Fast Facts: Body Language That Undermines De-Escalation

Nonverbal communication can often be more important than verbal communication during emotional or volatile incidents. If the message that a person’s body language sends clashes with his or her verbal statements, it creates a sense of distrust, suspicion, and unwillingness to cooperate.

Here are several key elements of body language to remember when trying to de-escalate an individual who seems tense or erratic.