WTF Do I Do with My Hands?

Episode 13: Developing a Communication Strategy

The Human Communication Studio — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 19:30:42 -0400

It may seem challenging from the outset, but a clear strategic framework for any communication can be worked out in just a few minutes with the right tools. We have spent 12 episodes discussing concepts […]

Episode 12: The Base-to-Gesture Relationship

The Human Communication Studio — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 18:03:30 -0400

Just as a Directive Thought can help to keep verbal content within an informed boundary, harnessing the relationship between gesture and the base of the body can be used to control gestural range of motion. […]

Line Focus and Physical Orientation

The Human Communication Studio — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 20:11:26 -0400

Line focus is a valuable tool in both understanding and influencing a communication.Although the directions in which a body can orient in space are innumerable, there are 8 approximate positions that can be used to more closely describe the way that Line Focus can be directed. Taking cues from the performing arts, the next few episodes will focus one how we can internalize and describe physical positioning and movement in an accessible and communicable way. Expanding your Physical Orientation vocabulary will provide a strong framework from which to mentally and visually breakdown and comprehend the everyday interactions in which you find your self at home, at work, and under the spotlight.

Line Focus and The Emotional Center

The Human Communication Studio — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 20:09:05 -0400

Your body is constantly directing and receiving focus and attention. Eye focus is a familiar enough concept at work in today's culture, but another type of focus, Line Focus, is of greater fundamental importance in the nonverbal exchange of information. Line Focus in intricately tied to what many traditions and practices refer to as the Emotional Center.This area between your navel and torso work can be utilized to great effect, allowing you underscore and project passionate feeling when you need it, but its also a vulnerable area that needs to be kept safe. Learning how to control and harness your Line Focus is a powerful way to both protect the Emotional Center and employ it to full effect while avoiding over exposure.

The Breath-Thought Connection

The Human Communication Studio — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 20:06:33 -0400

You may not be aware of it, but there is an important connection between your breath and your thought process that is crucial in determining how you are able to deliver a communication. Not only is breath a verbal punctuator, your breathing patterns do a lot to inform your communication parter about how you are experiencing an interaction and can allow you to cue them toward how to receive your content. Ever wonder how filler sounds like "um" and "ahhhhh" find there way into your speech at every moment of pause or consideration? Are you ever self-conscious that you may be speaking too quickly or too slowly? Have you ever been trapped in a fixation about how your listener perceives you instead of confidently speaking what you know? Every communication, successful and unsuccessful, originates at the breath-thought connection.

The Importance of Breath

The Human Communication Studio — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 19:56:02 -0400

Well before speech or gesture even come into play a basic function of the diaphragm has a profound influence on all other communicative systems. Breath lies at the foundation of every human interaction. How you breathe, when you breathe, how fast you breathe, and to what area of the lungs you direct your breath have a fundamental impact on preparing the mind and body for success.

Episode 11: Gesture, Articulation, and Thought

The Human Communication Studio — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 17:29:36 -0500

In the same manner by which a conductor’s movements are reflected in the performance of the orchestra, gesture is intricately tied to the formation and articulation of thought. Gesture and Thought mutually inform one another […]

Episode 10: Gesture: Organic and Deliberate

The Human Communication Studio — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 21:32:03 -0400

What happens in the hands is an extension of what is happening in the body. By consciously building an understanding of how organic Gesture manifests in your own physicality, you can gain an understanding of […]

Episode 9: Articulation and Resonance

The Human Communication Studio — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 13:28:32 -0400

Achieving strong and focused vocal production is a great first step. To round out our foundation on Voice it’s important to add the ability to intellegibly articulate every syllable. We also want to create the […]

Episode 8: Vocal Production and Soft Palate Focus

The Human Communication Studio — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 14:40:08 -0400

The voice is one of our most powerful avenues through which to communicate. We may not always consider it this way, but producing sound is a gymnastic exercise combing several muscle systems in close coordination. […]

Episode 7: Level and Horizontal

The Human Communication Studio — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 19:27:59 -0400

Height, space, and distance all contribute to the dynamic of a communication. Level and Horizontal are tools that shift the elevation of Line Focus, influence the effects of our Frame and Orientation, and round out our […]

Episode 6: Frame and Stance

The Human Communication Studio — Sat, 11 Mar 2017 16:00:22 -0500

Balance and Posture have the potential to support and underscore your communication. Consciously arranging the physical support system of your body to provide a strong platform for a full range of movement isn’t difficult, but […]

Episode 5: Crossing and Changing Plane

The Human Communication Studio — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 13:16:33 -0500

In the next few episodes we will explore concepts pertaining to the body in physical space. Long before spoken words come into play, movement and positioning convey important information to your communication partners. Plane, the physical […]

Episode 4: Line Focus and Physical Orientation

The Human Communication Studio — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 16:15:55 -0500

Episode 3 Line Focus and The Emotional Center

The Human Communication Studio — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 21:04:42 -0500

Your body is constantly directing and receiving focus and attention. Eye focus is a familiar enough concept at work in today’s culture, but another type of focus, Line Focus, is of greater fundamental importance in the […]

Episode 2: The Breath-Thought Connection

The Human Communication Studio — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 22:26:23 -0500

Episode 1: The Importance of Breath

The Human Communication Studio — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 21:09:14 -0500

Introducing "WTF Do I Do With My Hands?"

The Human Communication Studio — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 20:17:31 -0500

Delivering your message face-to-face, one human being to another, has always been seen as a bit of a challenge- more than ever in our increasingly device-driven world. The modern tech revolution has opened up amazing new opportunities for the speed, outreach, and volume of communication, but in the wake of excitement in a progressively digitally-dependent society our analog human foundation is in neglect. There is no substitute for the ability to engender a strong personal connection or the impact of a finely cultivated presence. That isn't going to change. It's critical to our future that the personal and the digital grow together and support one another. Confidence, charisma, and clarity will always be your boots on the ground. It's not that these skills are getting harder to learn, It's simply that they aren't being taught. Communication Strategist Kathryn Kellner is here to see that the skill set of person-to-person interaction keeps its seat at the table.