Understanding Rapport

Rapport is a state of unconscious responsiveness. Rapport is when the subject responds to you non-verbally by unconsciously matching your body movements and tonal qualities. When rapport is established a Practitioner has unconscious responsiveness from the subject and less interference from the conscious mind.

Rapport is established through the Practitioner matching and mirroring the client.

1.  Matching: feedback to the client using the same body part. Client crosses right leg over left, practitioner matches by crossing his right leg over his left leg

2. Mirroring: feedback to client as a mirror. Client crosses right leg over left, practitioner crosses left leg over right leg.

3. Cross over matching: using a different part of body to match. Client crosses his right leg over left, practitioner crosses his right arm over left.

4.  Micro muscle matching: client lifts arm, practitioner moves micro muscles in his arm. This is very effective as the practitioner can continually match movements out of the client’s conscious awareness.

We match and mirror

Physiology
Posture
Significant gestures
Facial expressions
Blinking
Breathing

Tonality
Tone (pitch)
Tempo (speed)
Timbre (quality)
Volume (loudness)

Words
Predicates
Key words
Common experiences and associations

The practitioner tests for unconsciousness responsiveness by making a non-matching movement. If the client then unconsciously matches the practitioner rapport has been established.