Be the mirror.

Mirroring can be a very effective communication technique. If done well, it will draw you even further into your patient’s narrative and help build rapport and trust in a short period of time. The technique is pretty simple: imagine you’re a mirror in front of your patient. Reflect back what you see.

If your patient’s smiling then smile, if they’re worried or upset then change your facial expression to match. Are they sitting forward in their seat? Move toward the edge of your chair. Are they leaning back with legs crossed? Do the same, or find a similarly relaxed pose.

I’ve found over the years that effective mirroring demonstrates actively listening, and shows that you’re truly engaged in the story. The only time I won’t mirror is when the emotion is particularly volatile and I want to diffuse tension. For example, if someone’s pacing the room or shouting and pointing a finger at me, then the last thing I’ll do is mirror (more on what to do in this situation later).

Be the mirror. It’s a subtle, and effective, non-verbal technique to validate your patient’s feelings and support their story.