Physical Listening

How our bodies move¿the energy we project, the force and speed of our movements, the complex ways we utilize space and interact with our surroundings¿informs how we perceive and communicate. In medical settings, for instance, research has repeatedly shown that simply by sitting (versus standing), providers can shift how patients regard their communication skills.Through interactive exercises, video viewings and discussion, this interdisciplinary course explores the concept of ¿embodiment¿¿the external, physical manifestation of emotion/felt experience. Bridging the worlds of dance and medicine, Physical Listening introduces health and pre-health professionals¿as well as any learners interested in exploring the substance and significance of physical movement¿to diverse modes of embodied perceiving and thinking. Participants will hone skills such as kinesthetic awareness, spatial perception and critical movement analysis¿all skills central to, but rarely specifically rehearsed, in clinical training and practice. Applied to the medical arena, such skills have potential to enhance therapeutic alliance, teamwork, diagnostics and decision-making, cultural sensitivity, and much more. Through this course, for example, learners will gain non-verbal tools to refine their communication of challenging news, and to sharpen their perception of patients¿ concerns as signaled through body language.