Associated: Association in NLP / Coaching of Emotions

Definition & Meaning in NLP:

In NLP, it refers to associated a state in which a person is fully immersed in an experience, a feeling, or a state. Perception occurs from the first person, making emotions, sensory impressions, and inner images experienced more intensely. The term describes both the experience itself and the process of consciously 'stepping into' a state or a memory.

Examples of associated experiences include joy, anger, or enthusiasm, which are felt immediately and intensely.

Origin and Theoretical Background

The concept of association is closely linked to the work of Richard Bandler and John Grinder, who established it in NLP as a core aspect of working with inner states. It is based on the assumption that the way a person perceives an experience (associated or dissociated) strongly influences the intensity of emotions and reactions.

Associated experience stands in contrast to the dissociation, where a person perceives the experience from a distanced perspective, leading to less emotional involvement.

Application Examples

In Coaching: A coach helps a client to immerse themselves in a positive memory to experience the associated resources (e.g., self-confidence) more intensely.
In Therapy: A therapist uses associated perception to enable a client to amplify positive emotions or consciously reactivate resources from the past.
In everyday life: A person celebrating a success experiences joy associated by vividly and emotionally reliving the memory, that is, the experiences, from their own perspective.

Areas of Application

In Coaching: Resource activation and goal visualization through intense experiences of positive states.
Therapy: Amplification of positive memories or targeted processing of negative emotions.
Stress management: Building calmness through the associated experience of relaxing memories.
Personal Development: Intensification of motivation and enthusiasm through associated goal imagery.

Application and technique

Association in memories:
- Guide the person to select a positive memory.
- Let them see the situation through their own eyes, hear the sounds, and feel the emotions.
- Ensure that all senses are activated to intensify the association.
Amplification through submodalities:
- Change submodalities (e.g., brightness, volume, or proximity of the memory) to enhance the intensity of the associated perception.
Association in goal visualization:
- Have the person imagine what it feels like to have already achieved a goal, as if it is already in the present.
- Emphasize the positive emotions experienced from this perspective.

Synonyms or Related Terms

Stepping in
Intense experience
First-person perspective

Distinction between association and dissociation:

In contrast to the dissociation, where a distanced, observing perspective is taken, associated experience is characterized by immediate emotional and sensory involvement.

Scientific or Practical Benefit

Individually:
Supports the intensification of positive states and promotes the activation of inner, helpful resources.
Practically:
Helps in coaching and therapy to purposefully use or amplify emotions to support change processes.

Scientific basis:

Studies on emotional perception show that the perspective (associated or dissociated) significantly influences the intensity of emotions and their impact on decisions and behavior.

Criticism or Limitations

Risk of overwhelm:
A strongly associated experience can lead to an intense emotional reaction with distressing memories, which can be difficult to manage.
Required control:
The process of stepping in should be consciously controlled to achieve the desired effect and avoid negative consequences.

Literature and References

Bandler, R., & Grinder, J. (1979). Frogs into Princes: Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Real People Press.

Dilts, R. (1998). Applications of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Meta Publications.

Ekman, P. (1992). An argument for basic emotions. Cognition and Emotion, 6(3), 169–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699939208411068

Metaphor or Analogy

Imagine you enter a cinema and experience a film from the perspective of the main character. You see, hear, and feel everything as if you were part of the action – that is associated experiencing.