NLP Knowledge Base

Anchoring: Collapsing Anchors

This pattern helps in changing a dysfunctional response. It involves

triggering an anchor for a negative state and an anchor for a positive
state simultaneously. The result is an opportunity to reprocess the stuck
pattern involved. The Collapsing Anchors pattern may help resolve
dysfunctional thought or behavioral patterns that have been difficult to
change. The result is greater ease in bypassing the dysfunctional state,
and spontaneous generation of more appropriate states for coping with
the challenging situation that has been reprocessed. Many people say
that the anchor collapse kind of strange, but in a good way.

This pattern serves to free you from negative feelings that a situation or
memory triggers in you. The pattern starts by establishing an anchor for
the negative feeling. Then you create a different anchor that is loaded
with positive states. Once the positive anchor is more powerful than the
negative one, you fire both anchors at one time. The result, at first, feels
strange. The person’s eyes may dart around, as if their mind is trying to
restore some kind of order or make sense of things. The end result is that
the person is freed from the association between the trigger situation and
the negative feelings. The anchors are usually on opposite sides of the
body, such as one spot on each knee. Placing the feelings in the palm of
each hand, and then bringing the palms together also collapses the
anchors.

Step #1. Select a problem involving a spontaneous negative state, and

establish an anchor for inducing it.

Step #2. Break state.

Step #3. Elicit a positive state.

Step #4. Amplify the state.

Step #5. Elaborate on the state.

Step #6. Anchor the resourceful state.

Step #7. Break state.

Step #8. Trigger the states.

Step #9. Release the anchors.

Step #10. Test your work.

Step #11. Strengthen the anchor.

Step #1. Select a problem involving a spontaneous negative state, and

establish an anchor for inducing it.

Choose a problem that is part of a stuck, dysfunctional pattern. Create an

anchor for the negative state.

Step #2. Break state

Break the negative state (For instructions, see the State Interrupt pattern).

Step #3. Elicit a positive state.

Elicit a resourceful, positive state.

Step #4. Amplify the state.

Amplify the state with methods such as enhancing sub-modalities.

Step #5. Elaborate on the state.

Elaborate on that state, for example, by talking about what you would like
to experience in that situation in each rep system.

Step #6. Anchor the resourceful state.

Once the state is firmly established, anchor it.

Step #7. Break state.

Break the resourceful state by clearing your mental screen, opening your
eyes and moving around for a moment.
Step #8. Trigger the states.

Fire the anchor for the unresourceful state, then the resourceful state
immediately after. Hold both anchors. This supports continued
processing. It also helps to periodically remind the person to fully
experience their current state. You are likely to observe physiological
changes, including facial expressions and eye movements that suggest
confusion or processing.

Step #9. Release the anchors.

Once you feel that adequate time to process has taken place (halting of
the physiological changes usually occurs at that time), release the
negative anchor first, then the positive anchor after a brief delay.

Step #10. Test your work.

a. Break state.

b. Fire the anchor of the unresourceful state, or ask the person to attempt
to call up their unresourceful state by thinking about the issue. If they are
unable to easily experience the unresourceful state, then the pattern was
successful.

Step #11. Strengthen the anchor.

a. Break state.

b. Trigger the resourceful state anchor.

c. Enhance the positive state with submodality work and any other
appropriate methods.

d. Re-anchor the resourceful state.

Additional Advice

This can be deceptively simple. It’s well worth practicing to really get the
hang of it.

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