How to build the relationship between practitioner and parent remains the challenge. First, one must accept that relationship building is a long-term endeavor, not something accomplished in a single visit. But steps can be taken with each visit. Initial eye contact with the parent is especially important. This may take the form of a note about something of importance to the parent, or perhaps some issue alluded to by the parent which you, as practitioner, want to follow up with during this visit.
Body language bears a powerful message to parents during an appointment.
In order to balance the power in the practitioner-parent relationship, the practitioner may sit at the same level as the parent and, to signal interest, lean slightly forward as the parent is talking. Body language is always understood within the cultural context. Body language signals such as down-turned eyes and backing away are extremely important and give the practitioner cues about how quickly to proceed in this developing relationship. It is the practitioner's responsibility to read these cues and move with them, focused on the goal of building a long-term relationship. The affiliation phase of this relationship may only be one or two minutes, or with some parents for whom the practitioner has little common base, may take the entire visit.