Silence is not a thing we make; it is something into which we enter. It is always there… All we can make is noise. – Mother Maribel
What to do with silence:
- Give the individual a chance to talk before jumping in- don’t beat them to it due to your discomfort
- Give the individual permission to talk (You can talk about whatever you want in here)
- Consider introducing expressive arts activities
- “Sometimes it’s hard to talk”; Sometimes it seems like talking won’t do any good.
- If necessary, you can try propping questions (e.g., last week you were talking about…) be careful, you do not want to set your own agenda.
Crucial
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I agree because so much can be said, and learned from silence.
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When we trained we used to write “process recordings” of interviews, including the silences and what went on in them.
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That is still a thing I teach my students, as a lot can be learned from verbal and non verbal interactions.
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Thank you for sharing such important lessons. I almost feel I am breaking them by leaving a comment!
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Thank you for reading, and I agree they are important life lessons.
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Thank you
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Thank you for reading
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