Read the Body for Vital Information
By By Doris Jeanette, Psy.D.
Last night I had a lively conversation with a group of my friends about body language. One of the men in the group vehemently disagreed with me that one can read body language and instantly know how good a lover a woman is or how anxious a man is. This conversation got me thinking about how most people do not pay attention to body language. Do you think about the fact that your body:
- Does not lie because it cannot lie?
- Is constantly communicating information to others?
- Could be read by someone else at any moment in time?
Do you believe that reading body language is possible? Do you think that being able to read the nonverbal communications from others has value? Do you think it is possible to be accurate when picking up non verbal clues?
Psychological research has shown that almost 80% of the communication between people is nonverbal. There is even a Journal of Nonverbal Communication being published in California. Body language is real and it is not going away.
I am not sure exactly what made my friend deny that reading body language accurately was possible. Perhaps he became uncomfortable when the thought entered his conscious mind that someone else could be reading his body language. As a result of his discomfort, he reacted. His defensive reaction was to deny that reading body language accurately was possible.
When you are confronted with new knowledge and information do you get uncomfortable? Do you get defensive? Do you deny that it is possible?
Peter is always reminding us to have an open mind. Just because you cannot read body language does not mean other people cannot read body language. My friend could have been interested in learning how to read body language instead of denying that it is possible.
I will revisit this conversation with him over the course of the summer and tell him about the time that I was on television reading the body language of the politicians' wives in the last election. I will let him know that he can learn to read body language himself if he wants to.
It takes information, observation, reliable feedback and lots of practice to become a good body language reader. I started in 1981 and am now teaching the skill to all those interested....
LEARN TO READ BODY LANGUAGE: Sign up for a one hour tele-class about body language skills. This Body Language Tele-class will give you the basic information you need to get started so you can begin to observe people. If there is enough interest we will follow this one hour class with a four week body language tele-course over the summer or in the fall.
Sign up now for the Body Language Tele-class on Monday, June 18 at 6:00 PM, ET. Cost is just $29.97. Get the recording even if you cannot attend the live event. Questions? Concerns? Ask me by email or call 215-732-6197.
PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS ARE UNRELIABLE: Join the Holistic Psychology Mentoring Program to learn more about body language, human energy and ways to read people. Classes and discussions take place online and on the phone. For as little as $69.00 a month, get the help you need to improve your clinical and business skills.