Emergency Switch

The “emergency switch” is a submodality-based format. You identify particularly powerful or critical submodalities and link their positive shifts to a chosen trigger (“switch”). A shift anchor is established.

Application and Use

It aims to enable a quick, reliable, self-directed way to change your state in a negative (“emergency”) situation by adjusting submodalities:

• simply
• quickly
• reliably
• subtly
• independently
• in any context

“Any context” here refers to the originating situation, not the underlying structure—allowing self-rescue from a stuck state. Besides gestures, you can use any self-generated, distinct cue.

Emergency Switch Format

Preliminaries

Best done in pairs to simplify searching and noting strong submodalities, but an experienced person can do it solo.

1. Find a Situation

Pick a situation that evokes unpleasant feelings, either from the past or a possible future. Rate it now, e.g. from 1 to 10.

2. Build Rapport

Build rapport with yourself. In pairs, establish triple rapport with your partner. If needed, decide on a safe anchor for submodalities.

3. Identify Strong Submodalities

Look at the VAK(OG) representations of the situation in turn, altering each submodality (analog or digital). Note which changes produce a clear improvement.

• Visual Submodalities Examples: planar position, distance, size, shape, border, frame, brightness, sharpness, color, B/W or sepia, 2D/3D, still image, slideshow, film, associated, dissociated, etc.
• Auditory Submodalities Examples: sounds, words, music, location/distance of source, clarity vs. muffled, volume, rhythm, melody, speed, pitch, tone, pleasant vs. unpleasant, internal vs. external, etc.
• Kinesthetic Submodalities Examples: position, center, size, shape, texture, structure, movement (flowing, radiating, pulsing), intensity, temperature, pressure, weight, color of the feeling, etc.

4. Filter Out the 3–5 Strongest Submodalities

Select the top or critical submodalities. Retest them on the situation to confirm they produce a quick, simple shift.

5. Anchor

Choose a gesture that best unifies these submodalities. Ideally something subtle for “switching” in daily life. You can find the gesture via trance, if you like.
Then pair the gesture with these submodalities. Often it helps to define a sequence for implementing them, in the easiest or most natural order.
If it helps, break down the gesture into as many mini-movements as you have submodalities, each movement aligning with the relevant submodality shift. That structures anchoring neatly.

6. Test

Imagine the situation again, use the gesture, and re-rate the situation from 1 to 10. Compare with your initial rating. Notice any other changes.

7. Future Pace, Homework

Pick two additional situations and apply the switch (Future Pace). What changes? Are the results at the desired intensity?
Plan which upcoming events might benefit from the emergency switch, and mentally rehearse using it in those situations.