Changing Beliefs with Submodalities

(Belief into Doubt)

Steps	What exactly?	How exactly?
1. Find the problem, representation, submodalities	Limiting belief; plus an inner image that represents this belief. Elicit the “form” of the image.	“Do you have any firm belief that limits you?” … “And when you think of it, what image comes to mind that fits this belief?” … “And if this image were here in the room, where would it be? How big? Color or black & white? What shape? 2D or 3D? Associated or dissociated?”
2. Find doubt, representation, submodalities	A finds a situation of choice and an image that represents freedom of choice. Elicit the “form” of that image.	“Is there something where you can freely decide to say yes or no and feel good about either answer?” … “And can you make an image of that — if this image were here in the room, where would it be? How big? Color or black & white?” etc.
3. Submodality differences	B notes the formal differences between both images.	Create a list of differences, e.g., 1) black & white – 2) color; 1) oval – 2) angular; etc.
4. Test & clarify	Which submodality most strongly shakes the belief?	“Can you now take the belief image and make it as big as the choice image?” — “And then back again.” (…repeat with all submodalities)
5. New belief	A finds a new, more useful belief to replace the old one.	“What would you like to believe instead?” … “And does it include everything that needs to be ensured?”
6. Ecology check	Check the new belief for possible unacceptable consequences.	“What consequences — including negative ones — would there be if you truly believed this?”
7. Belief into Choice	Dress the content of the belief in the form (submodalities) of the choice image.	“Now take the belief image and make it (e.g., as large) as the choice image … place it in the same location …” etc., until all submodalities are aligned.
8. Change content	Let the old belief image disappear and replace it with the new one.	“And now let the image go black … and as it becomes bright again, a picture of your new belief magically appears.”
9. Choice into Belief	Transfer the new content (in the “garb” of choice) back into the belief form. Only then is it truly believed.	“Can you now put this image with the new content back in the same place as the previous belief, essentially reoccupying that spot?” (…and so on, until all submodalities are adjusted again)
10. Test	Check the effectiveness of the work.	“Do you still know your old belief? And how is the new one?”