Emotional Rapport with The Five Elements
There is no elemental type that is better than another; they are all parts of the rich variety of humanity, each person with their own gifts, strengths and challenges.   Making connection with another person's element at this level may feel quite uncomfortable if it is not your element.  Who would want to live on the edge of fear at all times or try to be happy no matter what?  Meeting the person at this level is the gift we can offer our patients
Here is a brief run down of the complexity of the each of 5 elements as people. The beauty of this is there is always more to learn! J.R. Worsley, would constantly say, "We do not heal, only nature heals through its own natural laws". By having the courage to meet our clients at the level of their element we are providing them with a real connection and sometimes that connection can be the greatest healing in itself.
Wood people may need to know someone is in charge.  To meet a Wood person you may let you voice have the quality of shout, your body have a little more rigidity, lead the conversation instead of letting it ramble.  These things will help the Wood person feel at ease.

They may want to interrupt you, argue the point, this is wood checking that there is structure, that you can supply somewhere for them to let down slightly. Try telling them instead of asking them, letting your energy be assertive, a little more abrupt and let them have somewhere to push, to express the anger or assertion that is part of their being.  Always reward a Wood person

There are also Wood people who are lack of Wood with noticeably no assertion, no anger at anything, easily pushed around.
Fire energy is about being happy, joyful and having relationship, think of the warm attractive energy of a Fire.  A Fire person will need to know things are not that serious but that you are grounded enough to be there for them.  To gain rapport you may want to be funny occasionally or follow their lead if they are funny for a moment.  Let yourself come up into the excitement they have for everything.  Sometimes this excitement is only in the eyes and you can try matching them there. 

For a lack of Fire person you will need to come down to that level of quiet, intimate sadness as this may be the only place they have the energy to maintain.  Even a lack of fire person will come up occasionally into something funny as that is where they really do want to be.
Earth people will want to be understood.  The emotion is sympathy but sometimes this can be too claustrophobic for them and they will not trust that you mean it.  Sometimes they will just lap up the sympathy as they feel someone understands at last. 

Let your voice sing a little and let yourself feel a little like the mother caring for her child.  They will either welcome your caring completely or reject it; both of these reactions can be a sign of an Earth person.
A Metal person will want real contact, a sense that they are honored.  Consider the feel of a church, where things are quiet and appropriate.  You may take a slightly lower physical position, let them be more important than you. 

You are trying to achieve rapport at the level of their grief. Offer real eye to eye connection, the talk will be centered around things that really matter.
For a Water person think of the stillness and movement of water.  Feel where they are; manic, moving and never quiet or are they still as a pond?  You can freeze and never move a muscle and a water person will settle into your presence or sit on the edge of your chair with a sense of anticipation.

If you are not water you may think who would want to be on the edge of fear all the time but that is where they are whether they like it or not, that is their reality so it is appropriate to match it.