MENTAL HEALTH – NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION & CRISIS DE-ESCALATION: PROXEMICS & SUPPORTIVE STANCE

While you cannot control other’s behavior, you can control yourself in relation to others in ways that can impact your relationship and interaction. Understanding and learning to use the “supportive stance” promotes safety for staff and campers. This technique involves maintaining a distance of at least one leg length and positions the respondent’s body at an angle to the other person at an “L-shape” angle. This position communicates respect by honoring personal space, is non-threatening and non-challenging, and contributes to staff’s personal safety.