| Now that you have distanced yourself and learned | | | | connections we make to the object of our phobia will |
| how to edit images internally, it's time close the | | | | have the effect of removing the phobia as a |
| distance to the image you fear to see how you did. | | | | debilitating force in our lives. |
| You can also use a technique I call mixed connections | | | | I remember teaching a seminar once, when a man in |
| to overcome fear. | | | | the audience stood up and said, "I have a phobia of |
| Now that you have distanced yourself and learned | | | | flying." |
| how to edit images internally, it's time close the | | | | I looked over at him in front of hundreds of other |
| distance to the image you fear to see how you did. | | | | participants and asked, "Do you like sex?" |
| This should be done one step at a time. | | | | "What?!" |
| First, move from the third to the second position. Go | | | | "Do you like sex?" |
| down from the blimp to the bleachers or from the | | | | "Huh...?" |
| living room to the Houston control center. | | | | He was a bit stunned by the question. |
| Become the observer. View the events from there. | | | | "I'm asking, do you like sex? Yes? Or no?" |
| How do they appear to you? How do you feel? | | | | "Yes..." |
| If you are still uncomfortable, go back to the third | | | | "OK, when you have sex, are you on the top or on |
| position and change the image even more. | | | | the bottom?" |
| If, however, you feel comfortable observing the | | | | "What?!" |
| events from a distance, then move down on the | | | | "When you have sex, are you on the top or on the |
| playing field and see how it is from there. | | | | bottom?" |
| You should be just fine. If not, you can always go | | | | "I guess both." |
| back and change your internal imagery even more. | | | | "Airplanes are a lot like that," I said. "When we get |
| You can add beautiful scents, delicious flavors, sights, | | | | into turbulence, it's up and down, up and down." |
| sounds, and senses. | | | | His phobia was instantly cured! |
| This process can reliably remove most phobias in just | | | | He had begun to link up flying with sex, which was |
| 10 to 15 minutes time. | | | | something that he enjoyed. |
| Mixed Connections | | | | It really is that simple and in most cases can be |
| Another way to change a phobia is through mixed | | | | handled in a matter of minutes. |
| connections. | | | | Change the representations or change the |
| Because a phobia is a total connection to pain, with | | | | connections and its goodbye phobia! |
| no pleasurable connections attached, any pleasurable | | | | |