Module 9: Offer emotional support

Emotional support involves showing a person that you care about and have compassion for them. It can help meet people’s needs for social connection and is particularly helpful when people are coping with something stressful. It may not be within the scope of your role as a fitness professional to discuss certain issues with them in detail, or to help them solve them. But demonstrating basic care and compassion when someone you are interacting with is having a hard time can be supportive, even if directly addressing the issue with them is out of scope. Here we focus on emotional supporting strategies that are commonly used in a variety of physical activity contexts.

As with any type of support it is important that you choose options that align with your role, responsibilities, training, and the guidelines and procedures of your organization and/or regulatory body. Always stay within your scope of practice and ensure you maintain and uphold clear boundaries.

Getting started:

A transcript of the video can also be found in the below text.

To nurture an environment where participants are comfortable and feel supported,

• When interactions and social support are occurring organically among participants, do not discourage them. Refrain from abruptly cutting off conversations or discouraging peer discussion when possible, provided that these discussions do not interfere with instruction or safety. When in online or hybrid formats, consider leaving the call open for a short period following the session, allowing participants to connect with others.
• When communicating with participants be sincere, attentive, empathetic, and respectful. Show that you care about the participant and their well-being.
• Check-in with participants who have been absent or have shared they have something going on in their life and tell them they were missed to show they are thought of and cared about.

Adding on:

A transcript of the video can also be found in the below text.

When participants may need extra support, and it is within the scope of your role to do so,

• Listen. Often when people are seeking emotional support, they are looking for someone to listen, rather than provide a solution. Some ways to demonstrate you are actively listening include asking open-ended questions, giving affirming responses, and reflecting what you have heard back to them on occasion.
• Mirror their energy and emotions. For example, if they are expressing sadness, adopting a comforting tone of voice and expressing concern through your facial expressions communicates empathy.
• Demonstrate that you understand how they are feeling (e.g., I’m hearing is that you are feeling frustrated. Is that right?). You do not need to have experienced the same situation to express empathy and compassion for how they are feeling.
• Listen to their experience without comparing it with your own experiences or making the conversation about you.
• Feel with them, not for them. Acknowledge their discomfort (e.g., “That is really hard”) rather than trying to make them feel better.
• Avoid volunteering advice or a solution, unless you are asked and it is within your competence and role to provide advice on that issue.

If a participant needs help beyond your scope of practice, it is kind and compassionate to tell them that you are unable to help. If it is within your training and role, this can also be a time to refer them to a person or organization who can address their needs.

Summary:

Creating an emotionally supportive environment is a good practice at any time. Ways to provide emotional support when responding to participants who are experiencing stress or challenges include being empathetic and compassionate and referring them to other resources if they need support beyond your scope or role.