Stress Reduction Using NLP: 3 Part Exercise

Hello again, as I was getting this post together I realized that it was going to take me a bit longer to give you the step by step method that is important for success. So this post is broken down into 3 Parts.  The first part is important.  You will learn to rate your level of emotion, using a very simple rating scale. It is vital to know where you are on the emotional scale before doing an exercise, because then you will easily notice when the emotion changes.  Even a slight change will be obvious when you use the rating scale before and after any stress relief exercise.

There are many ways to use your mind to stop negative thinking.

Because we are moving into very powerful techniques, if you have any medical or emotional conditions I advise you to check with your doctor before doing any of the following exercises.

Overview for today’s exercise:

1.  First you need to get the memory that you want to work with.
2. As you think about the event in the memory, you will rate your emotional level on the zero to ten scale.
3. Then you begin to write down all the elements in the picture.  Color, size, clarity, focus, sound, I will repeat the questions today to help you with this.
4. Once you have the elements the next step will tell you how to begin to change them.  It will be very important, to follow the directions for this and to change only one element at a time.

NOTE:   When we are working with a memory or image of something that brought on negative feelings, some element changes will make the feeling worse, some will make it better and some will have no effect.  That is why it is so important to change just one thing at a time.  This is so powerful that some people feel more comfortable having someone trained in these techniques to help them the first time. 

If you would rather go through these techniques with my guidance, I would be happy to set up a Free Consultation with you to discuss the problems you are having and the best ways to move forward. Scroll to the bottom of this page to sign up for a consultation. Or Click Here.

Part 1: Recap of  information for changing negative feelings:

1.  Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) gives a very powerful way to use your mind.  What we will be experiencing today is just a small part of what is possible using NLP techniques.

2.  Some of the parts of this technique will require you to be able to visualize: color, size, focus, brightness.  If you haven’t done this exercise yet, the questions will be repeated in today’s exercise.

3.  We will be changing small parts or elements of your “stress picture.” This is the image that creates bad feelings when you think about it.  It can be something that happened in the past or something that you are worried about happening in the future.   Remember as you do this exercise that changing each element will have a different effect.  Changing some elements will create a change in a positive direction, some will have no effect, and others might even make the feeling worse.

4.  If you have any concerns, it would be best to have a person trained in these techniques to guide you through on a one to one basis.  Feel free to send any question to me before continuing with the exercise at askdraudrey@gmail.com.

Part 2: NLP Exercise.

1.  Think of the event or situation that typically causes you stress. (If you didn’t do the “2 for 1 Exercise for Stress Relief” it might be helpful to go back to that post and practice it before continuing). 

2.  The very first thing I have my clients do is to rate their level of stress before doing any exercise.  To rate your emotion using this scale is very easy.  Imagine that there is a scale that goes from zero to ten.  With zero meaning no emotion or you can do what some of my clients do and think of the 0 as being calm.  Ten would then represent the highest level of emotion.  Ten could stand for panic, anxiety, sadness, fear or whatever emotion you are rating.

3.  Rate the level of emotion as you think about the negative memory. For example: If it is towards the calm side of the scale it could be in the 0 to 3 range, some anxiety could be 4 to 6 and beginning of panic could be 7 to 10.  You just pick the number that best represents the emotional level for you. This is your rating gauge, so for example if we were rating pain and typically you were in a lot of pain,  but today was a good day, you’re level 2 might be another person’s level 6.

4.  Rate how intense the feeling is on a scale of 0 to 10. As you think about the negative event or memory.
(Zero representing calm and Ten representing the highest level of emotion).
Write down a number that represents your level of emotion.  Since this is just a slightly negative memory the number will probably be between 3 to  6.

5. Remember, for this exercise use a slightly negative memory, not a major problem.  We are using this as a practice exercise, so you can experience what happens when we start changing the elements in the picture.

6. The questions that follow are designed to help you to uncover the elements of the picture that we will be changing. Answer the following questions to learn about the elements or parts that make up your picture:
a. Is the picture in color?  Or is it in black and white?
b. Is the picture bright or dim?
c. Is it in focus or out of focus?
d. Is anything in the picture smaller than life?  Larger than life?  Or is everything life size?
e.  Are there any sounds in the picture?  (For example: people talking, cars, birds chirping, the wind)
f. If there are sounds are they pleasant or disturbing.
g.  Is it a “snap shot” or still picture?  Or  is it a moving picture?
h. Is any one else is in the picture?
i. If there is someone else, notice their expression? What feeling does it create?

Once again rate your discomfort (feeling) on a scale of 1 to 10. With 1 being totally calm and 10 feeling the emotion. (ie. annoyed, scared, irritated, fearful, sad)

Next we’ll give the details for Changing the Elements for an amazing experience.

Part 3: CREATING CALM by using your own mind to change elements of an image

Reminders for Changing the Elements
1.  Start changing the elements you uncovered from the questions in step 3
2. Only change one element at a time.
3. Stay curious as you notice what changes.

Remember: You will find that some elements will cause the feelings to change in a positive direction, some will have no effect, and others might even make the feeling worse.  The good news is, even if the change is in the negative direction, your mind created the change, so you can use you mind to create positive changes just as easily.

4.  Ideas to think about as you change the elements.
**** a. If your image started out in color and you changed it to black and white, notice how does change in the color impacts on your feelings as you look at the new picture?
**** b. Notice the effect of one change on anything else in the picture.  Make a note of the impact on any other part of the image.

5.  Between each element change put the picture back to as close to the original as you can.  For example, if you had changed it to black and white, you would change it back to how it started, in color.

Note: Sometimes when an element change creates a change in the positive direction, the image won’t go back to the exact same image you started with, that is fine and actually means your unconscious is already working on making a positive shift in feelings.

6.  Change the next element.  For example if the image was in focus, you might pretend you had a camera and you are adjusting the lens, so the image becomes unfocused.

7.   As you play with each element put a big check next to ones that create a positive change, and cross out the ones that you didn’t find useful.

8.  Other examples of changing elements:
Changing the Element of Size.  If someone in the image is larger than life, notice what happens as you make the person smaller than life.  Or, you can make yourself larger than life and see how that affects the feelings.

9.  Also notice what happens if you change the expression  another person has.  For example putting a warm smile on someone’s face, instead of the expression they started with.  Notice what effect it has on the picture and your feelings..

10. Remember if any element change feels uncomfortable, all you need to do is change it back to the original.

11.  You can add or change sounds in the image.  Notice what happens if you add a song from a Disney movie.  Then change it to the sound of ocean waves.  You can change loud voices or noises to soft, quiet ones.  If someone is yelling or saying something nasty, in a memory, notice the totally different effect when you imagine them singing the words.

12. Another change of elements can be movement.  If it is a moving picture, see what happens when it becomes a “still photo.” Or if it was still add movement.  Notice the effect that has.  You can “play” with the element of size, by making the “still photo” smaller or larger.

13.  After you have changed each element and put check marks next to all of the ones that modified the image in a positive direction, you then change each element to the new (checked) one.  Notice how the changes effect the image and also you feelings.  When all elements are changed rate your emotion on a  0  to 10 scale one again.

There are many other elements that can be changed, this exercise gives you a taste of what you can do with your own mind. 

I would be interested in hearing from you about how this worked for you. Please send me an email at: AskDrAudrey@gmail.com

Or fill out the form below to contact me about a consultation:
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