Parts Integration

NOTE: Unless you are already a highly experienced NLP practitioner, this pattern may inappropriate for you to try on your own. We suggest that you work with a very competent NLP practitioner who is very mature in his or her own personal work

Conflicting beliefs can cause self-sabotage and prevent people from assertively pursuing their goals. They can undermine relationships of all kinds. This pattern assists in aligning beliefs so that they are accurate and synergistic.

"On the one hand I want X, and on the other hand I want Y." The solution is to create a Z or new representation.

Integration of Conflicting Parts draws operationally from a combination of the NLP techniques of 'Visual Squash' and 'Reframing'. Conceptually, it is based on the work of Fritz Perls and Virginia Satir.

One of the most important and useful principles for managing change relates to the notion of 'positive intention'. This principle is especially valuable when dealing with resistances and objections. The principle essentially states that: At some level, all behavior is intended or has been developed for some "positive purpose". According to this principle, for instance, resistances or objections would actually emerge from some underlying positive intention or purpose. For example, the positive purpose behind the objection, "It is not desirable to be successful," may be to 'protect' the speaker from oversaturation or failure. The positive intention behind a resistance such as, "It is not possible to change," might be to prevent 'false hope' or to avoid unrewarded effort.

The principle of positive intention implies that, in order to successfully change a resistance or limiting belief, these underlying concerns, or positive purposes, must be acknowledged and addressed in some way. The positive intention behind a resistance or limiting belief may be addressed directly or by widening the person's map of the situation such that they are able to see choices for satisfying their positive intent other than resistance or interference.

In fact, resistance created by positive intentions often arise from other limiting (and unrecognised) assumptions. For instance, the reason that a person may feel threatened by the "success" may be because that person does not feel he or she has the skills or support to deal with the social impact of being successful. This concern may be addressed by providing the appropriate coaching and guidance for developing the necessary resources. Another way to address this might be to help the person realize that he or she already has the capabilities necessary and is going to be supported.

It is also important at times to inquire directly about the positive intention or purpose behind a particular resistance or limiting belief.

The principle of positive intention is derived from the deeper assumption that people make the best choices available to them given the possibilities and capabilities that they perceive to be accessible within their model of the world. NLP processes, such as Reframing, are ways to help people widen their map of a situation and perceive other choices and options.

Thus, when managing an objection or resistance, it is useful to begin by acknowledging its positive intent and then lead to a wider space of perception or thinking. It is especially important to separate a person's identity and positive intention from their behaviors. In dealing with interferences, an effective strategy is to first acknowledge the person or their positive intent and then respond to the issue or problem as a separate issue.

It is important to realize that one can acknowledge another person's point of view without having to agree with that person, i.e. it is different to say "I understand that you have this perspective", than to say, "I agree with you". Saying, "I appreciate your concern", or "That is an important question" is a way to acknowledge the person or their intention without necessarily implying that their map of the world is the right one.

In summary, according to the principle of positive intention, when dealing with resistance to change it is important and useful to:

1) Presuppose that all behavior (including resistance and limiting beliefs) is positively intended. 

2) Separate the negative aspects of the behavior from the positive intention behind it. 

3) Identify and respond to the positive intention of the resistant/problem person. 

4) Offer the person other choices of behavior to achieve the same positive intention.

The NLP Parts Integration technique

 1. Establish the unwanted behavior or indecision. Then identify at least two opposing Parts – the ‘Good Part’ and ‘Bad Part’, or the Part that wants to change and the Part that keeps doing the problem.  Identify the conflict you have and physically sort out the 'parts' in conflict.

(Identify the conflicting parts your partner has. Common types of conflicts include logic vs. emotion, rational vs. intuitive, childhood beliefs vs. adult beliefs, past vs. future, etc. Calibrate the physiology of each of the parts in conflict (pay particular attention to asymmetries of movements and gestures). )

2. Create an image of both Parts, one in each palm of your hands. Any metaphoric representation that symbolizes each Part is appropriate. Establish a 'meta-position' that is disassociated from either of the conflicting parts (new image/outcome).

(Represent the parts in all sensory systems. For example, you can say, "Put the part of you that believes X in one hand (choose the hand that your partner used when expressing that belief). What image, voice and feelings do you have associated with that part of you?" If one of these has been missing have the explorer add it in. Put the other part in the other hand and do the same thing.)

3. (a) Fixate your attention on one of the Parts first. Then ask that Part what its intention is for doing what it’s doing. Keep repeating that question on whatever ‘answer’ you get, until you arrive at a positive value like love, freedom, joy etc.

(b) Fixate your attention on the other Part next. Then ask that Part what its intention is for doing what it’s doing. Keep repeating that question on whatever ‘answer’ you get, until you arrive at a positive value like love, freedom, joy etc.

(c) Notice that what both Parts want (their highest intention) is either identical or compatible.

(Have your partner associate into the perceptual position of each part and ask each part to look at the other and describe what it sees. At this stage the different parts will typically dislike and distrust the other.)

4. Identify which resources each Part has, that would be useful to the other Part in achieving their highest intention. Imagine both Parts now sharing these resources. Identify the resources and capabilities that each part has that would be helpful to the other part in order to accomplish its own positive intention and the common goal.

(Find the positive intention and purpose of each part. Make sure that each part recognizes and accepts the positive intent of the other. Make sure that each part realizes that their conflict is directly interfering with the achievement of their own purposes.)

5. Have the hands turn towards each other and see the two internal images begin to merge as the hands progressively move closer together.

6. As the hands come together, create a third image that symbolizes the integration of the two former Parts.  Physically synthesize and integrate the formerly conflicting parts into a new representation and internalize it in your body.

7. Bring the new integrated image into your body through placing both hands on your heart, breathing it in and absorbing this whole new experience.

(Ask your partner to bring his or her hands together at the same time that he or she creates a new representation of himself or herself in all sensory systems that fully integrates the resources of both parts. (Calibrate to an integration/symmetry of the two physiologies that accompanied the separate parts.) Remind your partner that an integration is not a compromise or a contract. If you are successful there will no longer be two separate parts but rather one whole person. The "visual squash" technique described above is not always the only method of integration although it is the most common and is very effective. Sometimes, for instance, the explorer may want to expand a new image out from meta position to incorporate the conflicting parts. Sometimes a conflict may involve more than two parts. In such a case you may either expand this technique to include all three or do the integrations two at a time.)

8. Relax for a few minutes and then think about that old issue in light of being a more integrated person now.

9. Consider how you’re going to approach your situation differently in the future, now that you’re fully integrated…

Richard Bandler's Six-Step Reframing Outlines

1) Identify the pattern (X) to be changed. "I want to stop

   X'ing but I can't," or "I want to Y, but something stops

   me"

2) Establish communications with the part responsible for

   the pattern.

   a) "Will the part of me that makes me X communicate with me in

       consciousness?" Pay attention to any feelings, images, or

       sounds that occur in response to asking that questions

       internally.

   b) Establish the "yes/no" meaning of the signal. Have it increase

      in brightness, volume, or intensity for "yes," and increase for

      "no."

3) Separate the behavior, pattern X, from the positive intention of the

   part that is responsible for X. The unwanted behavior is only a way

   to achieve some positive function.

   a) Ask the part that runs X "Would you be willing to let me know in

      consciousness what you are trying to do for me by pattern X?"

   b) If you get a "yes" response, ask the part to go ahead and communicate

      its intention. If you get a "no" response, proceed with unconscious

      reframing, presupposing positive intention.

   c) Is that intention acceptable to consciousness? Do you want to have

      a part of you which fulfills that function?

   d) Ask the part that runs X "If there were ways to accomplish your positive

      function that would work as well as, or better than X, would you be

      interested in trying them out?"

4) Access a creative part, and generate new behaviors to accomplish

   positive functions.

   a) Access experiences of creativity and anchor them, or ask "Are

      you aware of a creative part of yourself?"

   b) Have the part that runs X communicate its positive function to

      the creative part, allow the creative part to generate more choices

      to accomplish that function, and have the part that used to run X

      select three choices that are at least as good or better than X.

      Have it give a "yes" signal each time it selects an alternative.

5) Ask the part "Are you willing to take responsibility for using the

   three new alternatives in the appropriate context?" This provides a

   future-pace. In addition you can ask the part at the unconscious

   level to identify the sensory cues that will trigger the new choices,

   and to experience fully what it's like to have those sensory cues

   effortlessly and automatically bring on one of the new choices.

6) Ecological Check. "Is there any part of me that objects to any of the

   three new alternatives?" If there is a "yes" response, recycle to

   step 2 above.

  

Negotiating Between Parts Outline

1) Ask the part that is being interrupted (part X)

   the following questions:

   a) What is your positive function?

   b) Which part(s) is (are) interrupting you? (part Y)

2) Ask the same questions of part Y:

   a) "What is your positive function?"

   b) "Does X ever interfere with your carrying out your

      function?"

3) If both parts interrupt each other at times, you are

   now ready to negotiate an agreement. (If not, this model

   is not appropriate, so switch to another reframing model.

   If Y interferes with X, but X doesn't interfere with Y,

   six-step reframing with Y may be most appropriate.)

   a) Ask Y if its function is important enough that Y would

      be willing to not interrupt X so that it could receive

      the same treatment in return.

   b) Ask X if it was not interrupted by Y, would it be

      willing to not interrupt Y?

4) Ask each part if it will actually agree to do the above

   for a specified amount of time. If either part becomes

   dissatisfied for any reason, it is to signal the person

   that there is a need to renegotiate.

5) Ecological check: "Are there any other parts involved in

   this?" "Are there any other parts that interrupt this part,

   or that utilize these interruptions?" If so, renegotiate.

Creating a New Part Outline

1) Identify the desired outcome, the function of the part. "I

   want a part that will achieve X."

2) Access any historical experiences of doing X, or anything similar.

   Step inside each experience and access all aspects of doing X or

   parts of X. Go through each memory in all representational systems.

3) Create a detailed set of images of how you would behave if you

   were actually demonstrating whatever this part of you is going to

   have you do to achieve the outcome X:

   a) First create a dissociated visual and auditory constructed movie.

   b) When you see a whole sequence that you're satisfied with, step

      inside the image and go through the whole sequence again from the

      inside, feeling what it is like to do these behaviors.

   c) If you are not satisfied, go back to 3a and change the movie. Do

      this until you are satisfied with that fantasy from the inside as

      well as from the outside.

4) Ecological check.  "Does any part object to my having a part which

   will be in charge of making that fantasy a reality?" Make sure you

   check in all representational systems to find all objecting parts.

   For each objecting part:

   a) Ask that part to intensify the signal for "yes" and decrease for

      "no."

   b) Ask "What is your function for me?" "What do you do for me?"

   c) If the function doesn't tell you what the part's objection is,

      ask "What specifically is your objection or concern?"

   d) Make a complete written list of all the parts that object and

      their functions.

5) Satisfy all the objecting parts:

   a) Redefine the part you are creating to take into account all the

      functions and concerns of the objecting parts.

   b) Go back to step 3 and make a new or modified fantasy that will

      satisfy the concerns of each part that objected.

   c) Check with every part to make sure that each one is satisfied that

      this new representation of the new part's behavior will not interfere

      with its function.

6) Ask your unconscious resources to analyze that fantasy and to pull from

   it the essential ingredients. Your unconscious is to use this information

   to build a part and give it entity.

   "Get what you need to know from that fantasy to be able to build a part

   of you that can do this exquisitely and easily, and at every moment that

   it needs to be done."

7) Test the part to make sure it is there:

   a) Go inside and ask.

   b) Future-pace, repeatedly.

   c) Behaviorally engage the part to find out if it responds appropriately.

Additional Advice

If the conflict involves more that two parts or issues, you can include those issues or do these integrations in sequence, one pair at a time. Remember that this is an advanced pattern that may require further training and assistance before it is appropriate to carry out.

And finally: