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Examples of pattern breakingSteve Pryer 09 Aug 2004 08:46
 
Examples of pattern breaking — Steve Pryer — Monday, August 09, 2004

Do you have any practical real life examples which illustrate the use of pattern breaking

 
 
Sue's Answer

Dear Steve, thank you for your question and sorry to have taken some time to get back to you. It was not that I could not think of examples but that there are so many that I felt spoilt for choice. I always remember a classic trance inducing pattern break and that is that when someone approaches you to shake your hand go to do the same and at the very last moment grasp their arm instead. The unexpectedness of that can induce a trance. But more everyday ones—well if you want to change a not OK habitual reaction do something else so for example if I am in a situation with my husband where I recognise that I might get typically annoyed I would or could go for a walk instead. If I know that I have a negative inner dialogue habit I might catch myself when this starts to happen and look up and picture something different. In response to other people if I know that someone triggers a particular response in me or that they have a familiar pattern I will just interrupt it. For example if I have someone on one of my courses who regularly dominates the class with questions and has a habit of dominating in their work too then I will interrupt it so that they can't do the same thing repeatedly. Gosh I can think of so many do you want more……?

Sincerely,
Sue Knight

 
 
Steve Pryer

Hello Sue,

Thanks for the reply and the useful examples.

Since I asked the question originally I have worked with one of my coachees on the pattern breaker technique to good effect. In one situation my colleague used the technique to address a negative thought pattern triggered each time she saw a certain colleague. The coachee subsequently reflected on the technique and used it successfully in a social setting.

Regards,

Steve

 
 
Sue

Dear Steve that is great I am so glad that you found an answer for yourself—also have you come across the SWISH which is a classic format discovered through NLP for pattern breaking? It involves replacing one habitual way of seeing things with another more effective one but done very visually and very quickly.

Sincerely,
Sue Knight