How Submodalities works
Submodalities are the structural components of your internal representations — the qualities of your mental images (size, brightness, color, distance, location), sounds (volume, pitch, direction), and feelings (intensity, temperature, texture). Changing even one submodality can change the emotional impact of a memory, motivation, or future projection. The technique involves identifying the current submodality structure of a specific internal experience, changing specific submodalities to a more useful configuration, and testing the new response.
History and origin
Submodalities were first systematically studied by Bandler and Grinder as an extension of the representational systems model (VAK). They observed that the quality of internal images determined the intensity of emotional response. Tad James later integrated submodalities into Timeline Therapy and the Swish Pattern. It remains one of the most technically precise NLP techniques because it works directly with the neurological structure of experience.
What a session looks like
Your trainer will guide you to access a specific internal experience — a memory, an image of your future, or a current internal state. They will ask you to notice specific submodalities: is the image large or small? Bright or dim? In color or black and white? Close or far away? Is there sound associated? What does the feeling feel like? Once the current structure is mapped, the trainer guides you to change specific submodalities in a direction that reduces the unwanted emotional charge (for a negative memory) or increases the motivation (for a positive future image). The new configuration is tested by re-accessing the experience and noticing the difference.
Most sessions are 60 to 90 minutes. The technique itself usually takes 20 to 40 minutes, with the remaining time spent on assessment, testing, and between-session practice guidance. Your trainer should explain the process at the start and debrief at the end.
Questions to ask a trainer
- What is your certification level and how many times have you used this technique?
- How do you decide whether this technique is the right fit for my specific situation?
- What does progress look like after one session, three sessions, and six sessions?
- Do you use this technique in combination with others, or as a standalone process?
- How do you handle it when the technique does not produce the expected result?
- Do you offer this technique in online sessions?
Frequently asked questions
01 Is this similar to visualization?
Visualization is a broader term for creating mental images. Submodalities are the specific qualities within those images that determine their emotional impact. Two people visualizing the same situation may have very different submodality profiles, which explains why the same image produces different emotional responses for different people. Submodalities are more precise than general visualization.
02 Can I change my submodalities on my own?
With training, yes. But for the first few applications, especially for emotionally charged memories or beliefs, working with a trainer helps you identify the right submodalities to change and verify that the change is genuine rather than a temporary suppression.
03 Which submodality has the biggest impact on emotion?
It varies by person. For most people, the size and distance of an image and whether it is associated or dissociated have strong effects. A trainer will help you test which submodalities are most impactful for your specific experience during the session.
Trainers offering Submodalities
Practitioners who list Submodalities as a specialty. View each profile for credentials, languages, and pricing.