Dissociation Technique: An NLP Way to Change Your Mind
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Imagine the following scene: you're in a difficult moment, reliving a painful memory or getting carried away by a thought that seems to drain all your energy. Your heart races, your breath becomes shallow, and that tight feeling in your chest sets in. Now, what if you could press a mental button that took you out of that scene, allowing you to observe everything from the outside, as if you were just a spectator in a movie? That's exactly what this... NLP dissociation technique: create a new perspective to change the intensity of emotions and transform mental patterns that imprison you.
In this article, we'll dive deep into this powerful resource of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, understand how it works in the brain, learn practical applications in everyday life, and discover how to use it consciously to change the way you deal with your thoughts, emotions, and beliefs.
What is the dissociation technique in NLP?
In the Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), dissociation means distancing yourself from an emotional experience, observing it from the outside instead of experiencing it intensely from within. In other words, it's as if you stop being the actor in the scene and become the director or the spectator.
Simply put:
- Association → you relive the scene through your own eyes, feeling all the emotions on your skin.
- Dissociation → you see the scene as if you were watching a movie, which reduces the emotional charge.
Thus, the dissociation technique It is used to neutralize or reduce the intensity of negative states, allowing you to regain control over your mind. It is particularly effective in situations of anxiety, fears, phobias, and painful memories, but it can also be applied to weaken limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging patterns.
“The dissociation technique is an NLP resource that allows you to observe an experience from the outside, reducing the emotional intensity associated with it.”
How dissociation works in the brain
Neuroscience shows that our memories and emotions are closely linked to the limbic system, especially the amygdala, which is responsible for fear and threat responses. Thus, when we relive a painful memory in an associated way, this system is activated as if the event were happening again in the present.
By applying dissociation, you change the way the brain encodes that memory: you change the submodalities (size, color, distance, and intensity of the mental image), weakening emotional triggers. This reduces amygdala activation and frees up space for the prefrontal cortex, an area linked to reasoning and conscious decision-making.
Finally, neuroplasticity comes into play here: by repeatedly practicing dissociation, new neural connections are strengthened, creating a more balanced response to situations that previously caused suffering. In other words, you train your brain to react differently.
Practical applications of the dissociation technique
The beauty of dissociation is that it can be applied in different life contexts. Let's explore a few:
1. Overcoming anxiety and fears
If anxiety takes over when you think about public speaking, for example, dissociating yourself from the scene allows you to see yourself on stage, as if you were sitting in the audience. This reduces the intensity of your nervousness and allows you to develop a more confident state.
2. Dealing with painful memories
We all carry memories that still resonate emotionally. In this sense, dissociating yourself from them doesn't mean erasing them, but rather weakening the associated pain. By seeing yourself as a distant observer, the scene loses its power and you gain clarity to reframe what happened.
3. Dissolving limiting beliefs and self-sabotage
Often, the beliefs that hold us back are linked to past experiences. Dissociating ourselves from them allows us to look from the outside and ask: “Does this belief still make sense in my adult life?”This distancing opens space for new perspectives and behaviors.
4. Stress management in everyday life
Conflict situations at work, family arguments, or difficult decisions can be softened by observing the situation from the outside. Therefore, dissociating helps reduce emotional reactivity, favoring more conscious choices aligned with our values.
Dissociation, mindfulness and positive psychology
Interestingly, dissociation in NLP deeply dialogues with the mindfulness. While in NLP we talk about "stepping out of the scene," in mindfulness we talk about observing thoughts and emotions without identifying with them. In both cases, there's a healthy separation between you and the mindstream.
Positive psychology also integrates into this process. Once you've weakened a negative state through dissociation, you can choose to focus on empowering emotions like gratitude, confidence, or courage. It's like changing the soundtrack of a movie: the scene may be the same, but the emotion changes completely.
This triad — dissociation (NLP), mindfulness (mindfulness) and cultivating positive emotions (positive psychology) — forms a powerful foundation for transforming internal states and reprogramming the mindset.
Step by step: how to practice the dissociation technique
Now let's get to the most anticipated point: how to apply this technique in practice.
- Choose the situation: First, think of a memory, emotion, or scene that you would like to weaken.
- Close your eyes and imagine yourself there: now, see the scene through your eyes (associate). Notice how you feel.
- Change your perspective: Immediately afterward, step outside the scene and see yourself as if you were in a movie. Imagine yourself sitting in a movie theater seat, watching the screen.
- Adjust the submodalities: make the image more distant, reduce the colors, lower the volume of voices. Notice how this changes your sensations.
- Repeat: do the process several times until you notice that the scene has lost emotional strength.
- Replace: After weakening the negative state, associate yourself with an empowering image, seeing yourself as confident, calm, or victorious.
This simple process can already generate big changes. Furthermore, if you want to intensify the results, combine the practice with a few minutes of conscious breathing before you begin — this prepares your brain to better absorb the change.
“To practice the dissociation technique, visualize the scene as if it were a distant movie, reduce colors and sounds, and repeat until the emotion loses intensity.”
What can hinder practice
It's important to understand that dissociation shouldn't be confused with repression. After all, repression is pushing what we don't want to feel into the unconscious; dissociation is looking clearly, but without allowing ourselves to be swallowed by emotion.
Another point: don't use the technique as a constant escape. Above all, the goal is to transform, not avoid. If used solely as an escape, it can become a form of denial rather than growth.
And of course, dissociation requires practice. So it's not enough to do it once and expect a radical change. Just like a muscle, the mind needs repetition to create new neural pathways.
When to use and when not to use
The dissociation technique is indicated for:
- Anxiety and everyday fears.
- Self-sabotage and limiting beliefs.
- Stress in conflict situations.
- Memories that still hurt, but do not constitute serious trauma.
On the other hand, dissociation is not recommended for deep trauma or clinical disorders, which should be treated with psychological or psychiatric counseling. Dissociation can help in these cases, but it should be applied in a therapeutic setting with appropriate support.
Conclusion
Life presents us with countless scenarios—some light, some heavy. Often, we become so immersed in the experience that we forget there's always a different way to look at what's happening. Thus, the NLP dissociation technique teaches us precisely this: that it's possible to gain distance, clarity, and emotional freedom by shifting perspective.
Thus, when you understand that you are not a hostage to your memories or thoughts, but rather the director of your own film, a huge space for transformation opens up. Dissociating doesn't mean running away, but rather gaining the power to choose how to respond to life.
And if you want to go even deeper into your journey of change, get the eBook “Reprogram your Mindset: Identify your blocks and start your transformation” — a practical guide for those who want to reprogram their mind with NLP, mindfulness, positive psychology and neuroscience.
FAQ – Questions and answers about the dissociation technique
1. What is dissociation in NLP?
It is the technique of observing an experience from the outside, as if it were a film, to reduce the emotional intensity associated with it.
2. Is the dissociation technique dangerous?
No. When used consciously, it is safe. Care must be taken not to confuse dissociation with repression or escape.
3. What is the difference between association and dissociation?
In association, you relive the scene in the first person, feeling the emotions intensely. In dissociation, you observe the scene in the third person, reducing the emotional charge.
4. Does dissociation help with emotional trauma?
It can help, but in cases of deep trauma it must be applied by a qualified professional.
5. Is it possible to practice the dissociation technique alone?
Yes, you can apply it yourself with guided visualizations. However, professional guidance can enhance the results.
Image: Freepik
Marcel Castilho is an expert in neuromarketing, neuroscience, mindfulness and positive psychology. In addition to being an advertiser, he also has a Master's degree in NLP – Neurolinguistic Programming. As the owner and founder of the communications agency VeroCom and also of the digital agency Vero Contents, he has been studying human behavior for over 30 years.
