Rapport-Based Communication and Rapport-Based Music help you to find rapport by responding positively to the interests of the person. The three C’s are designed to help the practitioner to adopt a positive, sensitive and responsive practice. Even after many years of doing Intensive Interaction, I still use the 3 C’s constantly to keep me aware of what the person is doing now and to remind that all I need to do is join in positively.

Why is this reminder of 3C’s so important? Because, as a human being, it’s easy to forget the importance of just following and joining in. It’s just so easy so start thinking about what we could teach someone, or how we could move a person on, or how what they’re doing might relate to the syllabus. Actions that follow these thoughts are not likely to be direct responses to the what the person is doing now; instead we will act in response to what we think the person should be doing or learning. The result of this is that we will start leading the interaction, doing things that are not as connected to what the person is interested in. When we begin to lead in this manner we are more likely to lose the interest of the person, place an undue demand upon them and lose the rapport.

An example of this in typical conversation is when someone ‘changes the subject’ of discussion. This can often feel jarring and is a direct attempt by this person to lead the interaction. This is the direct opposite of the 3C’s which would involves celebrating what the person is interested in talking about by joining in with curiosity and positively, rather than blocking the interaction then leading and changing the subject. If you’ve been on a training day with me then you’ll remember exploring this idea experientially in the improvisation games.

So the first tip is to make sure that “everything you do is a response”. Just follow the three c’s and this will happen naturally and you have a beret chance of finding rapport and offering the person you support a deeper experience of social inclusion.