| Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is considered to | | | | 5. NLP Communication Model - Clients are taught NLP |
| be extremely effective in helping people to | | | | clean language techniques. This means learning to |
| overcome panic disorders, and this can usually be | | | | think and communicate with your self in a way that |
| achieved within 8 sessions. I use CBT at my practice | | | | supports being safe, confident, and relaxed. |
| in Hertfordshire and have found it very useful in | | | | 6. NLP Change Techniques - NLP, which is an |
| treating agoraphobia, particularly when used in | | | | understanding of how we code experience in our |
| conjunction with a newer cognitive therapy, Neuro | | | | brain, has a range of techniques, which can be used |
| Linguistic Programming (NLP). This article details some | | | | to reduce or eradicate the intensity of remembered |
| of the ways in which CBT and NLP are used during | | | | experiences. Its possible to take an unpleasant |
| NLP Herts to help clients achieve freedom from | | | | memory, examine how it is coded and then make |
| agoraphobia. | | | | changes so that it is no longer unpleasant and the |
| 1. Cognitive Therapy - At NLP and CBT Herts, people | | | | emotion can just drain away. If you suffer from |
| are supported to identify and change the distorted | | | | unpleasant memories or fears, an NLP therapist can |
| thinking patterns that maintain anxiety. Behind panic | | | | help you deal with this, via submodality work. These |
| attacks and anxiety are negative thoughts. These | | | | treatments are available from my therapy practice, |
| thoughts alone cannot cause anxiety, but the belief | | | | where I use NLP Herts. You can also learn to be |
| that they are true does cause anxiety. The therapist | | | | aware of the impact of how you code experience |
| works with the client to reduce belief in such | | | | yourself. |
| thoughts, this in turn reduces anxiety. | | | | 7. Anchoring For Emotional Balance - Anchors are |
| 2. Behavioural Therapy - This involves desensitizing | | | | naturally occurring associations between an external |
| your anxiety through gradual exposure to your | | | | stimulus and a behavioural or emotional response. |
| feared situations. The therapist offers practical | | | | They occur because the human mind constantly |
| support and activities may be carried out in the | | | | seeks to make sense of the environment by looking |
| community, during these sessions. | | | | for patterns and associations between things. People |
| 3. Learning cognitive techniques to beat your panic - | | | | learn to make negative associations between things. |
| clients that come for NLP and CBT Herts are taught | | | | In the case of agoraphobia this may be associating |
| specific techniques that can be used and that must | | | | going for a walk to the corner shop with fear and |
| be practiced in between sessions. The challenge is | | | | panic. NLP deliberately makes use of anchors in order |
| using these techniques during times when you are | | | | to empower people to have control over their |
| experiencing panic and clients are supported to | | | | emotional states. There are specific NLP techniques in |
| become competent at this. Of course, once clients | | | | which a stimulus is used to trigger and link an |
| are competent they become panic free! | | | | emotional state. The stimulus is usually external and |
| 4. Practising - You will get out of therapy what you | | | | may be a sound or touch. Through these techniques |
| put in and mastering your panic will involve you | | | | it is possible to for an individual to build up a resource |
| carrying out practice in between sessions. Typical | | | | of positive emotional states, which they can access |
| practice assignments include keeping a 'Beating Panic' | | | | in any situation in which they need them. It is also |
| Journal', carrying out practice related to your 'going | | | | possible to completely collapse negative anchors so |
| out and about' goal and creating a routine that | | | | that external stimuli that cause you negative |
| involves empowering 'calm' activities. You will also be | | | | emotional states will no longer be a problem. |
| required to practice any coping techniques taught to | | | | These are just some of the ways that NLP and CBT |
| you by the therapist, such as using your anchors | | | | Herts can be effective at empowering people to |
| (see below). | | | | overcome agoraphobia and other panic disorders. |