We can agree that we have five representational systems: visual, auditory, kinesthetic (body sensations), taste, and smell. All our experiences, in order to be stored in memory, must pass through these senses. In the context of working with memories and experiences, we call these five systems modalities. They make up every experience we have — whether actually lived or created in our mind. (By the way, all memories are created and distorted through our preferred representational systems.)
When working on an issue using FasterEFT, we focus on modalities by asking the client to notice what they see, what they hear, what they feel in their body, and so on. Often just working with these main sensory inputs is enough to achieve change.
Sometimes, however, a client cannot fully associate into the event or memory. In such cases we need to examine the submodalities — the qualities of each modality and their building blocks. This helps us make changes faster, better, and with greater precision.
A closer look at submodalities
- Visual – What is the image in the memory?
- Is it sharp or blurry?
- Is it near or far?
- Is it in color or black and white?
- Does the person see themselves in the picture, or see it through their own eyes (dissociation vs. association)?
- Auditory – What sounds are present in the memory?
- Are they quiet or loud?
- Where do the sounds come from — inside the head (and where exactly), or from outside?
- Is the pace fast or slow?
- What is the tone of the sound?
- Kinesthetic (feelings) – What body sensations are linked to the memory?
- Where exactly is the feeling located?
- What is the intensity or weight of the feeling?
- Is it warmth, tightness, heaviness, constriction, etc.?
- What metaphor would represent it (e.g. a stone on the chest) — what is its size, weight, shape, texture, and color?
This is the basic and most important division to give you a clear idea of what submodalities are.
Why are submodalities important?
They matter because they allow us to target precisely. What does “target” mean? It means hitting exactly what we need to in order to neutralize any problem, memory, or event.
Sometimes our mind sees an image, hears a sound, or feels a sensation as a whole, and tapping alone doesn’t bring change as quickly as we want. Since submodalities are the qualities of each modality, we need to focus directly on them.
By doing so, we work with how the subconscious encodes and represents experiences. By changing these submodalities (not only through tapping), we can achieve remarkable and rapid results.
So, when working on yourself or with clients, pay close attention to submodalities. Using them can speed up your work tremendously and produce the best possible outcomes.
Even in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), many techniques rely on submodalities to create big changes quickly.
It may be useful to introduce some of these techniques along with step-by-step instructions. For example, take a look at one NLP method: Heal Your Heart.