The Hyggelig Journey

It took me a while to realise that I should never nod at a patient in the midst of an outburst. The gesture, so instinctive in everyday conversation, carries an unexpected weight in a clinical setting. A simple nod can be interpreted as agreement, encouragement, or even collusion, when in truth, it may be nothing more than a reflex of attentiveness. In moments of heightened emotion, every movement is observed — the faintest lift of an eyebrow, a barely perceptible shift in posture, a pause held a fraction too long. Non-verbal communication speaks its own language, often more powerfully than words. A misplaced gesture can deepen distress, an ill-timed silence may be mistaken for judgement, an unconscious frown might introduce doubt where none previously existed. Even fatigue conspires against us. A yawn — however innocent or inevitable — may be misread as impatience or indifference, fracturing the fragile bridge of trust in an instant. And then there is touch, that fleeting ...