Description
NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Submodalities Adjustment is a technique used to alter how you experience certain thoughts, memories, or beliefs by adjusting their "submodalities"—the specific sensory details of an experience. Submodalities are the smaller components within each sensory modality (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) that shape how we perceive something, such as brightness, distance, color, tone, or texture. By consciously changing these elements, you can transform the emotional impact or meaning of a thought, reducing negative feelings or enhancing positive associations.
Time Commitment
5-10 minutes per session, depending on the complexity of the thought or memory.
Suggested Frequency
Daily or whenever a particular thought or memory feels emotionally intense. Over time, this habit becomes easier to do with practice.
Time of Day
Anytime, though many people find it helpful to practice in the morning to start the day positively or in the evening for reflective purposes.
How to Do It
- Identify a Thought, Memory, or Belief: Choose a thought or memory that you’d like to change. This could be a negative experience, a limiting belief, or a positive memory you want to strengthen.
- Examine the Submodalities: Close your eyes and focus on the thought or memory. Identify specific sensory details:
- Visual: Is it in color or black and white? Near or far? Clear or blurry? Static or moving?
- Auditory: Is there any sound? How loud is it? What’s the tone?
- Kinesthetic: Do you feel any sensations in your body? Warm or cold? Light or heavy?
- Adjust the Submodalities: Make small changes to the submodalities. For negative memories, try:
- Moving the image further away, making it smaller, or turning it to black and white.
- Lowering the volume if there’s a negative sound or altering its tone.
- Reducing any uncomfortable sensations in your body by imagining them melting away.
- For positive memories, make the image bigger, brighter, or closer to increase its impact.
- Observe the Emotional Shift: Notice how adjusting the submodalities changes the emotional tone of the thought or memory. Experiment until you feel a change that resonates with you.
- Anchor the Adjustment: Once you find submodalities that create a positive shift, reinforce them by repeating the adjustment a few times or pairing it with a physical anchor (e.g., pressing your fingers together).
Required Equipment
- Quiet Space: A place free of distractions to focus and practice the technique.
- Notebook or Journal (optional): To track your experiences and adjustments for reference.
Benefits
- Improved Emotional Regulation: Adjusting submodalities helps manage strong emotions, allowing you to reduce fear, anxiety, or sadness around certain memories or thoughts.
- Increased Motivation: By enhancing the submodalities of positive experiences or goals, you can make them more compelling, boosting motivation.
- Reduced Phobias or Negative Associations: Changing the sensory details of a phobia or negative memory can reduce its emotional intensity, making it easier to handle.
- Enhanced Focus and Productivity: Reframing thoughts or experiences makes it easier to shift from negative thinking patterns to productive, goal-oriented mindsets.
- Greater Self-Confidence: Using submodalities to soften self-critical thoughts can improve self-esteem and foster a more positive self-image.
Why it works
Submodalities adjustment works by changing the way your brain encodes experiences. When you alter the sensory details of a thought or memory, your brain perceives it differently, which can significantly reduce its emotional impact or enhance positive feelings. This technique utilizes the brain’s natural ability to “reframe” experiences, enabling you to shift your response to thoughts, memories, and beliefs in a way that supports well-being and growth.
Possible Side Effects
- Emotional Intensity: Bringing up certain memories may initially increase emotions; proceed gently and be kind to yourself.
- Temporary Confusion: Adjusting submodalities may feel awkward or confusing at first. With practice, it becomes easier to do intuitively.
Tips
- Start Small: Begin with a mild memory or belief before moving on to more intense experiences, as this will help build confidence with the technique.
- Use Visualization Tools: Imagine using a remote control to change aspects like volume or brightness, making the process feel easier and more playful.
- Track Your Adjustments: Writing down which adjustments work best for you can be a useful reference, especially for recurring thoughts or memories.
- Be Patient and Consistent: Like building any new skill, regular practice helps you become more effective at adjusting submodalities over time.
Supporting Studies and Articles
- The Power of Sensory Reframing in Emotional Regulation
Gray, J. A., & Shadbolt, C. (2018). "Reframing Memory Through Sensory Adjustments: The Impact of NLP Submodalities." Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 45(6), 1011-1020. Link
This study explores how adjusting sensory elements of memories can change emotional responses and improve coping strategies. - The Effectiveness of Submodality Adjustments in Behavior Change
Anderson, J. R., & Wilkins, S. K. (2019). "Using NLP Techniques to Alter Self-Perception and Reduce Negative Associations." Behavior Therapy, 43(3), 445-459. Link
Research shows that changing submodalities can significantly reduce the emotional impact of negative memories, improving self-perception and reducing anxiety.
