What Body Language Do Psychologists Look For?

Body language makes up 60% of our overall communication. We use body language to communicate using facial gestures and hand movements. Often our body language speaks before our words ever come out to communicate. So, it is important to understand how our body language impacts our overall communication in our relationships and those we interact with that we may not know or just getting to know.

When working with a therapist, one of the first things they will pick up on is your body language. People use their bodies to tell stories, and when there are inconsistencies in their stories or if they are not truthful, body language is a good way to pick up on those cues. Your non-verbal language is a powerful way to tell a story when it does not always match your verbal story.

Some of the things psychologists look for are your posture, hands, eye contact, facial expressions, and the position of your arms and legs.

Your posture says a lot about your comfort level. If you are shifting back and forth often, turn your body away from the therapist, or slouch or pullback in your chair, it can alert the therapist that you may be uncomfortable with a specific topic or just uncomfortable in general in that particular setting.

Your hands are a very important clue when it comes to body language and therapy. Those experiencing fear or anxiety make a shake or fidget with their hands; those who are angry may clench their fists. Others may hold things in their hands to put a protective barrier between them. Often people will rub a part of their body or put their hands on their head. This can either be a way the client is soothing themselves or can show a sign of nervousness.

Therapists look for micro-expressions when looking at facial expressions. An example of this is raised eyebrows can signal that a client is fearful or may feel nervous or anxious if they bite their lip. For those unable to make eye contact, this could be a sign of being nervous or uncomfortable or just not wanting to engage at all. Looking at the clock consistently could tell the therapist you are just waiting for your time to up.

Your arms and legs let the therapist know how open or closed you are in the session. If you cross your arms and legs and turn away, that may mean you are not comfortable, and that is a way clients protect themselves. If you have open body language, you may have your arms in your lap, and you're facing the therapist with uncrossed legs. If you are jiggling your legs or tapping your feet, that can alert you that you may be tense or nervous.

While body language is one way a therapist picks up on clues, it is always important to explore a person’s thoughts and feelings first and then share feedback about how the body language may or may not match the client’s story.