As a hypnotherapist and NLP Master practitioner, it gives me great joy to be able to share with you one of the most commonly used and simple techniques. The way it is explained to you below, is exactly the way I use it, and by following the simple steps below you can achieve instant access to positive feelings and emotions.

Anchoring is a valuable tool used by hypnotherapists and NLP Practitioners. It is one of the simplest techniques available and can create massive and powerful changes of state in another person in an instant.

Just imagine having access to your most resourceful state- confidence, creativity, motivation, relaxation, power- at the touch of a button.

1. Why use Anchoring?
Anchoring is an NLP technique used to move a client very quickly, into a positive resourceful state (emotion). This could be used to get someone into a confident state when giving a presentation or perhaps a relaxed state when confronting a fear or phobia or to give instant motivation when faced with a challenge.

2. What is an Anchor?
An Anchor is an internal state which is triggered by an external stimulus. For example, have you even caught a whiff of someone’s perfume and been reminded of someone that you know, and had an experience of feeling all of the feelings that you have towards that person? Or perhaps you’ve heard a song that has, literally, in your mind, taken you back momentarily to a time in the past or a specific event?
The Anchors we create when using NLP and hypnotherapy and Kinaesthetic anchors (the positive internal feeling is triggered by a touch).

3. How do you create a Positive Resource Anchor?
Recall a time in the past when you have felt the way you want to feel when your Anchor is fired. As you vividly remember that time, remembering everything you saw as if you were seeing it again, back through your own eyes, hear what you heard and feel the feeling you had at that time.

When the feeling is at its strongest, “anchor” it by making a gesture, or gently pressing or squeezing an appropriate and accessible part of your body, e.g. making a fist, pushing the palm of your hand etc.

Break your state by jiggling your body or moving in some way then repeat the above using a different and equally positive memory from the past, then anchor that. Repeat this several times to make the anchor strong.

Then test how strong your anchor is by breaking your state and then firing it off. Notice how great you feel!

4. What if…..? Your questions answered!
If your anchor is weak, try anchoring more vividly remembered times. Make sure you really put yourself into the state and remember to apply the anchor at the peak of the good feeling.

Apply you anchor in a unique place/ way. You wouldn’t want to have an anchor for elated joy by shaking your hand as this might not be an appropriate state to go into each time someone shakes your hand! Your anchor must also be located somewhere upon you that is easy for you to repeat and fire off later, without making you look suspicious in front of others!

What if I work in a business setting, how could this be used?

Anchors don’t have to be created and triggered by a touch. You could use your voice in a certain way every time you want to get others into a motivated state or perhaps Anchor key words, such as trust, to yourself, when selling your product in a presentation. So verbally you are saying to your customers that they can trust the product you are selling, but you anchor the word “trust” to yourself.

There are many other techniques involved when creating major lasting changes in people’s lives. For more information about what these are and how they can be used to tackle specific problems, visit the link below and get in touch.

By Gemma Bailey
www.hypnotherapyandnlp.co.uk

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