This could have happened because the subject has an insufficient receptivity of the synesthesia (something very unusual during my sessions). Another reason can be, as I have frequently observed, due to a series of problems related to limiting convictions/values, or identity/sponsorship problems (in logical levels of Dilts). These problems can weaken the anchors. In these cases, the best thing to do is to solve these problems, so the installation of anchoring could be more effective and lasting.

But maybe the client does not want to modify his limiting convictions and just wants some help in the Strategies/Anchorage s level to face a particular state in some fixed situations.

Or maybe the client agrees to reframe the limiting convictions, but during the sessions needs a strong and long-lasting anchorage that could help him to do it.

In both cases, to have at your disposal a auto-strengthen anchoring could be useful (there is no necessity of reloading or reinforcement on the part of the client or the Coach). In fact, the reinforcement procedures are not always possible. The client cannot have the Trainer in hand all the time; the procedures for the auto-reinforcement of the anchorages by the client are often neglected by client himself because of a series of components.

The auto-strengthen anchoring is an anchoring that has a second internal anchoring that works in an opposite manner respected to the main one. This means that, when the main anchor tends to weaken, the second anchor gets into function automatically to reinforce it. On the same way if the secondary anchor tends to weaken, the main one will reinforce it automatically. This elastic mechanism keeps the client in the desired state/resource and maintains the efficiency of the anchoring in time. We can compare it to the movement of a spinning-top: the centrifugal force and the opposite centripetal force make it to maintain its axis; or to some nautical knots were the rope cannot be untied because of the presence of opposite knots in pairs. This is a case of “double therapeutic bond”.

In a logical level:

when Anchor (1) weakens, Anchor (2) acts automatically by reinforcing it;
when Anchor (2) weakens, Anchor (1) acts automatically by reinforcing it;

It’s a very effective mechanism so it’s important that:

-the installation must be done by an expert Trainer;
- a mechanism of auto – limitation of the state in case it becomes too intense and non-ecological (some sort of revolutions or speed limiter in a car) must be set up if the client’s ecology requires it.
-a mechanism of uninstallation of the auto-strengthen effect is foreseen. In some situations the client’s ecology requires the break of this mechanism to permit a progressive and natural looseness from the synesthesia.
- the client must be discouraged (obviously indirectly by using the Milton Model) from working on his own on the anchorage because of the reasons above mentioned.
-the mechanism of auto-uninstallation of the auto-strengthen effect can be inserted if anchoring is oriented to a precise and definite (in time) situation (e.g.: an important exam) and the Trainer thinks he could not proceed to the uninstallation on his own.

INSTALLATION PROCEDURE

The spatial anchoring is very used. The technique of the excellence circle is among the different techniques that are used. Some cues come from Dilts’ the journey of the Hero.

a) the client is invited to reach the desired state (for example: energy and desire of going on). He access to the state by means of a deep work on the submodalities (visual, kinesthetic and auditive ones). When the access has almost reached the maximum level (we realise of it by calibrating the person), the client is invited to take two steps and to go into a circle that he has to draw imaginary on the floor. The circle is a bit larger than the Dilts’ excellence circle. Its radius must be between one and two client’s steps approximately. The Trainer follows the client and he stands next to him.

Once inside the circle, the client increases even more the level of the state. The state is anchored kinesthetically (the client is invited to hold his right fist if right-handed and his left fist if left-handed). Then he is invited to leave the circle.

The procedure is repeated several times until the main anchoring is correctly installed.

b) At this point, we start with the installation of the secondary anchoring that will have the function of maintaining the force and intensity of the main one in time.

This time we work outside the circle. The client is invited to look for his own centre and to feel the energy that comes from it in all his body. This enormous strength goes until his feet and irradiates the energy to the floor. The client feels like nailed, as if he has roots that push him to the centre of the earth. When the client has almost reached the maximum level in the access to this state (calibrate the client), the client is anchored kinesthetically. He asked him to open his right hand completely, keeping his fingers as separated as possible (use the left hand if hand-handed). The client must realise that opener the hand, stronger the force that ties him to the earth. Also this anchoring is repeated several times until his complete installation.

c) And now, the third phase. The client is invited to go into the circle again to access to the wanted state (energy and desire of going on) and to his kinesthetic anchor (close fist). When the client is at the maximum state, the Trainer causes an auditive stimulus that must be previously agreed (for example: to snap one’s fingers). At that moment the Trainer pushes the client gently to make him go out the centre towards the border of the circle. The client must open his hand to get the strength he needs to oppose the Trainer’s. When the Trainer feels the client’s strength and sees his open hand, he must reduce his force imperceptibly and allow the client to turn to the centre. When the client feels that his force is turning him back to the centre, he must close his fist and access even stronger to the state (in this case energy and desire of going on).

Like this, we activate an elastic mechanism: the trainer pushes the client trying to move him from the centre towards the borders of the circle; the client opens his hand and offers resistance by standing firmly; this opposition makes him go back to the centre of the circle, so the hand closes again making him return to the desired state.

The mechanism must be repeated several times to install this meta-anchoring. Every time the Trainer will push a bit stronger; the client will open his hand even more and will offer more resistance; the resistance will make him return to the centre with his fist and he will access to the desired state more intensively every time.

Once this meta-anchoring has been installed the client is invited to take the circle and put it in his pocket. He will throw it to earth at the right time (when he will want to go into the state-resource again) and will take two steps to go into the circle. Then he will open his hand to recall the taking-roots state and he will close it immediately after to access to the desired state. The two opposite anchors will hold him firmly to the state. Anchoring will not weaken because if one weakens the other one will reinforce it automatically (this reinforcement is symbolized by the opening and closing movements of his hand).

In case the client could not throw the circle (because of lack of space or the time or situation do not allow it), the opening and closing movements of his hand will be enough to recall the two anchors. In fact, also this simple double movement will provide him a strong anchoring to the desired resource-state.

MECHANISM OF AUTO-LIMITATION OF THE STATE

To install a mechanism of auto-limitation of the state could be useful when required by the client’s ecology. For example, if we install an anchoring that recalls the aggressiveness in a very submissive client, the excessive access to the state would cause a strong aggressiveness and problems to the client and the others.

To install this “revolutions limiter”, the Trainer must calibrate the client carefully during the third phase in which the two anchors are integrated. When he considers the level of eliciting has been reached (and to increase it is considered to be harmful), the Trainer will give some suggestions to the client to indicate (by using the instruments of the Milton Model) that the maximum level of the state has been reached and that the client will not be able to increase it moreover because every trial to do it will lead him to a polar and unconquerable opposition. Then he invites him to try to do it and asks him to increase the level beyond the ecological limits. He gives him the suggestion that his hand could open as a self-defense mechanism against the excess of the state. The opening of the hand will decrease the state automatically. So we will invite the client to hold his fist again to increase his state to the maximum level again.

In this case the secondary anchoring has a further elastic function by controlling and limiting any harmful excess.

UNINSTALLATION OF THE AUTO-STRENGTHEN EFFECT BY THE TRAINER

The auto-strengthen anchorage can be uninstalled if it is considered to be necessary and ecological for the client on the part of the Trainer. In order to do it, the client will be invited to go into the circle and to access to the desired state by recalling the anchorage (holding his fist). Then the client is invited to leave the state completely (for example thinking about something completely different). Simultaneously he’s asked to open his hand and to take a step to the border of the circle. If the client offers some resistance the Trainer will push him gently to displace him from the centre and will give him contextually the appropriate suggestions. The procedure is repeated several times and in this way we uninstall the secondary anchor and cancel the auto-strengthen effect.

MECHANISM OF AUTO - UNINSTALLATION OF THE AUTO-STRENGTHEN EFFECT

The installation of the mechanism of auto-uninstallation occurs also during the third phase. After the installation of the elastic mechanism, the client is invited to imagine a date written on his open hand. The date must be the one in which the auto-strengthen effect must stop. Then the Trainer gives some suggestions to the client to tell him that from that date on the opening of his hand will not have any effects on him. The suggestion is then paced in the future on the client’s time-Line paying attention to the sensorial submodalities.