NLP Milton model
NLP Milton model is a set of hypnotic language patterns named after Milton Erickson.
Richard Bandler and John Grinder regularly interacted with Milton Erickson and modeled his behavior in therapeutic practices.
They were able to identify the patterns in Milton Erickson’s conversations with clients and develop the NLP Milton model of hypnotic language patterns.
In meta-model drills down to the specific information that is deleted, distorted, or generalized in communication, while in the NLP Milton Model, information is chunk upon the deletion, distortion, and generalization.
The NLP Milton model mirrors in reverse to the NLP meta-model.
NLP Milton Model Language patterns
Distortion
As we know from the NLP communication model, so much information is distorted in the communication. Here are some of the types of distortion patterns in the NLP Milton Model.
Mind reading
Mind reading happens when we speak as we know the thoughts and feelings of other people beforehand without explaining how.
For Example
“You must be wondering.”
“You will just love it.”
Lost performative
In the statement, there is a judgment made, but judgment made by whom is not known.
It makes reference to the act where the performer of the act is missing.
For Example.
“It not right to cheat.”
“People never like me.”
“Everyone deserves a second chance.”
Cause and effect
In the statement where it is implied that one thing causes another.
If A happens then, B does this.
The cause and effect type of statement has the following…
If…….Then………
As you……..Then you………
For Example.
With every deep breath, your body is getting more and more relaxed.
“Because now you are relaxed, you can listen to me carefully.”
“If I eat this, then my stomach will get upset.”
Complex Equivalence
When we try to equate the two things that are not similar or imply the other.
For Example
“As you take a deep breath, your eyes are getting heavy.”
“This feeling of warmth is a relaxation response.”
Presuppositions
Things that have to be assumed to be true for the sentence to be understood.
For Example.
“Would you go into a trance right or in a little while?”.
“Once you take that 10th deep breath, you are already in a trance.”
Generalization
Generalization in the NLP Milton model is most powerful and happens regularly.
Universal Quantifier
While using universal quantifiers, we are saying there is no exception; hence there are no other alternatives.
This kind of NLP Milton model language pattern creates limitations for us. However, we assume there is no solution, so we do not care to look for one.
The key to identifying them is the words, like “All, Every, Never, Always.”
These words make universal generalizations
For Example.
“Everyone has to relax at some point.”
“Every breath takes you deeper and deeper in a trance.”
The universal quantifiers always have points of exaggeration.
“Every time you read this book, you will have something new to learn.”
“You will never know until you try.”
Let’s take one interesting example. Read the following statement.
“Every intelligent person knows that the key to success is an eye for the details.”
Did you agree with the statement?
Mostly everyone will say yes.
The statement says every intelligent person, we all consider ourselves intelligent, we all believe there is some key to success and agree to the statement. We may or may not have a reference in that accord.
Modal operators
Modal operators are words that imply the possibility or necessity of action or implied rules.
“And you can really enjoy that cuisine.”
“We have to let things go sometimes.”
For necessity, there are words like
Should/Shouldn’t
Must/Must not
Need to/Need not
Have to/ Don’t have to
Ought to/ Ought not
For possibility, there are words like
Possible/Impossible
Can/Can not
May/May not
Will/ Will not
Deletions
Deletions are one of the filters we apply unconsciously, as studies in the NLP Communication model.
NLP Milton model Nominalizations
In NLP Milton model, nominalizations verbs are turned into nouns.
It is an attempt to make the process a thing.
The key to identifying a nominalized word is that it has -tion as a suffix.
Here we talk about abstract concepts as if they were things.
For Example
“I am really pleased with your performance.”
“There is a solution to every problem.”
Unspecified Verb
Unspecified verbs are the verbs that do not describe what happened in a specific way.
Here the verb is not properly described, and you do not tell them how.
For Example.
“Close your eyes to relax.”
“He touched her.”
Most languages have verbs to express action, occurrence, or existence. In English, these words are suffixes with -ing, like eating, talking, reading, riding, texting, and many more.
Some of the unspecified verbs used in hypnotic language patterns are a wonder, sense, think, imagine, feel, remember, use, forget, travel, enjoy, and many others.
Unspecified referential index
In the Unspecified referential index, a noun or pronoun in the statement does not refer to anything in the real world.
The person doing or receiving is deleted in the statement.
Key to identify this language pattern is – A statement that fails to identify a part of the listener’s experience.
For Example.
It will be a good thing for all employees to learn communication skills.
Anyone can go into a trance.
Simple Deletions
Simple deletions leave gaps in the communication, and these gaps are usually filled by listeners’ understanding, or in NLP terms, by their map of the world.
For Example.
- You hurt me. (How exactly not clear)
- I am scared. (Scared of what, whom, is missing)
- You can go on.
Comparative deletion or unspecified comparison
In comparative deletion, the comparison is made, but a reference to which comparison is made is missing.
There is no specific reference to what is being deleted.
For Example,
He is the better person.
(Better to whom, better compared to what is missing)
It is better to move in this direction in life.
(Better compare to what, better for whom is missing?
The fun part of this NLP Milton model language pattern is the comparison is missing (deleted), so it can neither be challenged nor proved.
Pacing
Pacing the current experience
Pacing the current experience is also known as YES set in sales and therapy.
In this NLP Milton model language pattern, we pace the current experience of the client.
Observe this statement. As you are reading this blog, you are learning more and more about Milton model language pattern and want to subscribe to the monthly newsletter.
For Example, As you are sitting on the chair, taking slow deep breaths. It is easy to go into a trance, and you find it easy to get more and more relaxed.
The key here is to amplify clients’ current stream of thoughts to agree with whatever you say.
You can combine other Milton model language patterns with pacing the current experience and help clients get into a momentary trance. You can even plant direct suggestions.
Remember, use the sentences that are undeniable.
Simple conjunction
Pacing the current experience of a client by joining two or more pacing statements.
In this NLP Milton model of language pattern, two statements are joined for pacing, with ‘and.”
For example,
You are reading this and getting better at NLP Milton models.
You are taking deep, relaxing breaths and getting more comfortable.
Utilization in pacing
In practice, you can use whatever the client says for pacing or hypnosis.
For Example.
If the client says, it’s too noisy outside.
You can say.
You can listen to the outside noise and notice it is so quiet here so that you can relax now.
Truism
The truism is a generalization that can not be denied.
In most cases, these statements are related to sensation or time.
For Example.
You may need to take a break now or later.
Most people in business know it is difficult to increase sales, so they hire services like us.
Indirect Suggestion
Ambiguity
Ambiguity can be of three types in NLP Milton model language pattern, Phonological, syntactic, and scope.
In simple words, ambiguity helps you create confusion for clients and accept the suggestion.
Phonological
Phonological are words that sound similar.
Hear – Here
Know – No
Your – You’re
Syntactic
In the syntactic pattern, the function of the word in a sentence can not be decided by the immediate context.
For Example.
- Applying “ing” with verbs.
“You will find this act pleasing.”
- Nominalization that works as verb or noun
“The journey of a lifetime”
Scope
In the scope pattern, it is difficult to decide how much is applied to the next sentences.
Most of the time, the scope is about using the positive intent of one sentence to another.
“As you are taking deep, relaxing breaths, you find my voice more and more comfortable.”
Embedded Suggestions
Embedded suggestions are included in large parts of sentences and change the tone, volume, pitch, and tempo.
It would be best if you learned analogue marking for making embedded suggestions.
“Once you are ready, please give me a call.”
“Imagine it is telling you it’s about time to let things go, as per their wish.”
The purpose of embedded suggestions is to seed an idea in the client’s mind.
Embedded suggestions or commands are also one most misunderstood NLP Milton model language patterns.
To succeed with embedded suggestions, you need to make nested or group suggestions.
It is not like you say one statement consists of embedded suggestions, and work is done. Ideally, it should be a series of suggestions.
You have to create a pattern of suggestions for the unconscious mind to follow, and it requires practice.
For Example
The moment you take our services, you will get positive results, and you will want to continue our services for at least a year.
Conversational Postulate
The conversational postulate is a simple yes or no statement containing suggestions.
The suggestion is hidden in the question and makes the client answer yes.
Once a client starts answering yes, the unconscious process of completing a task begins.
“Can you relax even more?”
“Can you open that window?”
“Do you have time?”
“Can you go to trance now?”
Remember, if a client replies yes to all these questions, they are already complying with your suggestion. So you can build your next step from here, and you can use embedded suggestions also.
Extended Quotes
In extended quotes, the NLP Milton model language pattern, there are many quotes intertwined in the story, later it becomes difficult to understand which part is a story and which one is the quote.
The listener eventually loses track of where they are in the story and who it is about, so the unconscious mind fills in the gap they apply to themselves.
For Example.
“I first learned these language patterns from my trainer Amit, who told me about the importance of language pattern as stated by his guru, Who first learned is from none other than Richard, who observed these patterns while apprenticing with Milton Erickson, who was sharing with his student, one day you will master these patterns and You will for sure.”
Switching referential index
In switching referential index, the NLP Milton model language pattern, the subject is changed just at the halfway point.
So you begin the sentence with some subject and change it halfway through.
“I was quite anxious when I leaned NLP first, but you can relax easily.”
“If you are not sure what should be the next step, take a moment to breathe deeply, and after that, we can be equally curious about the future.”
You can confuse the client using this language pattern and be clubbed with other patterns for best results.
Tag Questions
Tag questions are questions just at the end of the statement.
In Tagging question NLP Milton model language pattern, we tag question at the end of the question. This brings the client in a yes frame or, say, agreeing on the frame with you.
You can use Tag questions to increase the compliance of the client.
For Example
And you can understand, Right?
It’s a tag question, isn’t it?
Language patterns are the best NLP tools, aren’t they?
You are listening, aren’t you?
Answers to tag questions are mostly. Yes, and it aids in increasing compliances on the client’s part.
Reading NLP techniques is fun and practicing them is even more fun, but we need NLP scripts while applying these NLP techniques.
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Selectional Restriction Violation
In selectional restriction violations pattern, qualities attributed to something that can not possess those.
For Example
Your chair starts to feel good now. (How can a chair feel good?)
The unconscious mind finds it difficult to comprehend and applies to oneself.
Negative Suggestions
Suggestions that are negative but unconsciously process them as positive.
We all know the unconscious mind can not process negatives.
For Example
Do not think of purple cows? (You just thought about the purple cow.)
I used this NLP Milton model language pattern with the clients who find it difficult to agree with me.
“Just don’t relax if you are not ready.”
“I am not saying that only the Milton model is best in NLP.”
Double bind
In this language pattern, the illusion of choice is presented. You can predefine your goal before structuring your statements.
For Example.
“You will pay by cash or card.”
“Would you like to share this post on Facebook or LinkedIn?”
NLP Milton model practice tips
NLP Milton model is a huge subject and takes years of practice to master; here are Milton model practice tips you can use.
- Use a well-formed outcome for yourself to set goals to learn Milton model language pattern.
- Start with tag questions and negative suggestions, and they are fun to learn and can easily be mastered.
- Keep a diary for your language scripts for planning and reflection.
- Spare 15 minutes early to form the sentences per language pattern to use during the day.
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