Trainer urges open hands, nonthreatening stance to avoid escalation
Chris Archer told the council that small nonverbal cues — crossed arms, hands in pockets or blocking an exit — can escalate or calm someone in crisis, and recommended staff maintain visibility of hands, a two-arm's-length stance and side-by-side positioning.
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Archer stressed that body language matters: closed postures such as arms crossed or hidden hands can appear confrontational and increase agitation. He recommended an "open and empty hands" approach, keeping hands visible and standing two arm's lengths away to avoid blocking exits and to reduce a person's sense of threat.
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