SWISH: Understanding Submodalities and Behaviour Change Through NLP

The Swish Pattern is a visualization technique used in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) to help people redirect their attention from an unwanted response towards a preferred outcome. It involves identifying a trigger, creating a compelling mental image of the desired self, and rapidly replacing the trigger image with that outcome image. Although it is used in NLP practice for habit change and self-improvement, evidence for its effectiveness is limited, and it should not replace appropriate medical or psychological care.

What Are Submodalities?

The presuppositions of NLP suggest that our experiences and behaviours can be represented through the visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, olfactory, and gustatory senses—in other words, through what we see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. In NLP, these five senses are commonly referred to as sensory modalities.

Our experiences contain many details within these modalities. These smaller qualities are called submodalities. For example, a mental image may be bright or dark, large or small, close or distant. A sound may be loud or quiet, while a bodily sensation may feel heavy, light, warm, or cold.

Within NLP, submodalities are used to describe how people internally represent experiences. The qualities of a mental representation may influence how a person experiences a memory, thought, or imagined situation. However, the idea that changing these qualities will reliably change behaviour is an NLP proposition rather than a universal psychological rule.

How Can Submodalities Be Used in Change Work?

An NLP exercise may involve comparing the internal representation of something a person dislikes with the representation of something they enjoy.

The process typically involves:

1. Identify the unwanted experience: Explore how the person mentally represents it, including the images, sounds, and sensations associated with it.

2. Identify a preferred experience: Explore the sensory qualities of an experience the person finds positive or motivating.

3. Experiment with the representation: Deliberately alter selected qualities of the unwanted image or thought, using the preferred experience as a reference.

The purpose is to explore whether changing the way an experience is mentally represented also changes the person’s response to it. Individual responses vary, and this exercise should not be presented as a guaranteed method for transforming an unwanted experience into a desired one.

What Does Behaviour Change Look Like in the Brain?

Learning and repeated behaviour involve changes in the nervous system. Neurons communicate through connections called synapses, and repeated experience can alter the strength and efficiency of these connections. These processes are part of neuroplasticity, the nervous system’s capacity to change with learning and experience.

It is sometimes useful to imagine frequently used neural pathways as roads that become easier to travel. This is a simplified analogy: the brain does not literally form grooves for every habit, and learning involves more than simply increasing the number of dendrites.

When neural circuits are repeatedly engaged, some connections may become stronger or more efficient. With practice, certain behaviours can require less conscious effort. Reading familiar words, riding a bicycle, and driving a familiar route are examples of skills that can become more automatic through experience.

However, forming a habit does not mean that a person is permanently stuck with it. Learning new responses and practising different behaviours can change how a person responds to familiar situations. There is no universal number of repetitions required to master a skill, nor does every new behaviour become a habit within a fixed period. The time required depends on the behaviour, the individual, the circumstances, and the consistency of practice.

Understanding a person’s experiences, values, environment, and goals can help them develop a realistic plan for behaviour change.

How Can We Develop New Neural Pathways?

New learning involves more than repetition alone. Practice, feedback, attention, motivation, and the environment can all influence how a skill develops. Engaging multiple senses may also make an activity more vivid or memorable. For example, when working towards a health goal, a person might imagine what their daily routine would look like, how they would feel when completing it, and what practical steps they would take.

Visualization can support planning and mental rehearsal, but imagining an outcome alone does not guarantee a behavioural or physiological change. For a person managing diabetes, for instance, visualization should complement appropriate medical treatment, healthy routines, and advice from qualified healthcare professionals.

Within NLP, submodalities and visualization are used to explore how the qualities of mental experiences may relate to a person’s feelings and responses. These exercises can be used as reflective tools, while claims about their effects on neural pathways require separate scientific evidence.

What Is the Swish Pattern?

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

- C. S. Lewis

The Swish Pattern was described by Richard Bandler in Using Your Brain For a Change (1985). Bandler presented it as a generative pattern that could help people redirect their responses and develop a different orientation towards a desired outcome. The Swish is classified within NLP as a submodality technique. It uses changes to the qualities of mental images, such as their size, brightness, distance, and speed—to guide attention from an unwanted cue towards a preferred self-image.

It is commonly used in NLP training to explore recurring habits, unwanted reactions, and self-improvement goals. Examples might include nail-biting, reaching for a cigarette, or reacting automatically to a frustrating situation. The Swish is intended to help a person rehearse a different response. It should not be described as a proven treatment for addiction, severe emotional distress, or other clinical conditions.

Why Is Context Important in the Swish Pattern?

Before using the Swish, it is important to understand the context of the unwanted behaviour. A behaviour usually occurs in particular circumstances. These may involve a place, an activity, a social situation, another person, or a combination of cues.

Understanding the context helps identify what happens immediately before the behaviour and what the person wants to change. Without this information, the exercise may focus on an image that is not relevant to the behaviour.

For example, consider someone who wants to stop smoking. Rather than trying to change every experience of smoking at once, the person might begin by identifying one specific situation in which the urge commonly occurs. It might be the first cigarette in the morning, a cigarette after a meal, or a cigarette during a work break. These situations may have different triggers, and the person should explore which one is most relevant to their experience.

Repeated practice across different contexts may help the person rehearse alternative responses, but it does not guarantee that the change will generalize to every situation. The practitioner should also consider the person’s motivation, circumstances, and reasons for wanting to change. The goal is not merely to perform the exercise correctly, but to work towards a meaningful and appropriate outcome.

How Do You Identify the Trigger Picture?

The trigger picture is the mental image associated with the cue that immediately precedes the unwanted behaviour. In the Swish Pattern, the person identifies what they see in the situation just before the behaviour begins.

Examples include:

• A packet of cigarettes before smoking.

• An imperfection in a fingernail before nail-biting.

• A particular expression or gesture before reacting angrily.

  
  

The trigger may not be obvious at first. For example, someone who frequently becomes angry with their spouse may not be responding to the spouse’s presence alone. The trigger might be a particular comment, tone of voice, facial expression, or recurring situation. Identifying the relevant cue helps keep the exercise focused. However, behaviour is often influenced by multiple factors, including stress, expectations, learned associations, and the surrounding environment. A single image may not fully explain the behaviour.

How Do You Perform the Swish Pattern? A Step-by-Step Guide

The following is a commonly described version of the classic NLP Swish Pattern. It is a self-reflection exercise, not a clinically validated treatment protocol.

Step 1: Identify the unwanted behaviour.

Choose a recurring behaviour or habit you would like to change. Identify the situation in which it occurs and what typically happens just before it begins.

Step 2: Identify the trigger image.

Imagine the cue associated with the unwanted behaviour from your own perspective, as though you are looking through your own eyes. Notice what you see immediately before the behaviour occurs.

Step 3: Create a desired self-image.

Imagine yourself responding in the way you would prefer. Picture yourself having developed the skill or habit you want to strengthen. What would you be doing differently? What qualities would you be demonstrating? The image should be personally meaningful and realistic rather than simply an idealized picture of perfection.

Step 4: Bring both images into awareness.

Return to the trigger image. Within the traditional Swish exercise, a small, distant version of the desired self-image is placed within a corner of the mental screen.

Step 5: Perform the Swish.

Rapidly imagine the trigger image becoming smaller and less prominent while the desired self-image expands, becoming larger, brighter, and more vivid. The preferred image eventually fills the mental screen.

Step 6: Break state and repeat.

Open your eyes or briefly turn your attention to something else. This is called a break state in NLP. The classic exercise recommends repeating the sequence several times, clearing the mental screen between repetitions.

Step 7: Test your response.

Briefly recall the original cue and notice what happens. Does the desired image come to mind? Has your emotional response changed? If nothing changes, do not assume that you have failed or that the habit should now disappear.

The exercise may affect how you experience the image, but a change in imagery does not necessarily translate into a lasting change in behaviour. Follow up by observing what happens in real-life situations and using practical strategies that support the desired behaviour.

What Factors Are Considered Important in the Swish?

1. Size and Brightness

In the traditional Swish Pattern, the unwanted image is made smaller and less prominent while the desired image becomes larger and brighter.

Some people find that the size, brightness, distance, or perspective of a mental image influences how vivid or emotionally engaging it feels. Others may respond differently, so these qualities should be explored rather than assumed to have the same effect on everyone. The purpose of the exercise is to experiment with how the person experiences the images, not to claim that image size directly determines the strength of a neural pathway.

2. Speed

The classic Swish is performed rapidly. In NLP, this speed is intended to help establish a quick mental transition between the trigger and the preferred self-image.

The analogy of a flick book can help explain this idea. When pages containing slightly different images are viewed in rapid succession, they appear to form a moving sequence. Seen individually and slowly, the pages do not convey the same impression of movement. However, this analogy does not establish that the brain learns every behaviour more effectively at high speed. The appropriate pace of learning varies, and complex skills often require deliberate, repeated practice.

3. Direction

Some versions of the Swish position the small desired image in the lower corner of the mental screen and expand it diagonally across the visual field.

Traditional NLP descriptions sometimes refer to eye-accessing cues when explaining this direction. However, there is not sufficient scientific evidence to assume that a particular direction is universally best for everyone based on eye movements. The position and direction can be adapted to the individual’s experience. The central element of the exercise is the transition from the trigger image to the preferred self-image.

4. Clearing the Screen: The Break State

The traditional sequence is:

Trigger image → Desired image → Break state

The break state means briefly interrupting the visualization before repeating it. In the NLP framework, this provides a clear endpoint for each repetition rather than continuously switching back and forth between the two images. A break state can be as simple as opening your eyes, looking around the room, or briefly focusing on something unrelated. The important point is that the break state is part of the structure of the exercise. It should not be interpreted as proof that the brain has been permanently programmed to produce a new response.

When Might the Swish Pattern Not Work?

No single technique works for everyone or every problem. The Swish may not produce the desired effect, and changes in visualization do not necessarily lead to changes in everyday behaviour.

Several factors may help explain why the exercise is not useful in a particular situation.

Reason 1: The Exercise Has Not Been Practised Enough

One attempt may not be enough to determine whether the exercise is useful. Some people may benefit from repeating it, while others may find that repetition does not change their response.

What to do: If the exercise feels comfortable and relevant, you can repeat it and observe the effect. Do not continue simply because you expect a particular result.

Reason 2: The Desired Self-Image Is Not Compelling

The image of the desired outcome may feel unrealistic, uninteresting, or disconnected from what the person genuinely wants.

For example, someone trying to stop smoking might imagine themselves giving up cigarettes without considering what they value about the habit or what they hope to gain from changing it.

What to do: Revisit the desired outcome. Ask what the person genuinely wants to experience instead and what practical changes would help them move towards it.

Reason 3: The Problem Requires Practical Action

Sometimes, an unwanted thought or feeling is a signal that something in the person’s circumstances needs attention. Changing the image associated with the situation may not resolve the underlying issue.

For example, someone who feels anxious about an overwhelming workload may need clearer priorities, additional support, or a more manageable schedule.

What to do: Identify the practical problem and take appropriate steps to address it. Visualization may support preparation, but it should not replace action where action is needed.

Reason 4: The Behaviour Serves a Function

People may continue a behaviour because it meets a need, even when they dislike its consequences. In NLP and some therapeutic discussions, this is described as secondary gain.

For example, a person may smoke because they associate smoking with taking a break, managing stress, or connecting socially with others. These perceived benefits may make changing the behaviour more difficult. This does not mean the person is deliberately sabotaging themselves. Nor does it mean that every persistent behaviour has a hidden benefit. It means that understanding the function of a behaviour can be useful when planning change.

What to do: Explore what the behaviour provides and identify healthier ways to meet the same need. Someone who smokes to take a break might experiment with a short walk, a relaxation exercise, or a supportive conversation. People who want to stop smoking can also benefit from evidence-based cessation support.

Reason 5: There Are Conflicting Motivations

Within NLP, the concept of parts is sometimes used to describe competing motivations. For example, a person may want to stop smoking while also enjoying the sense of relaxation they associate with it.

The term describes a way of talking about internal conflict; it should not be taken to mean that the person literally has separate personalities.

What to do: Explore both sides of the conflict. What does the person want to change, and what do they want to preserve? Identify alternatives that address the underlying need without continuing the unwanted behaviour.

Secondary gain and parts conflict are practitioner concepts that can be used to discuss ambivalence. They should not be treated as established explanations for every persistent habit. If a behaviour is dangerous, compulsive, linked to significant distress, or difficult to control, a qualified healthcare professional can help identify appropriate support.

How Is the Swish Pattern Used for Smoking and Other Habits?

In NLP practice, the Swish Pattern is sometimes used to help a person redirect an urge towards a preferred self-image.

For example, a person who wants to stop smoking might identify the sight of a cigarette packet as a trigger. They could then create a mental image of themselves responding differently, perhaps choosing a walk, taking a break without smoking, or engaging in an activity that supports their health. The exercise would involve rapidly shifting attention from the trigger image to the preferred response, then breaking state and repeating the sequence.

The aim is to rehearse an alternative response. It is not to assume that the urge to smoke has disappeared or that the person is now an ex-smoker. Smoking involves nicotine dependence as well as learned routines and contextual cues. Visualization alone should not be relied on to treat nicotine dependence. Evidence-based support can include behavioural counselling, structured quit plans, and appropriate cessation medication under professional guidance.

The same principle applies to other habits: identify the cue, decide on a realistic alternative, rehearse the response if helpful, and practise that alternative in the relevant situation.

What Research Exists on the Swish Pattern?

Research specifically evaluating the Swish Pattern is limited. The available studies should be interpreted according to their design, sample size, methods, and outcomes rather than as proof that the technique works for every application.

Swish Pattern and Suicide-Bereaved Couples

Juhnke, Coll, Sunich, and Kent published a 2008 article titled Using a Modified Neurolinguistic Programming Swish Pattern With Couple Parasuicide and Suicide Survivors in The Family Journal. The article describes the authors’ clinical experiences with a modified NLP technique when supporting couples affected by a family member’s suicide or suicidal behaviour.

The publication provides a description of the approach and the authors’ clinical perspective. It is not a controlled clinical trial demonstrating that the Swish treats suicide-related distress. A visualization exercise should not be used as a substitute for professional care when someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts, severe depression, or another serious mental health concern. Such situations require appropriate assessment and support from qualified professionals.

Swish Pattern and Vocabulary Learning

Moharamkhani, Karimi, and Ahmadi published a study in 2016 titled The Impact of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) on EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Achievement. The study compared vocabulary instruction involving an NLP Swish Pattern with a comparison approach among learners of English as a foreign language.

The authors reported better vocabulary test performance in the group that received the NLP-based instruction. This is a finding from a particular educational study, and it does not by itself establish that the Swish is effective across different learning settings or for unrelated problems such as addiction or emotional distress.

Further independent research would be needed to establish how much of the result can be attributed specifically to the Swish Pattern and whether the findings generalize to other populations and outcomes.

A Behavioural Perspective: Changing the Response to a Trigger

From a behavioural perspective, a recurring habit may involve cues that have become associated with a particular response. A person may encounter a familiar cue and experience an urge, thought, feeling, or action. The Swish Pattern attempts to change how the person mentally responds to that cue by directing attention towards an alternative image.

However, it is too strong to claim that the Swish automatically breaks a conditioned response, creates a permanent neurological shortcut, or makes the original response unobtainable. These mechanisms have not been established as universal effects of the technique. Behaviour change often requires a combination of approaches, such as identifying triggers, practising alternative responses, changing environmental cues, developing coping skills, and receiving support where needed.

Visualization can be one component of this process when it is useful to the individual. The practical test is whether the person can apply the desired response in real situations and whether the change is maintained over time.

Summing It Up: What Is the Purpose of the Swish?

The central idea of the Swish Pattern is to shift attention from an unwanted trigger towards a preferred self-image or response. By experimenting with the qualities of mental images, a person can explore how they experience a situation and rehearse a different way of responding. For some people, this may be a useful self-reflection exercise. For others, it may make little difference. The technique should be treated as one possible tool rather than a guaranteed method for changing habits.

Ultimately, meaningful behaviour change involves more than visualization. It requires a clear goal, realistic alternatives, practice in relevant situations, and an understanding of the factors that maintain the unwanted behaviour.

NLP emphasizes the possibility of changing how we represent experiences internally. A balanced approach recognises that this is a framework for personal-development practice, while lasting behavioural change depends on multiple factors and should be evaluated through real-world outcomes.

Reference(s)

Lewis Walker (2004) ; Changing with NLP: A Casebook of Neuro-linguistic Programming in Medical ; Published by Radcliffe Medical Press Ltd; United kingdom. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=8K1aSWHFNSwC&pg=PA142&lpg=PA142&dq=swish+pattern+google+books&source=bl&ots=dQnUZliFqK&sig=ACfU3U1jHsqpd_ES9X2ciZH9vUNNP9UlIg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-nen20OfxAhUFheYKHW3YDp8Q6AEwCXoECBgQAg#v=onepage&q=swish%20pattern%20google%20books&f=false

Swish pattern https://www.the-secret-of-mindpower-and-nlp.com/Swish-pattern.html

Swish Pattern Study http://www.microdot.net/nlp/submodalities/swish-pattern-study.shtml

The Neuroscience of Behavior Change https://healthtransformer.co/the-neuroscience-of-behavior-change-bcb567fa83c1

The Impact of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) on EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Achievement. (PDF)

Parts or Secondary Gain https://www.hypnosis101.com/hypnosis-tips/parts-or-secondary-gain/

What to do if nlp doesn't work https://www.transformdestiny.com/nlp-blog/what-to-do-if-nlp-doesnt-work/?fb_comment_id=3206167969480427_3208435075920383

The Swish Pattern: An In-Depth Look at this Powerful NLPTechnique https://www.scribd.com/document/401419619/The-Swish-Pattern

This article on 'SWISH' has been contributed by Priya Dharmendrakumar Pandey who is a psychology student from St. Mira's College for girls, Pune and the article is Peer reviewed by Komal Saloni who is pursuing masters in psychology.

Both Priya and Komal are part of the Global Internship Research Program (GIRP), which is mentored by Anil Thomas.

Komal's favourite branches in the field are Cognitive psychology and social psychology.

Priya's future plan is to practice as a professional Counseling Psychologist and would like to complete her PhD for the same.

GIRP is an initiative by (International Journal of Neurolinguistics & Gestalt Psychology) IJNGP and Umang Foundation Trust to encourage young adults across our globe to showcase their research skills in psychology and to present it in creative content expression.

Anil is an internationally certified NLP Master Practitioner and Gestalt Therapist. He has conducted NLP Training in Mumbai, and across 6 other countries. The NLP practitioner course is conducted twice every year. To get your NLP certification