Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Are You Being Avoidant?

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are two distinct therapeutic approaches that share some overlapping techniques, including submodalities and defusion. Both techniques aim to help individuals alter their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to enhance their well-being.

Here are three specific examples that illustrate the overlap between NLP submodalities and ACT defusion:

1. Re-framing thoughts: One of the ways that NLP and ACT overlap is in the use of re-framing techniques. NLP uses submodalities to change the way individuals perceive their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. For example, if someone is feeling anxious about a specific situation, NLP practitioners might ask them to picture the situation in a smaller size or to imagine it as a still picture instead of a movie. This can help to reduce the anxiety and provide a sense of control over the situation. Similarly, in ACT, defusion techniques aim to help individuals re-frame their thoughts and emotions by detaching from them and viewing them as events in the mind rather than as absolute truth. This helps to increase psychological flexibility and reduce negative outcomes associated with stress and anxiety.
2. Changing the visual representation of experiences: Another way that NLP submodalities and ACT defusion overlap is in the use of visual representations to change the way individuals perceive their experiences. NLP uses visual submodalities to change the way an individual represents an experience in their mind, such as altering the size, brightness, and contrast of the image. For example, if someone is feeling overwhelmed by a situation, NLP practitioners might ask them to imagine the situation as a small, distant image. This can help to reduce the anxiety and provide a sense of control over the situation. In ACT, defusion techniques also aim to change the visual representation of experiences by asking individuals to view their thoughts and emotions as separate from themselves. For example, one defusion technique involves imagining thoughts as leaves floating down a stream. This helps to increase psychological flexibility and reduce negative outcomes associated with stress and anxiety.
3. Reducing the impact of negative thoughts: A third way that NLP submodalities and ACT defusion overlap is in their ability to reduce the impact of negative thoughts and emotions. NLP uses submodalities to change the way individuals perceive their thoughts and emotions, reducing their impact and allowing individuals to experience them in a more manageable way. For example, if someone is feeling anxious about a situation, NLP practitioners might ask them to picture the situation as a still picture or to imagine it with a dimmer light. This can help to reduce the anxiety and provide a sense of control over the situation. In ACT, defusion techniques aim to reduce the impact of negative thoughts and emotions by asking individuals to detach from them and view them as events in the mind. For example, one defusion technique involves labeling thoughts as “just thoughts”. This helps to increase psychological flexibility and reduce negative outcomes associated with stress and anxiety.

In conclusion, NLP submodalities and ACT defusion share many similarities, including the use of re-framing techniques, visual representations, and reducing the impact of negative thoughts and emotions. Both approaches aim to help individuals increase their psychological flexibility, reduce stress and anxiety, and enhance overall well-being. However, it is important to note that while these approaches may overlap in some ways, they are distinct therapeutic approaches and may be more effective in certain populations or circumstances.