The Dance of Negotiation: Reading the Room, Reading the Individual

An artist at work, indulging in the materials

Facilitating creativity isn’t about offering the most exciting material or the most detailed instruction. It's about reading where someone’s energy and attention are, and adapting our approach in real time.

Sometimes, high energy and lots of information feed each other — a new material sparks curiosity, and a participant becomes absorbed, experimenting and building momentum. Other times, energy drains away when too much information is present: a cluttered table, multiple choices, or unclear expectations can overwhelm rather than invite.

The key question to keep asking:

Is the participant’s interaction with their environment fueled by excitement or filtered through avoidance?

Consider a few examples:

• Zoning out or fixating on something unrelated (e.g., tapping a pencil, staring at a window) may not simply be distraction — it may be a sign of information overload or emotional anxiety. It can signal that attention has shifted from engagement to escape.

• Fixation on a material or repetitive motion can mean mastery and discovery — but it can also be a self-soothing action if the environment feels unpredictable. How we respond (introduce a new option, reinforce the current focus, or simplify the environment) should be guided by sensitivity, not assumptions.

• Bursting enthusiasm for a new material or prompt can show readiness for deeper exploration — or it can signal a fleeting interest that needs careful scaffolding to sustain meaningful engagement.

  
  

In every case, the facilitator's role is not to judge the behavior, but to notice the quality of the interaction.

• Is energy building or dissipating?

• Is information inviting or overwhelming?

• Is attention rooted in curiosity or in coping?

  
  

By staying attuned to these dynamics, facilitators can better create spaces where creativity can unfold according to each individual’s needs, rhythms, and ways of encountering the world.

Facilitator Reflection Checklist:

Balancing Energy and Information in Creative Sessions

After a session, or even during quiet moments within it, ask yourself:

Energy Check

• 🌀 Did the participant’s energy increase, decrease, or stay stable during the activity?

• 🌀 Were there moments of excitement? Moments of visible withdrawal?

  
  

Information Check

• 📚 Was the amount of information (materials, instructions, environment) supportive or overwhelming?

• 📚 Did I notice whether new information sparked curiosity or anxiety?

  
  

Attention Awareness

• 🎯 Was the participant engaging with materials out of exploration, repetition, or evasion?

• 🎯 Was zoning out or fixating behavior tied to positive immersion or to withdrawal from overwhelm?

  
  

Environmental Factors

• 🌿 Were there environmental elements (noise, light, crowding) that might have pulled attention away in positive or negative ways?

• 🌿 Was anything in the environment potentially causing anxiety that I could adjust?

  
  

Facilitation Reflection

• ✏️ Did I offer the right amount of structure versus open-ended exploration?

• ✏️ How might I adjust the balance of energy and information next time for this participant?

Facilitating creative practices isn’t just about offering materials; it’s about offering a dynamic, responsive space where energy can meet information in just the right way — a meeting that allows expression, discovery, and joy to emerge on each person’s own terms.