NLP Techniques for Lasting Change
There are many different NLP techniques or patterns that are available for improving self-regulation.
Whether used individually or in combination, these techniques effectively access the mind for effective and lasting change.
Some techniques may sound strange or even seem silly to some people, but there is wisdom behind every procedure in Neuro-Linguistic Programming.
Each procedure contains logical, organized steps to help bring about powerful, lasting changes in your life.
NLP is a compelling and positive model that emphasizes facilitating change and generating solutions.
Hence, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach, thus the many powerful techniques for reducing change and developing solutions.
Here are some of the most common NLP techniques:
Anchoring
Anchoring is when we create a response to something that happens each time there is a specific stimulus.
The stimulus could be visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, olfactory, or gustatory.
An example of an auditory anchor may be when you hear a song on the radio, you begin to feel happy and excited as you think back to your first kiss with your girlfriend.
Anchors are constantly influencing our behaviour.
Being at work becomes an anchor for workplace behaviour. Being anxious or insecure may be a trigger to smoke or drink.
Swish pattern
The Swish Pattern was created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder and can break automatic thoughts and behaviour patterns and replace them with more resourceful ones.
You can use the Swish Pattern to stop smoking, anger management, public speaking, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
The Swish pattern is the most famous and frequently applied Neuro-Linguistic Programming technique.
Re-framing
In NLP, the Re-framing method is based on the idea that all meaning depends on your point of view.
Therefore, to re-frame something is to change its meaning by placing it in a different setting, context or frame.
For example, going dressed as a zombie to a party has a different meaning depending on Halloween or a funeral.
Re-framing is about taking an ordinary event and putting it in a new frame that is useful or enjoyable.
For example, by re-framing a bad experience, you can make it seem funny and less hurtful.
Mirroring
Mirroring enhances the ability to establish rapport with another.
The skill of mirroring is essential in modelling others and becoming intuitive in understanding the internal experiences of those you model.
The Meta Model helps clarify communications.
The Meta Model is the foundation of NLP.
We build representations of the world around us called maps or models.
Individual maps and models vary with different people. As a result, they are rarely the same.
An example would be if two people were to hear someone speak about the fundamentals of parenting, each one would have a different interpretation of what they heard.
That’s because we use three universal modelling processes to build our maps or models; they are deletions, distortions and generalizations.
The Meta Model helps recover deleted information and untangle misunderstandings in our own or others’ communications.
NLP Presuppositions
Presuppositions are the founding principles that support the structure of NLP.
Presuppositions, in general, are beliefs. They are not necessarily true.
Nevertheless, we accept them as if they were true and apply them practically to our lives.
If they improve our lives or our performance, we can continue to use them as if they were true.
The number of presuppositions varies from list to list; I will list ten of them.
- We can not communicate
- The map is not the territory
- There is no failure, only feedback
- The way you communicate elicits a response
- All behaviour is constructive in some way
- If what you are doing isn’t working, do something else
- People make the best choices they can with what they have at the time
- Mind and Body are part of the same cybernetic system
- People work perfectly; no one is broken
- If one person can learn to do something, anyone can
Calibration
Using calibration improves your ability to observe and respond to physiological and behavioural cues of other people.
Calibrating involves linking behavioural cues to internal cognitive and emotional responses.
Calibration helps you understand what’s going on with other people.
How well you “calibrate” to another person, their state of mind and activity within their minds will determine to a significant degree how effective your communication will be with them.
Parts negotiation or integration
An NLP technique called ” parts integration ” is built upon the presupposition that behind every behaviour is a positive intention is an NLP technique called “parts integration”.
Most of us have experienced that inner voice that criticizes us when we make bad choices or mistakes. Unfortunately, this critical voice could make you do things that would lower your self-esteem and lower your self-confidence.
Some people experience visual images instead of a critical voice. So their mind would keep bringing pictures up of them doing badly and messing up in situations.
In NLP, we call these sections of ourselves “parts”. The possibility of these parts hindering and standing in the way of our progress and success is very real, even though most of our parts are helpful to us.
When some of these parts are not functioning in unity and harmony, we can then do Parts Integration or Parts Negotiation.
Although I have only mentioned a few of the NLP techniques, there are a great deal more. For example, suppose you would like to learn more about NLP techniques, a great book called “The Big Book of NLP Techniques” by – Shlomo Vaknin. This book contains 200+ Patterns, methods and strategies of NLP.