SWISH Self Help Exercise

This self help exercise is somewhat like engineering. It was designed by Richard Bandler to program your brain to move in a new direction. From his book Using your brain – for a CHANGE, Bandler created the following SWISH exercise for those wishing to undergo habit control or overcome an undesirable behaviour or pattern:

THE SWISH PATTERN

1. Identify context. First identify where you are broken or stuck. Where or when would you like to behave or respond differently than you do now. You could pick something like nail biting, or you might pick something like getting angry at your husband.
   
2. Identify cue picture. Now I want you to identify what you actually see in the situation just before you start doing the behavior you don’t like. Since many people are on automatic pilot at that time, it may help to actually do whatever has to precede the behavior, so you can see what that looks like. This is what I did with Jack. I had him move his hand toward his face and use that image. Since this is the cue for some response that the person doesn’t like, there should be at least some unpleasantness associated with this picture. The more unpleasant this is, the better it will work.
   
3. Create outcome picture. Now create a second image of how you would see yourself differently if you had already accomplished the desired change. I want you to keep adjusting this image until you have one that is really attractive to you-one that draws you strongly. As your partner makes this image, I want you to notice her response, to be sure its something that she really likes and really attracts her. I want her to have a glow on her face that tells you that what shes picturing is really worth going for. If you cant see evidence that its worth going after as you watch her, don’t give it to her.
   
4. SWISH. Now SWISH these two pictures. Start with seeing that cue picture, big and bright. Then put a small, dark image of the outcome picture in the lower right corner. The small dark image will grow big and bright and cover the first picture, which will get dim and shrink away as fast as you can say swish. Then blank out the screen, or open your eyes. Swish it again a total of five times. Be sure to blank the screen at the end of each swish.
   
5. TEST
   • Now picture that first image … What happens. If the swish has been effective, this will be hard to do. The picture will tend to fade away and be replaced by the second image of yourself as you want to be.
   • Another way to test is behavioural: Find a way to create the cues that are represented in your partners cue picture. (134)