Category: NLP

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Exercises NLP

Strategy Elicitation Notation

When modeling or undertaking a Strategy Elicitation in NLP, we need to write down in an easy way what we have found, so that we can use the strategy again in the future or to make changes to it.

The standard NLP Notation can be coded thus :-

The Representation System used.

            V    –    visual
            A    –    auditory
            K    –    kinesthetic
            O    –    olfactory
            G    –    gustatory

Internal or External Processing

            Is what is happening to them their thoughts, their feeling taking place their minds or body, or 
            is there some other outside stimulus, i.e. they remember some incident would be internal, notated 
            by a small “i”, (i), whereas seeing something actually happening would be external, notated by a
            small “e”, (e). Having butterflies in the tummy will be an kinesthetic internal, (Ki), whereas feeling
            the quality of cloth would be kinesthetic external, (Ke).

                Ve    –    visual external                Vi    –    visual internal
                Ae    –    auditory external            Ai    –    auditory internal 
                Ke    –    kinesthetic external        Ki    –    kinesthetic internal 
                Oe    –    olfactory external           Oi    –    olfactory internal 
                Ge    –    gustatory external         Gi    –    gustatory internal

Remembered or Constructed

            Has the person remembered something from the past, or are they constructing for example what
            they would look like wearing a certain suit? The representation for visual remembered can be 
            notated by a small “r“, (Vir), here meaning a visual internal remembered, whereas for a visual
            constructed, imagining what they would look like by a small “c“, (Vic).

Other Notations

                _m_        about the previous step when linking steps. “m” standing for meta. For example getting a feeling about some stimulus.

see example soon

Categories
Exercises NLP

Strategy Elicitation

Strategy Elicitation is the how an NLPer models how another achieves excellence or how they do something using internal representational systems and external influences.

Knowing what strategies are being used in oneself and other people, can result in powerful changes, resulting in the change in a response to situations.

Firstly, get into rapport (the “t” is silent when spoken in English) with the client, and explain that you will be asking questions on how they do what they do.

It is important during the strategy elicitation that the person eliciting the strategy, keeps out of the situation, does not involve themselves in the process by saying such things as, “Oh yes I do that as well“, or “Oh I do it this way“. They should only aim to keep the person on-track in the process they run.

Notation of the strategy will use the modalities, VAKOG, rep systems, along with other coding. (Click to see list). Only write down the notation, not notes nor sentences.

  1. Ask the person to fully associate into the thing they have/will do, the strategy, as if they are doing that process now. You can keep that person associated in the strategy by asking present tense language questions, “What is the next thing that you do?”
  2. Ask the person “What is the first thing that happens?” and “How do you know?”
  3. Continue through the strategy, step by step, by asking “What is the next thing that happens?” and again “How do you know?”.
  4. Keep looking for clues which will help you identify which modalities, VAKOG, they are using, by observing Eye Accessing Cues (click to view), body language, hand movements, language patterns along with their predicates (click to view).
  5. As you notice the representation system being used, VAKOG, write it down in the notation described.
  6. Do not get involved with the content of the strategy. You do not need to know how many eggs or how many grammes of flower are needed to make a chocolate cake, just the representational systems in use.
  7. Keep asking the questions in item 3. “What is the next thing that happens?” until you find the EXIT or the trigger that tells them that the strategy has ended, that they have completed. What is the modality that tells them it is complete? “How do you know?”
  8. Be aware of the TOTE Model, Test, Operate, Test, Exit. (click to view).

KISS the strategy elicitation process, that is Keep It Simple Stupid, do not over complicate the process, only look for the main rep’ systems.

Categories
NLP

Strategies


A strategy in NLP can be defined as particular actions leading to an outcome, which can be reproduced repeatably by a sequence of thoughts, and or a sequence of internal representational systems and external experiences that lead to an outcome.

Whether we realise it or not, everything we do in our life will involve a strategy, and mostly the strategy will be at a subconscious level, that is, we are not aware at a conscious level that we will be running a procedure/strategy.

A strategy is how we process the actions that we do, these actions could be for making decisions, learning, remembering, doing our job, taking part in sport activities, being motivated. How do we do what we do, by using our internal representational systems (click for more information), and being influenced by external experiences.

Each person will use a different strategy than the next person, and it will explain why there are differences in peoples capabilities, how for example Gianni Golfera, the man with the biggest memory in the world, can remember more than other people. Has Gianni got a different brain than other people? Tests say no, he has the same brain structure as the next person, it is how he uses it, the strategies he uses to retain information that make the difference. http://www.c4memory.com

There are good decision makers, good leaders, and good sales people. Each will adopt or employ a strategy that works for them to achieve excellence in what they do,

It is a presupposition in NLP, that if anyone can do something, then you too can do it, by learning the strategy employed, and reproducing it or teaching it to others so you/they too can achieve the same excellence. I disagree with this statement, for example I am 95 years old and want to become a marathon runner. If I modeled or found the strategies used by Paula Radcliffe, a world marathon record holder, and ran the same strategies employed by Paula on myself, would I be as good as her? No. I am a man, I am older, and my physical build is not the same, but perhaps if the strategy is ecologically acceptable to me, I could achieve an excellence to my level.

We elicit strategies by modeling the internal and external representational systems of a person.

A strategy will always work to give an outcome or result. If that result is not what is wanted, then the strategy should be changed.

Often a person has only one strategy to achieve and outcome. If we can provide another alternative strategy to get the same outcome, then that person has choice.

Consider that the only way you know how to get to work is to drive your car, what would happen if the car broke down?

If I taught you how you could catch a bus to get to work, now you have two strategies or ways to get to work.

Teach you how to get there by walking, yet another. Riding a bike, another, so on and so forth.

It has been said that if a General of an army has one more strategy to fight the battle than the enemy, he will have more chance to win the battle.

Categories
NLP

TOTE Model

The TOTE model was developed in 1960 (published in Plans and the Structure of Behavior) by psychologists Eugene Galanter, Karl Pribham and George Armitage Miller (click to see other works of Miller) to describe and explain human behaviour, and takes further the S-R or Stimulus Response model, or the work of Pavlov which describes human behaviour in terms of conditioning, that is a stimulus generates a response.

Everything that we do or undertake will involve a TOTE or a strategy, we will have a way of doing something, be it combing our hair, pulling on a jumper, creating a painting, baking a chocolate cake, and the TOTE model has been adopted by NLP to describe how we do, how we achieve, what we do, or our strategy of doing an action.

The acronym of the model TOTE, stands for :-

                                                        T      test
                                                        O     operate
                                                        T      test
                                                        E      exit

and anything we do will involve a TOTE.

Consider that we wish to travel from London to Rome, we will have a Present Position (PP), i.e. London, and a Desired Position (DP), i.e. Rome.
                                                                PP
                                                                     DP

What we are aiming to do is to make our PP (present position), equal to our DP (desired position), instead of being in London we want to be in Rome.

So when we are standing in London,




    1. We apply the first T (test), and the question could be “are we there yet?“. 

    2. No we are not, so we have to do an O (operation), start walking, catch a plane.

    3. We then as we journey along apply another T (test) and ask the question “are we there yet?”.

    4. We continue looping around steps 2 and 3, the Operation and Test, until we reach Rome, then,

    5. We E exit.

The same model can be used for state, PS present state to DS desired state.

Maybe we are in an unhappy state and want to be in a happy state. So :- 




    1. We apply the first T (test), and the question could be “am I happy?“. 

    2. No we are not, so we have to do an O (operation), start watching a comedy film.

    3. As we watch we apply another T (test) and ask the question “am I happy?”.

    4. We continue looping around steps 2 and 3, the Operation and Test, until we are happy, then,

    5. We E exit.

Then the Present State/Position will equal the Desired State/Position.

If (E) the exit is not reached, or the Present State/Position does not equal the Desired State/Position, then there will be a problem, the action will never be able to stop with satisfaction, and this can develop into a compulsive behaviour disorder, like continually washing the hand after visiting the toilet, or returning home to check if the door is locked, or the light is turned off.

To solve a compulsive behaviour disorder the NLP Practitioner will need to find an (E) exit or trigger that will give the client a resolve or satisfaction, to stop the action.

Eliciting strategies will enable the discovery of what can be changed to get resolve or satisfaction.

Categories
NLP PhotoReading Travels

Bahrain

Traveling to Bahrain and being in this Kingdom off the East coast of Saudi Arabia was a fantastic experience, but I did not see much of this interesting country.

From the vantage point from the roof of the hotel I was staying and giving the training in, I got an impression of the environment. A modern country, still being developed at a high rate, with a high level of foreign workers. Even the police seemed to be foreign, and I was told not good Arabic speakers.

There were parts of the Kingdom of Bahrain I did not see, and thus are not shown here, and I understand that some of those parts are very, very poor, leading to unrest, which I had never heard of.

    Bahrain is a modern country with new buildings  Bahrain is a modern country with new buildings

Very new, modern buildings are being built, extending out from the city center. This one near to an exhibition center seen on the left of the picture. 

                    Not a hill in sight in Bahrain Not a hill in sight in Bahrain

From the roof of the hotel I could not see one hill, Bahrain seems so flat, but I am assured that there is one hill on the Kingdom island.

                                    Flat roof of Middle Eastern homes Flat roof of Middle Eastern homes

The flat roofs of the houses in sharp contrast to the tiled roofs of the UK, but then there is not much need in Bahrain of inverted “V” roofs due to lake of snow and rain.

                                                            A sand footballpitch in Bahrain A good sand football pitch

                                                                                 Not so good football pitch Not so good pitch

A football pitch near to the hotel, not a blade of grass to be seen. I remember playing a game of football whilst I was based in Saudi Arabia on a similar pitch. It was the most difficult game I have ever played in, I seemed to sink to my knees in the sand as I tried to move or kick the ball, which did not bounce or run as it would on grass. We, an expatriate side, lost the match against a Saudi national side.

Categories
Exercises NLP

Swish Pattern for unwanted behaviour


As seen previously, we all process information using our submodalities, (click to read), our five external and internal senses.



By eliciting, finding, or asking about the submodalities of something someone likes to do, and then eliciting the submodalities of the thing they do not like to do, but wants to do – the unwanted behaviour, it will be found that there will be a difference in some of those submodalities.



When eliciting the submodalities of that something they like to do, the picture will be in colour and is bright. Perhaps this picture is in focus and sharp. When the client places the picture in space before them, it is straight in front of them and large, and they are associated in the action, as if they doing the thing (V). Perhaps there is sound (A), and a good feeling (K). (See the list of submodalities by clicking here).



When they form an impression or look at the thing they want to do but they do not like to do, and the submodalities are elicited, perhaps the picture is in black and white, out of focus, placed to one side and a long way away, out of reach, (V), perhaps it has no sound, (A), and gives a bad feeling, (K), and as they look at the picture, it is as if they are watching themselves doing the thing, they are disassociated, (V).

Many differences with the submodalities will be found when asking about or eliciting likes and dislikes, or strategies, some minor, some major. For example, it could be that the something they like has sound, and the something they dislike has no sound. Major difference.

If we can give the strategy of the something we do not like, the same submodalities of the strategy we like to do, we change the submodalities, it has been found that our perception of, or the way we process the strategy of that something we dislike, it will change, thus should we so wish, we can do that something.

 

The SWISH Pattern needs to be executed with speed, the faster the “liked” submodalities are locked into place or replacing “disliked” submodalities, the stronger and long lasting the change will be.

Elicit or establish, as above, the submodalities of the “liked” activity, and especially the place of the picture.
 
Now elicit or establish the submodalities of the “disliked” activity, and again the location of the picture.

Image a hook, way out into space, so small and far away, it is virtually impossible to see.

Attach an elastic band to the hook and to the picture of the “disliked” image. It is important to take the image as reality, and physically do this.

Pull the “disliked” picture towards the client, let them hold the picture.

Release the “disliked” picture, so that it flies out into space, getting smaller and smaller towards the “space hook”, until the “disliked” picture disappears.

SWISH it away, making the sound, “SWWWIIIIIIISSSH“.
                                                                                                        swish the picture away
Then see the picture of the “disliked” strategy, fly back, SWISHing into the same location of the “liked” activity or strategy, and at the same time changing, taking-on, the submodalities of the “liked” activity, for example making the picture colourful, (V), putting sound into the image if there was none, (A), changing the feelings (K), if these were the major differences.

Test the work and ecology, (is it acceptable), and you will find change will take place. 

The SWISH Pattern can be used for unwanted behaviours, compulsive or obsessive behaviours, such as an uncontrollable desire to bite nails, smoke, eating certain foods, or habits.

There are many examples and methods of implementing the SWISH Pattern, but the above example brings quick and easy resolve and change.

Categories
NLP

Content Reframing



There are sub headings of reframing in NLP, Context Reframing and Content Reframing.

Content reframing can be used when someone reacts to something that is said, a thought, a situation, something happens and reaction happens to them that they do not want or like, or the reaction is inappropriate.

Perhaps a loved one does not telephone at an agreed time and the waiting person says “I feel bad when I have to wait for a phone call.” A reframe could be :- “That will give you time to wash your hair.” or “Perhaps you can find someone else to talk to.”

A content reframe can be used to change a negative idea or belief into something useful.

“I do not like being bald.” A reframe could be :- “At least you save money on shampoo.” 

By reframing a belief, it gives the opportunity to perceive things in a different way, to have choice.

Care must be taken when reframing, as they could cause offense if over done.

Categories
NLP

Context Reframing


There are sub headings of reframing in NLP, Context Reframing and Content Reframing that can be helpful.

Context reframing can be used when someone is making generalised comparisons, where the action, thought or behaviour is inappropriate or wrong. Perhaps that wrong belief could be used in another context.

A person may say “I talk too much.” This can be reframed by changing the context where talking too much would be good or an advantage, and a reply could be, “You could be a good after-diner speaker.”

By changing the context, it will change the meaning, and could become a resource.


Context reframing can take an undesirable or undesired attribute and finds a different situation where it would be valuable, leaving the meaning of the thought or behaviour the same.

Categories
NLP

Reframing – NLP terms


In previous articles in this blog, we have seen that the Map is not the Territory, and that when we think about a cat sitting on a mat, the cat and mat will be different for each and every person.

What we understand of the world we exist in, our experiences, are influenced by our beliefs, culture, values, likes and dislikes and our previous experiences. The context or content of our understanding.

If I say the word “holiday“, you will bring back a memory, see a picture in the mind of a previous holiday, maybe of a Caribbean exotic holiday, a skiing holiday, a family holiday is Blackpool (well known holiday resort in the UK). But, if you have never been to the Caribbean, skiing or to Blackpool, you would not have even thought of them, you will create your own holiday.

Even if you had been to the holidays above, would you have had the same experiences as me? Would you have seen the same things? Even if we had done the same things at the same time, we would have had different understandings, different memories. See previous blogs on George Miller and how the mind deletes, distorts and generalises.

It is said :-      The meaning of an experience is dependent upon the context.

By reframing we can change the way we see, understand or perceive an event or belief, and thus change the outcome, meaning or understanding.

If the meaning or understanding changes, the response that we give will change too, as in the articles on CBT and HCBT as with NLP, they seek to change the way the client understands the now, the situation.

A reframe can be in the form of a joke. My wife is a martial artist in cooking, one chop and you are dead. It makes the listener rethink, put another meaning on what is believed or initially thought.

If as a practitioner you can give a client who had only one belief, another alternative belief to consider, then the client has choice.

Perhaps the only way to get to the shops is to go by car, you know no other way, and if the car breaks down, how are you going to get to the shops? The only way you know is to travel by car.

If I show you a way to get to the shops by bus, now you have two ways.

If I show you a way by walking, now you have three ways.

If I show you a way ………

In other words, the more choices we have in the way we believe or think about something, the better we have in coping with that something or situation.

That yes, a client may think that the aircraft they are about to get on will crash, if we can give a stronger alternative belief that the aircraft is safe, and that they will enjoy the experience, that belief will take hold and they will fly.

We can do this by reframing, changing the context or content of the belief,  by changing the idea, belief  or frame of reference, by issuing another statement giving the original belief a new meaning, the outcome will change.

Examples.

“I am told I am bad, I am a control freak.” Reframe, “You must be good at organising a diner party”

    Belief change, “It is good to be a control freak sometimes.”

“Nobody loves me, nobody telephones me.” Reframe, “At least you get a good nights sleep, no phone calls at 2 in the morning.”

    Belief change, “Poor, guy, he gets calls all through the night, and a poor nights sleep.”

NOTE

See Context Reframing  and Content Reframing

Categories
Hypnosis NLP Phobias

Update to Prozac, Seroxat, Effexor and Serzone, do they work?

Further to my article Prozac, Seroxat, Effexor and Serzone, do they work?  and the follow-up NLP, Alternative Therapies against Antidepressants, the British Guardian newspaper published an article titled “Drug firms face new laws on test results“.

I heard about this article whilst listening to the BBC Radio Five Live breakfast program, just a few words as they reviewed the morning’s newspapers, and they inferred that the British Government would be bringing in new laws requiring drug companies to publish ALL research results from clinical trials.

The article did not say that. What it did say is :-


“The health minister Dawn Primarolo will tell MPs (Members of Parliament, the British Government) that new legislation will be introduced by the end of the year to ensure drugs companies pass on results of clinical trials as soon as the alarm is raised about one of their medicines.”

and that

“The minister will announce that new legislation will be introduced by the end of the year placing a greater obligation on companies to disclose results of trials.”

Note the words “a greater obligation“, they infer, that a drug company only has to inform the British Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA), when there is a problem.

This action resulted from the antidepressant Seroxat, produced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), where GSK had identified two problems in about 1998, being :-

    1. There was a higher risk of suicidal behaviour among under 18’s using Seroxat rather than a placebo.


    2. The antidepressant drug Seroxat was ineffective in dealing with depressive illness among under 18s.

It took until 2003 until the MHRA announced that doctors should not give Seroxat to the under 18’s.

The newspaper article goes on to say that in the USA, and agreement was made by GSK to publish ALL its’ trial results, available to the public, whether negative or positive. 

How do we know, or in fact the prescribing doctors know, what these drugs are doing to us, what side-effects they are having?

                                                                Pills in hand what are these drugs are doing to us?

Perhaps alternative therapies, even if they are from the placebo effect, are better for us. (see www.nlpnow.net)

And come on Radio Five Live, do not twist an article to say what you want it to.

See article It is how you interpret what your modalities give you.