Anchoring NLP Technique - Break Negative Triggers

Collapsing Anchors – Step-by-Step Technique

Purpose

This NLP technique helps weaken or “collapse” negative emotional triggers by linking them with powerful, positive states. Over time, the positive anchor overrides the negative one, giving you more control over how you respond in difficult situations.

Step 1: Identify the Trigger

• Think of the specific negative state you want to change (e.g., fear, anger, anxiety).

• Notice what triggers it — a situation, person, sound, or memory.

• This is your unresourceful anchor (the negative one).

Step 2: Choose a Resourceful State

• Pick a positive, empowering state that would counter the negative one (e.g., confidence, calmness, joy, strength).

• Make sure it’s a state you can genuinely connect with.

• This will become your resourceful anchor (the positive one).

Step 3: Anchor the Negative State

1. Recall a time you felt the unwanted emotion strongly.

2. As the feeling builds, apply a unique physical anchor (e.g., press thumb and forefinger together, touch your wrist, clench a fist).

3. Release before the intensity fades.

4. This locks the negative state into that physical gesture.

Step 4: Anchor the Positive State

1. Recall a vivid memory where you felt your chosen resourceful emotion (e.g., a time you felt totally confident).

2. Re-experience it fully — colors, sounds, feelings, even body posture.

3. When the feeling peaks, apply a different physical anchor (e.g., pressing your other thumb and finger together).

4. Release before it fades.

5. Now you’ve locked in the positive state.

Step 5: Collapse the Anchors

1. Trigger both anchors at the same time — press both gestures simultaneously.

2. Hold them until you feel a shift. Your brain cannot sustain two opposite states fully, so it starts to integrate and weaken the negative one.

3. Release after a minute or two when the feelings subside.

Step 6: Test the Result

• Think about the original trigger that used to set off the negative response.

• Notice what’s different now — often the old feeling is much weaker or replaced by a calmer, more neutral or positive state.

• If necessary, repeat the process until the negative anchor has little to no effect.

Example: Collapsing Stage Fright with Confidence

Riya loves singing but freezes whenever she’s on stage. The sight of the audience instantly triggers anxiety — sweaty palms, a shaky voice, and racing thoughts. This is her negative anchor.

To change this, she decides to use Collapsing Anchors:

1. Identify the Trigger – Riya focuses on her fear of performing in front of an audience.

2. Choose a Positive State – She wants to feel confident and calm, like she does when singing alone at home.

3. Anchor the Negative State – She recalls a time she felt extreme stage fright, letting the fear rise, and presses her right thumb and forefinger together.

4. Anchor the Positive State – She remembers singing joyfully in her room, fully confident and free. When the feeling peaks, she presses her left thumb and forefinger together.

5. Collapse the Anchors – She presses both anchors at the same time. At first, she feels both fear and confidence clashing, but after a while, the calm confidence starts to dominate.

6. Test the Result – The next time she imagines being on stage, the old anxiety feels weaker. Instead, a sense of confidence begins to surface automatically.

By repeating this process a few times, Riya’s brain learns to replace stage fright with confidence. Her negative anchor collapses, leaving her with a more empowering response.

With practice, collapsing anchors helps rewire your automatic responses. Instead of being hijacked by unhelpful states, you’ll naturally access resourceful ones.