. This information can then be used to guide the psychotherapy in a manner that is tolerable and therapeutic for the patient. Being aware of our own nonverbal behavior and how it may impact interactions with patients is central to improving our ability to establish rapport and maintain a strong therapeutic alliance.

Contributor Information

Gretchen N. Foley, Dr. Foley is a Fourth Year Resident at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Dayton, OH.

Julie P. Gentile, Dr. Gentile is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Medical Student Mental Health Services at Wright State University, and Medical Director of Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities Mental Health Program.

+27 72 667 0883
Monday - Friday 08:00 - 17:00

June 3, 2020

Non Verbal Communication

When we talk about ‘communication’, we often mean ‘what we say’: the words that we use. However, interpersonal communication is much more than the explicit meaning of words, and the information or message that they convey. It also includes implicit messages, whether intentional or not, which are expressed through non-verbal behaviours.

Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the voice, gestures displayed through body language (kinesics) and the physical distance between the communicators (proxemics).

These non-verbal signals can give clues and additional information and meaning over and above spoken (verbal) communication. Indeed, some estimates suggest that around 70 to 80% of communication is non-verbal!

Using Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication helps people to:.

Reinforce or modify what is said in words.

Convey information about their emotional state.

Your facial expression, your tone of voice, and your body language can often tell people exactly how you feel, even if you have hardly said a word. Consider how often you have said to someone,

“Are you OK? You look a bit down.”

Define or reinforce the relationship between people.

Provide feedback to the other person.

Regulate the flow of communication

Learning the Language

Many popular books on non-verbal communication present the topic as if it were a language that can be learned, the implication being that if the meaning of every nod, eye movement, and gesture were known, the real feelings and intentions of a person would be understood.

This, of course, is absolutely true.

Unfortunately interpreting non-verbal communication is not that simple.

Non-verbal communication may also be both conscious and unconscious. Facial expressions are particularly hard to control, because we cannot see ourselves to know what we are doing. We may, therefore complicate communication by trying to convey one message consciously, while in fact conveying quite another unconsciously.

Interpersonal communication is further complicated because it is usually not possible to interpret a gesture or expression accurately on its own . Non-verbal communication consists of a complete package of expressions, hand and eye movements, postures, and gestures which should be interpreted along with speech.

Non-Verbal Communication in Writing

Over the years, many people have argued that written words also contain non-verbal communication. Your handwriting can give clues about how you were feeling when you wrote a note, for example, and nowadays, your choice of font and colour also says something about you.

However, it is now generally agreed that these forms of non-verbal communication are pretty unreliable indicators of character. They convey far less information than the non-verbal communication that is part of face-to-face interactions.

The Cultural Context

The good news is that most of us learn to interpret non-verbal communication as we grow up and develop. It is a normal part of how we communicate with other people, and most of us both use it and interpret it quite unconsciously.

This can make it harder to interpret consciously. However, if you stop thinking about it, you will probably find that you have a very good idea of what someone meant.

The bad news is that non-verbal communication can be very culture-specific.

Examples of culture-specific non-verbal communication

The popular stereotype of Italians, involving big gestures, lots of hand-waving, and plenty of loud and excited shouting, may be a stereotype, but it exists for a reason. In the Italian culture, excitement is shown a lot more obviously than in the UK, for example. Non-verbal communication tends to be a lot more obvious. This can make it much harder for Italians to interpret non-verbal communication in the UK or USA, where it is more subtle. However, even in Italy, there are geographical variations.
The thumbs-up gesture, which generally signals approval in English-speaking countries, is considered offensive in other countries, including apparently Greece, Italy and some parts of the Middle East.

Making an OK gesture with thumb and forefinger.

It is essential to remember that non-verbal cues can be as important, or in some cases even more important, than what we say.

Non-verbal communication can have a great impact on the listener and the outcome of the communication.

People tend to have much less conscious control over their non-verbal messages than of what they’re actually saying.

This is partly because non-verbal communication is much more emotional in nature, and therefore much more instinctive.

If there is a mismatch between the two, therefore, you should probably trust the non-verbal messages, rather than the words used.

A lack of non-verbal message may also be a signal of sorts, suggesting that the speaker is carefully controlling their body language, and may be trying to hide their true emotions.

Types of Non-Verbal Communication

There are many different types of non-verbal communication. They include:

Body movements (kinesics), for example, hand gestures or nodding or shaking the head, which are often the easiest element of non-verbal communication to control;
Posture , or how you stand or sit, whether your arms are crossed, and so on;
Eye contact , where the amount of eye contact often determines the level of trust and trustworthiness;
Para-language , or aspects of the voice apart from speech, such as pitch, tone, and speed of speaking;
Closeness or personal space (proxemics) , which determines the level of intimacy, and which varies very much by culture;
Facial expressions , including smiling, frowning and blinking, which are very hard to control consciously. Interestingly, the broad facial expressions that show strong emotions, such as fear, anger, and happiness, are the same throughout the world; and
Physiological changes , for example, you may sweat or blink more when you are nervous, and your heart rate is also likely to increase. These are almost impossible to control consciously and are therefore a very important indicator of mental state.

In Conclusion…

Non-verbal communication is an extremely complex yet integral part of overall communication skills. However, people are often totally unaware of their non-verbal behaviour.

A basic awareness of non-verbal communication strategies, over and above what is actually said, can help to improve interaction with others. Knowledge of these signs can be used to encourage people to talk about their concerns and can lead to a greater shared understanding, which is, after all, the purpose of communication.

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Home » Nonverbal Autism and Communication Skills » Speech Therapy for Nonverbal Autism

Speech Therapy for Nonverbal Autism

By Dolly Bhargava, MS

May 29, 2024

In a world that thrives on effective communication, ensuring every child can express their needs, wants, and emotions is of paramount importance. Children who are nonverbal communicators have significant difficulties using spoken language. Because of that, speech therapy for nonverbal autism can be highly beneficial.

A nonverbal child with autism is dependent upon a speech therapist to provide appropriate support and understanding to help them express themselves. Without this support, communication difficulties can lead to the child feeling frustrated and anxious.

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Autism Therapies and Solutions

Understanding nonverbal autism

Individuals with nonverbal autism may have limited or no speech, relying instead on alternative forms of communication. This often includes:

facial expressions,
vocalizations,
body movements,
pictures, or
assistive communication devices .

Individuals with nonverbal autism often encounter significant communication challenges. Here are some common difficulties they may face:

Misunderstanding or underestimation of their communication abilities, which can lead to frustration and social isolation
Difficulty using spoken language to express their thoughts, needs, and emotions
They may use a limited range of nonverbal forms of communication to express themselves
Limited access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices , which can aid communication

Causes for nonverbal autism can stem from various factors, including:

Sensory processing challenges
Motor coordination and control issues
Cognitive impairments
Challenges in social interaction
Certain genetic conditions, such as Fragile X syndrome and Rett syndrome
Structural and functional differences in the brain
Other conditions, such as intellectual disability, epilepsy , and sensory processing disorder

Understanding these potential causes can help in developing personalized interventions and support strategies for individuals with nonverbal autism.

It’s important to note that nonverbal autism is a spectrum, meaning that individuals with this condition can have a wide range of abilities and challenges. Some may have significant intellectual disabilities , while others may have average or above-average intelligence.

Speech therapy

A speech therapist or pathologist is an allied health professional who provides assessment and treatment/therapy for communication, feeding, and swallowing difficulties.

For individuals who are nonverbal communicators, speech pathologists can provide therapies tailored to the child’s needs, which can significantly improve their quality of life and ability to communicate.

Research has consistently shown the effectiveness of speech therapy for nonverbal autistic. This type of therapy has shown positive results in improving:

improving communication skills,
facilitating language development and
enhancing social interaction abilities.

How does speech therapy help nonverbal autistic children?

Speech therapy plays a crucial role in aiding nonverbal autistic children by using various techniques aimed at improving their communication abilities.

Through tailored AAC interventions, these children are guided in using AAC devices or systems, empowering them to express themselves effectively.

To improve verbal communication skills, speech therapists use various strategies, including:

oral motor exercises ,
phonetic placement therapy, and
verbal imitation training

Interventions focus on improving social interaction skills through joint attention activities, social stories, and video modeling, facilitating meaningful engagement with others.

Addressing sensory processing difficulties is also integral. Sensory integration therapy offers sensory experiences to regulate responses, thereby enhancing communication capabilities in nonverbal autistic children.

How does speech therapy for nonverbal autism work?

To begin with, a speech pathologist will typically conduct comprehensive assessments to understand the communication abilities, challenges, and strengths of the child with nonverbal autism.

These assessments may include:

Communication Profiles : Assessing the child’s current communication abilities, including receptive and expressive language skills.
Nonverbal Communication Assessment : Evaluating nonverbal communication methods such as gestures, facial expressions, and body language.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Assessment : Determining the suitability of AAC devices or systems like picture communication boards , speech-generating devices, or sign language.
Social Communication Assessment : Evaluating social interaction skills, understanding of social cues, and ability to engage in social communication.

The speech pathologist involves family members in the assessment and intervention process. This is crucial for ensuring consistency and generalization of communication skills across different environments.

Speech pathologists also often work collaboratively with other professionals, such as occupational therapists , behavior practitioners, and educators. Together, they develop intervention plans that address various aspects of the individual’s needs.

Q: Can children with nonverbal autism learn to speak?

A: Each individual is unique, so predicting the speech development of individuals with nonverbal autism can be challenging. What is of utmost importance is having a means to communicate effectively while spoken skills are developing.

Q: What is the best therapy for nonverbal autism?

A: Speech therapy is critical. Speech therapists will work with the child and family to identify alternative communication methods such as sign language, picture exchange systems, or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices.

Q: What shouldn’t you do with a nonverbal autistic child?

A: When interacting with nonverbal autistic children, it’s important to approach them with sensitivity, patience, and understanding. Never assume they don’t understand, don’t ignore their communication attempts, and avoid forcing eye contact or using complex language. Make sure you provide structure.

Q: How long does nonverbal autism last?

A: Some children with nonverbal autism may develop some form of verbal communication over time, while others may continue to have limited or no verbal communication abilities throughout their lives. The key is to provide appropriate support and interventions tailored to the child’s needs to help them communicate and thrive to the best of their abilities.

References:

Koegel LK, Bryan KM, Su P, Vaidya M, Camarata S (2019) Intervention for Nonverbal and Minimally-Verbal Individuals with Autism: A Systematic Review. Int J Pediatr Res 5:056. doi.org/10.23937/2469-5769/1510056

Mishina, G.A., Ivleva, O.V. (2022). Speech Therapy with Non-speaking Children with an Intellectual Disability Complicated by Autism Spectrum Disorder. In: Arinushkina, A.A., Korobeynikov, I.A. (eds) Education of Children with Special Needs . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13646-7_36

Yingling ME, Bell BA. Utilization of speech-language, occupational and physical therapy by diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Child Care Health Dev. 2020; 46: 563–570. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12790

Maksimović, S.; Marisavljević, M.; Stanojević, N.; Ćirović, M.; Punišić, S.; Adamović, T.; Đorđević, J.; Krgović, I.; Subotić, M. Importance of Early Intervention in Reducing Autistic Symptoms and Speech–Language Deficits in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Children 2023, 10, 122. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010122

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9 Tips on How to Help a Child with Speech Articulation Problems

How to communicate with a nonverbal autistic child, 9 tips on how to introduce yourself to a child with autism, simple tips for family communication in autism, communication boards for autistic children, three hacks for improving communication with autistic children, 5 tips for choosing the best toys for late talkers, how to help babies and toddlers understand and use gestures, why an autism emotion chart can be beneficial, how to increase functional communication at home, joint attention in children with autism spectrum disorder, privacy overview.

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Key Communication

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Key Communication Speech & Language Services offers comprehensive private therapy services to pediatric populations (0-21) in the Inland Empire. We offer screening, assessment, and intervention in speech/articulation, phonology, fluency, expressive/receptive language, among other developmental/acquired speech and language deficits. …

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I have nothing but great things to say about Key Communication. I have 3 year old twin boys with speech delay and getting them in here was such an easy process, especially with working with my schedule. I was a little nervous for the reason that I'm a sahm and my boys are with me 24/7. I wasn't sure how they would do with having a one on one sessions. Both of my sons are at different levels with their speech and I can't thank their therapists enough on the progress they have made. I give Ms. Kalissa so much credit with her patience with my son. It took him some time to get adjusted however, he started feeling comfortable and started responding to cues that he didn't know before. Even though he is still non verbal he can complete activities and can communicate to me things he wants with the cues he's learned. My other son had Ms. Jihna and he went from saying 5 words to 15-25 words on a daily basis and is saying two word phrase's. I learned a lot of ways to help both of my sons through their time at Key Communication. The receptionist Luz was also so friendly and caring. Also greeting me every week I went and helping any way she can with not just me but other parents. Unfortunately, my children had aged out of their program with regional but will continue therapy provided by their district. Hoping they will soon take my insurance so I can bring my sons back here. Thank you again!

I've been bringing my 2.5-year-old here for about 5 months now. We love it! For the first few weeks, my daughter was hesitant to go in the therapy/play room, but Miss Kalissa made it such a fun place for her that she was able to go in on her own (one-on-one with the speech therapist, which is the goal) after just the second or third week! She really enjoys it and now doesn't even look back or say bye to me when she walks into the room! Kalissa has a large variety of toys and seems to know exactly which ones to pull out for which purposes. Their therapy room just happens to be the one right next to the parent waiting room, so I get to hear a little bit through the wall of what they're playing/working on, and it's always encouraging and I know she's in good hands. My daughter's speech has improved A LOT in the past few months, from just one and two word phrases to now saying much longer sentences and speaking frequently, rather than rarely. Kalissa also has great communication with me and explains what my daughter did well and how I can continue to help her at home. The waiting area is small but welcoming, and there's coffee and WiFi available for parents while they wait, as well as some toys on the wall for little siblings.

Keys communication has been such a beautiful experience for me and my 2yr old. The receptionist Luz is so welcoming & Our therapist Mrs. Kalissa is the best! She is so understanding & gentle.

I've been bringing my 2 year old to Key Communication for about 6 months now and could not be any happier! Her speech therapist, Kalissa is so amazing and kind! She has taught my child so much in so little time and we honestly look forward to coming each week. The entire staff is so friendly and we are so lucky to have found Key Communication.

We came came into this office not knowing what to expect. We had been dealing with speech therapy through zoom and we're not seeing a whole lot of improvement in our child. Our child was assigned to Kalissa and our child formed an immediate bond with her. After his sessions she Kalissa would then debrief with us and tell us how she was trying to formulate sounds with him and what we should continue to nurture through out the week. She was genuine, patient and caring to our child and expressed patience and love with him. It is truly a pity that we got to work with her such a short time. Also, in general the facility is quaint and the receptionist is friendly. On multiple occasions, Luz offered my daughter some distraction when she would get fussy waiting for my sone to finish. I would definitely recommend Keys and Kalissa if you are reading this review.

I absolutely love Key communication! My daughter almost 3yrs old has been seeing her speech therapist for around 7/8months now and I have seen such an improvement in her speech. Ms. Kalissa and the whole staff here has been nothing but amazing. I can't wait till my youngest starts here. I 10out of 10 recommend this place to any parent whose child is struggling with their speech.

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Humour in Speech and Language Therapy in Romania Highlights Benefits and Challenges

A recent study published in the journal Revista Românească pentru Educaţie Multidimensională explores the use of humour in speech and language therapy (SLT) in Romania. This study by Carolina Bodea-Haţegan and colleagues explores the opinions of SLT experts on incorporating humour into therapy sessions. The study’s findings underscore the potential benefits and limitations of using humour in therapeutic settings, providing valuable insights for practitioners in the field.

Humour is increasingly recognised as a valuable tool in various professional settings, including speech and language therapy. It serves as an engaging modality that can facilitate therapy sessions, making them more enjoyable and effective for both children and adults. In the context of SLT, humour is not just a means of entertainment but a strategic element that can enhance communication, alleviate stress, and improve overall psychological well-being.

The study utilised a qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach to capture the experiences and opinions of SLT specialists regarding humour use in therapy. A non-random sampling technique was employed, recruiting 210 participants through the Association of Specialists in Speech and Language Therapy in Romania (ASTTLR) via an online questionnaire. This method ensured a diverse sample of professionals from various urban and rural areas across Romania.

The results revealed that a significant majority (94.3%) of SLT professionals incorporate humour into their therapy sessions. Specifically, 39.5% of respondents reported using humour in every session, while 33.8% used it several times a week, and 20% employed it weekly. Only a small fraction of therapists indicated rare or non-existent use of humour in their practice.

According to the study, therapists used verbal humour the most (68.6%). Nonverbal and paraverbal humour, such as facial expressions and voice modulation, were also commonly utilised. Techniques included funny facial expressions, body gestures, jokes, puns, and role-playing, highlighting the creative ways therapists engage their clients.

The specialists highlighted numerous benefits of incorporating humour into therapy. These include triggering positive emotions, fostering creative problem-solving, improving memory, capturing attention, stimulating motivation, and enhancing communication skills. Additionally, humour was noted to contribute positively to psychological well-being and social relationships, making it a powerful tool in therapeutic settings.

Despite the advantages, the study also identified potential negative effects of humour in therapy. These include the risk of humiliation, discrimination, inappropriate masking of emotions, and the possibility of creating conflicts or tensions. A notable percentage of respondents expressed uncertainty about these negative impacts, indicating a need for further education and awareness among professionals.

The study explored the accessibility of humour for individuals with various language and communication disorders. The findings suggest that humour can be effectively used with clients who have developmental language disorders, Down syndrome, and other conditions, though its use with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains challenging. Barriers to humour comprehension included difficulty understanding abstract concepts, limited vocabulary, and impaired executive functions.

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Total Communication Approach & Other Strategies for Non-Verbal Children

Maria De Leon, MS, SLP

Total Communication Approach

Importance of Prelinguistic Skills (Pre-Verbal Skills)

Try these strategies:

Here are some examples of how to use the switch to communicate with a non-verbal child:

Key Takeaways

Further Reading & Resources:

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Encourage Communication with Non-verbal Child

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What is Communication?

Your Child’s Likes and Dislikes

Free Assessment!

1) Own Agenda Stage

2) Requester Stage

3) Early Communicator Stage

4) Partner Stage

Setting Communication Goals

1) Goals for the Own Agenda Stage

2) Goals for the Requester Stage

3) Goals for the Early Communicator Stage

4) Goals for the Partner Stage

Place their favorite things out of reach

Use people toys

Wind-up and squeeze toys

Music boxes

Jack-in-the-box

Offer things bit-by-bit

Give all but one

Boost Your Child’s Speech Development!

Help Your Child Refuse or Tell You “No”

Offer their least favorite things

Let your child end the activity

Use puppets, stuffed animals , or Legos

Ut ilize your window

Create predictable routines, then present a surprise

Offer something different

Make mistakes “accidentally”

When all is going smoothly, make something go wrong

Pretend you don’t know where things are

Pretend that you’re “broken”

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