Communication Beyond Words

This morning at the gym, I heard a conversation between two ladies. One was frustrated - her dog keeps on behaving badly, no matter what she tries. The other shared, half amused, that she had actually taken her cat to a psychologist (is that even the right term?). The surprise? The expert told her the issue wasn’t with the cat - it was with her. 😊

It made me smile… but also reflect. Have we forgotten how to truly communicate? Even with animals?

I’m not an exception here. My husband recently pointed out that I sometimes raise my voice at our kids more than I do at our dog. The result? Not much change in both cases 🙃 !

But let’s focus on people for a moment (and the picture below will be all about Lilu 😎 ).

Real communication goes beyond words. Yet, we often get so caught up in expressing ourselves that we forget the most essential part: understanding others and being understood.

And here’s the fascinating part - this connection can happen without words.

Have you heard of mirror neurons? These are brain cells that activate not only when we perform an action, but also when we observe someone else doing the same. Researchers believe they play a role in empathy and nonverbal communication by allowing us to “feel into” another’s experience - like when one person yawns and others follow. Our brain, in a way, mirrors what it sees or hears.

As social beings, we are constantly influencing - and being influenced by - each other through these subtle signals. Our facial expressions, gestures, tone of voice, energy … they all matter.

Curious to explore more? Stay tuned - this is just the beginning of a truly fascinating topic.

🙂