NLP Techniques: Swish
by Laura Interval
So, let’s say you have a habit or a phobia that is hindering you. Nail biting is a daily annoyance, or you have a paralyzing fear of dogs, for example. With the Swish Pattern Technique, you will be able to replace the urges or feelings of fear with a much more desirable response. After you master the Visual Swish, you will not even want to gnaw on your nails and a dog will seem like a baby to you. Like all NLP techniques - it’s about changing your perception. It’s about replacing your response to a particular trigger image (in this case chewing your fingernails or confrontation with dogs) with a new, positive response. The actual “swish” comes when the new image overtakes the old and sends your brain in a new designated direction. Although it works best as a visual process (as in the following example), it will also work with auditory and kinesthetic responses. This is an example of a “standard swish”. First, identify your unwanted behavior or response. I’m going to use biting your nails. Second, identify what you see “visual cues” right before you engage this behavior. When do you bite your nails? Create the picture in your mind. What do you see/hear/feel that makes you want to bite your nails? Do you see your hand coming up to your mouth? How does that make you feel? Does stress propel you to bite? Now, make a large, bright image of what you see just before you bite that nail. You hand coming to your face, your jagged nail or cuticle. Whatever it is… make it large and bright in your mind’s eye.Got it?Put this image aside for a minute. This is your visual cue or trigger image. Third, make a self-image picture. See yourself how you would be if you were no longer a nail biter. How would you see yourself differently? Now, when you picture yourself, it should be a dissociated view. You should see yourself (not from your point of view but more of a watcher of yourself in a movie) without the stress. You are not biting your nails and you have more useful responses to your stress. You don’t have to see the activities, just yourself feeling good and positive with more options. Keep seeing yourself until you feel good and positive and want to be more like the person you are seeing. You should feel drawn to this person. There is no background, no place, just the person that you want to be. Fourth, is the "ecology check". You want to make sure that when you look at this picture of the self you want to be, you don’t have any hesitations or doubts. Do you feel part of yourself object? Is there something about this picture that goes against your values or beliefs? If so, continue to change the person until you feel confident and deeply attracted to this new view of you. Step five is the set up – Return to your bright, large visual cue from step 2. Now, put a small, dark picture of the “new you” from step 3 in the middle of that image. Prepare to swish... This technique is actually fun for me. I’m very visual and I enjoy building these movies. Of course, NLP trained therapists and practitioners can take you through this swishing technique in a much more detailed and individual way, however, there is no doubt in my mind this type of visualizing is very valuable. This standard swish pattern works with about 70% of people without having to go into further background details, or brain function work. If your anchors are strong and your visual cues are specific, you will feel a change and hopefully, kick that bad habit!
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