THOUGHT PATTERN MANAGEMENT

by Graham Morris

What is a ‘thought’?
What is a ‘pattern’?
What is a ‘management’?

Using definitions from both Cassell’s English Dictionary (pub. 2000) and the Oxford English Dictionary (pub. 1973) the following are relevant when thinking of TPM:

“A thought – the set or process of thinking, reflection, serious consideration, a judgement, a conclusion. The product of mental action or effort, an opinion or judgement”.
“A pattern – a model or original to be copied or serving as a guide in making something; a copy, a model, a design, a plan”.
“Management – the act of managing, to direct, carry on, control, conduct; to conduct the affairs of; to make or keep an appointment”.

What stands out in all of these definitions and what they have in common is that all three processes are exactly that: PROCESSES.
They describe actions and processes rather than states and this is essential to an understanding of TPM.
When working for example with the Head Plumber the expectation is that this ‘part’ is treated as a working ‘person’ and we give the Head Plumber certain tasks and processes to complete. This is not a state; it is a working part that we can communicate with and direct.

As with Neuro-Linguistic Programming, the terminology of Thought Pattern Management is purposeful and precise.
Before continuing further, I wish to point out that this article is not an historical account of the origins and development of TPM – there will be references regarding this, should any reader wish to consider the origins.
To consider these, refer to www.thoughtpatternmanagement.com.

This is my description of TPM with my understanding of its principles and processes, bearing in mind that I came across TPM from an NLP background, which certainly affected the ways I thought about and even used TPM processes.

Thought Pattern Management was devised and developed by Robert Fletcher of Ogden, Utah, USA. TPM is copyright Robert Fletcher.

It is intriguing to consider TPM within the framework of NLP.
Consider NLP’s ‘Parts Negotiation Model’.
The concept of ‘parts’ was first described by John Grinder and Richard Bandler in their book The Structure of Magic Volume 2 (1976).
“In NLP, the term ‘parts’ is a metaphorical way of talking about the fact that the system of beliefs, states, ideas and abilities which make up an individual’s consciousness is composed of various sub-systems that can operate more or less independently of one another…..
Such sub-systems or ‘parts’ will often develop a persona that becomes one of their identifying features (my italics)…..
In fact, from the NLP perspective, it is useful and desirable to have ‘parts’.”

At its simplest, TPM is a highly sophisticated development of the Parts Model and the ‘parts’ in TPM are assigned equally highly specific functions.
These can be metaphors for real functions, The Head Surgeon, the Head Plumber for example, or can be created to fulfil specific purposes.
When working with blood pressure issues, one of the most useful parts to work with is The Barometric Pressure Manager.
The skill and creativity of the TPM Practitioner comes from working with the most appropriate team of parts for the condition the client is presenting.

So that readers have a framework to work with, and before continuing with a description of TPM, its Presuppositions, and how and why it works I have included an outline of a typical TPM session, working with High Blood Pressure.

Here is an outline of the basic processes of TPM:

Take a Silent Emotional History

Train the unconscious mind to re-evaluate a single negative memory ~ use ratchet anchoring

Initiate Wide Awake Trance

Carry out a Comprehensive Memory Clean-Up

Use the Engineer Metaphor Model to carry out repair/renewal as desired

The Comprehensive Memory Clean-Up is a process where the negative or unresourceful or bad emotional charge to every memory you have ever had in your
life is permanently removed; only the positive learning remains. During this process the positive learning is reaffirmed and the ‘bad’, ‘unresourceful’ feelings are sent to the far side of the planet Pluto, where they are recycled into something useful.
All positive or resourceful or indifferent memories remain unchanged.

Outline of a TPM intervention ~ high blood pressure

Peter had a history of high blood pressure, requiring medication and daily checking of blood pressure. We first investigated whether there was a family history of high blood pressure and there was not.
( If there had been such a history, it would have been necessary to do some TPM Time Travel1 and go back however many generations to find the original cause ).
Standard NLP processes then followed; viz Well-Formed Outcome, Secondary Gains, etc.

All statements are “ I am going to ask your unconscious mind”; ie: the client’s unconscious mind is never asked directly, leaving the unconscious in a permanent state of anticipation and readiness.

There then followed a Comprehensive Memory Clean Up, as with all TPM clients (I have occasionally ‘inadvertently’ cleared up the presenting problem using this process).

Next was a Trance Induction to bring about a Wide Awake Trance which could not be simpler. All you say is this: “Close your eyes”.
All questions and statements are addressed to “your unconscious mind” which is interpreted as “you are unconscious ~ mind/obey”.
This is strengthened by using a TPM ‘I lead – you follow’ process.
We then presupposed that Peter’s unconscious mind contained a genetic record that
had a blueprint of his neurology and also a record of the current condition and he was directed to go and find it and note the differences, especially the difference that made the difference.
Peter’s unconscious mind was told to follow my instructions consistent with his highest moral, ethical and spiritual values. (The mind will go and look for them).

The ‘Staff Team’ was then assembled and in this case comprised:
The Lymphatic System Manager
The Creative Manager
The Quality Control Manager – this is the (US) Janitor role
The Head Chemist and Plumber (The Head Chemist is also instructed to create unique designer medication)
The Barometric Pressure Manager
The Liver Function Manager
The Energy Flow Manager

He was told “In a moment I am going to borrow your arm”. The client’s arm is what drives the process as you say “I’m going to borrow your arm and I’m going to ask your unconscious mind to lower it only as rapidly as it completes this process”.
Note that, come what may, the arm will definitely lower – gravity alone will ensure this.

If the client’s conscious mind gets in the way – you know this if the arm lowers in one smooth movement, in which case, simply say “That was your conscious mind, the instruction is to your Unconscious mind” and raise the arm again. You can also simply raise the other arm and give it another task to complete, usually filling the body with light so as to remove any metaphorical dark spots or shade.

If the conscious mind still gets in the way, giving it an instruction to list every word they know in chronological order is usually sufficient.
Now the whole process is set up, you simply wait for the arm/s to lower with small jerky movements.

Using the ideomotor signal you have already set up ( I use the client’s thumb), we then set a time frame for complete recovery and also for reducing/stopping medication.

Peter’s blood pressure dropped 30 points overnight and was normal after a period of 3 weeks.

The TPM Light Metaphor

Light metaphor: throughout history and across cultures there has been and is a correlation between darkness (generally bad) and light (generally good).
The Light metaphor is extremely useful in ensuring that the unconscious mind does a complete and thorough job. Again you use the client’s arm to drive the process, which is:
“I want you to imagine a light entering the top of your head and I’m going to ask your unconscious mind to assist in this process as the light fills your brain, every fold and every crease. When you enter a dark room and switch on the light, the darkness just goes – it disappears”.
Then instruct the light to enter each internal organ, bringing light wherever it goes; then the limbs and skin.

This is similar to the TPM Brainwashing Procedure©7 (this process is described in more detail later), where the client unzips the top of their head, takes their brain out and gives it a good wash; steps into the shower and allows the water to clean the inside of their body before putting the brain back in and zipping up the head. Works great with children!

The Presuppositions of TPM

The mind has infinite capacity to organise and reorganise itself.

The mind and body are obedient to the conscious will, when communicated with properly. The client or practitioner can give the unconscious mind assignments to complete and expect it to carry out the assignments.

All body parts have positive functions.

Each mind function has a basic positive intention.

These Controller Parts have intelligence and choice ~ this choice is both conscious and unconscious; furthermore, this choice exists at a molecular level.

*Deep within the genetic make up of the person is a blueprint of all bodily functions as they are supposed to work for each stage of human development through life.

Any function that occurred at any point of human development can be re-activated by the controlling part of that function.

Whenever you suggest something to the mind, whether it is real or imaginary, your mind creates a model of it in order to understand it.

The mind will accept whatever metaphor we give it and will arrange thought processes to match the metaphor. So, if the mind is given The Head Electrician in charge of all electrical activity in the brain, the nervous system and the body, the mind will find or create such a part.

A part’s capabilities are presupposed by the represented name.

Some typical parts include: The Head Electrician, The Head Chemist, The Lymphatic System Manager, The Creative Manager, The Head Plumber, The Janitor (USA), The Quality Control Manager.

Thus we can give parts permission to test, report, renew or repair.
The TPM Practitioner communicates with these parts as if they were people.

Within TPM we work with the Conscious, Unconscious, Subconscious and Structural Minds.

Conscious: The level of awareness where life is experienced and decisions are made.

Sub conscious: The level of mind that operates the data control programs and the information filtering systems called (Meta Programs) and the automated behaviour patterns called (habits).

Unconscious: The level of awareness that manages and operates all of the mental and physical systems of the mind and body. This is the level of awareness that keeps the body operating when you are asleep, under anaesthesia, or in a coma.

Structural level: This level not only operates all of the genetic functions but also controls the mental and physiological functions, Mental geographical arrangements, and input/output systems.

Mind: The activator of thought. The controller of all activity within the brain and the body.
Mind! To obey without question.

COMPREHENSIVE MEMORY CLEAN UP PROCEDURE.

“Take one memory from the far side of Pluto and re-evaluate it using the pattern of memory re-evaluation learned earlier. Bring the positive learning back to the person’s memory and leave the negatives out on Pluto. Install the learning in a “light” format rather than in the dark format of the past. Set up a recycling plant on Pluto for the negative waist. Turn it into something useful, like reserve energy or flower garden fertilizer.

Next set up a progressive sequence that causes the Unconscious Mind to do this re-evaluation faster and faster. The increasing speed will establish a new “Thought Pattern” in the neural network of the brain. The sequence I use is a mathematical sequence found in nature where the first two numbers added together give the next number. The number series goes like this. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 22, 34, 55, 89 etc. Request the unconscious to re-evaluate one negative memory while you count to three (one, two, three). Bring the learning back to the person and recycle the garbage.

Now re-evaluate two dark memories, now three, five, eight, 13, 22, etc. Thus causing the mind to process faster and faster.

Ask the unconscious mind to lower the arm only as quickly as each and every one of the past negative memories is re-evaluated and the learning is separated from the memory waist.

Sit and watch the arm movements until the re-evaluation process is complete. This may take as little as 2 or 3 minutes or as much as 30 minutes, and sometimes even longer. The length of time all depends upon how much garbage the person has in their memory banks, and how quickly their mind is willing to process it. The speed of mental processing is based upon the individuals previously established beliefs about their own ability, not upon the minds capacity to process. Every mind has the capacity to process rapidly. Even the minds of the mentally ill process rapidly, but the learned though patterns and beliefs slow up the process.

You will see the arm move in small jerky movements.

If you see the arm move in a smooth movement, you know that the conscious part of the client is moving the arm. Stop them immediately and say. “NO. You must let your unconscious mind move your arm. Now start again.”

It is often useful here to give the conscious mind a different task to separate the conscious mind from the mental re-evaluation that is going on inside the mind.

When the arm is lowered, you can test the completeness of the re-evaluation processing by asking the client to recall any memory from the past that used to be a problem and notice how it is different now.

Thought Pattern Management is mental plumbing. TPM deals with the mental systems rather than with the content that moves within those systems. TPM deals with the process of getting the right information to the right locations. Thought Pattern Management differs from NPL in that NLP mainly manipulates content while TPM manipulates process. The two programs NLP and TPM go hand in hand and may use many of the same tools but have a slightly different emphasis.

Through TPM we ask the mind to make its own changes, setting up its own ecology as it does so. Negative responses and abreactions are an extreme rarity in TPM. It is assumed that the mind has great knowledge and wisdom within itself and through TPM we endeavour to use that knowledge and wisdom for positive outcomes.

Setting up controls within the mind
As you build operational metaphors in the mind, you can attach adjustment controls. You can then ask the control part to adjust those controls until you get the response you desire. For example you can imply a set of control dials on the frame of the Self-image mirror. By manipulating the dials you can alter any part of the mirror image. Remember mirror images are reversed, photographs are not reversed.

You can set control dials on almost any mentally operated system.. You can ask your internal specialist to adjust the dials or you can imagine adjusting the dials yourself.

The Delegation Model.
Go – Do – Return – Report – Evaluate

I lead/ you follow Pattern
Imagine a chalkboard.
Draw a large circle on the board and nod you head when you are finished so I will know that you are done.
Inside the circle draw a square so that each corner of the square touches the edge of the circle.
Inside of the square draw a triangle
Inside of the triangle put an X
Now erase the X
Now erase the triangle
Now erase the square
Now erase the Circle and clear your mind.

What is “Silent Emotional History”?
Traditionally the Practitioner takes a verbal history of the clients presenting problem. This in fact forces the client to relive all of the unpleasant feelings associated with their problem One More Time. As the Clinician tries to get more and more clarification about the clients problem, the client is thrust into deeper and deeper unpleasant emotional processing.

In TPM only a minimum of content information is needed and that can be given by having the client simply write it on the intake form.

A “Silent Emotional History” is taken that pinpoints within the memory system of the client specifically where the problem experiences are stored and at what
intensity they are stored. Without delving into content, you now know where to begin your work.

Silent Emotional History is done by asking the client to evaluate on a light to dark (for visual people) and light to heavy feeling for non visual people. They simply rate the feeling they get while there mind is reviewing the period of time you request.

Procedure for taking a Silent Emotional History.

Silent Emotional History is a procedure for inducing the unconscious memory control part to review the way past memories have been stored. A silent emotional history form is used to record the unconscious responses to various history segments of a person’s life.

The form covers all types of memory, normal memory, emotionally charged memory and trauma-laden memory. The client is ask to make an emotional evaluation based on a 1 to 4 scale of the emotional intensity of different periods of life. This brings into the current awareness of the unconscious mind the storage locations of past emotionally traumatic memories.

The unconscious mind can next be trained in a clean up process of memory re-evaluation that will ensure a better response pattern. Once the clean up process has been learned by the unconscious mind, the unconscious mind can be assigned the task of re-evaluating and cleaning up all trauma memories of the past. The unconscious mind will recognize trauma memories by the emotional intensity associated with the memory.

The unconscious mind can do this entire process without bringing any single memory into conscious awareness.

The process is painless to the client. The client will simply notice a deep change of inner feeling, a sense of peace and calm. When the client remembers a past problem memory, it will feel less intense and less important, as if it was
something they have experienced in the past and learned from.

Task or Process Drivers
The unconscious mind just like the conscious mind has a tendency to wander. Maintaining the unconscious focus upon a problem solution or a process resolution becomes an issue of importance. When ever we start a problem resolution but are unable to complete the resolution within the therapy time limit, the client leaves and the unconscious mind reverts back to the old pattern because the new pattern is not complete.
Attaching a Task driver to a single issue problem and a Process Driver to a multiple issue forces the mind to stay on track until the process is completed. It also gives the practitioner ongoing feedback on the status of the process. This allows the practitioner to add incentives if the mind slows down or becomes sidetracked.
This also allows you to run more than one process at the same time. You can easily run as many as three processes at one time simultaneously. This allows you to accomplish far more within one single session. The mind follows the habits that the person has established. If a person has developed the habit of not finishing a task completely, that non completion pattern is stored within the mind. If we ask the unconscious mind to do a task for us and the mind has a ‘non completion pattern’, the unconscious will get distracted during the mental processing and the task will not be completed. A TASK Driver is like a foreman who keeps the workers doing their job. By attaching a mental process to a naturally occurring event, the event will keep the mind on task. TPM uses and elevated arm for this task driver since the elevated arm can easily be seen and monitored both by the therapist and the client.

Re-evaluating a single memory
Step One: Get a clear definition of the problem or issue needing resolution.
This is usually done as the client fills out the Intake Information Form.
Step Two: Get a clean well formed outcome statement.
This is done as the Therapist reviews the Intake Information with the client.
Step Three: Establish rapport with the inner mind.
This is done between the time you meet the client and when you are ready to work with the client.
Step Four: Defuse one problem memory in the memory chain. This is done by having the unconscious part of the mind re-evaluate and expand the parameters of the problem memory
* Set both a positive and a negative anchor.

 Have the person recall a problem memory.
 Using touch, anchor the emotional state caused by the memory.
 Have the person recall a positive outcome memory.
 Using touch in a different location anchor the emotional state caused by the positive memory.
 Using hypnotic language and voice tone, expand the boundaries of the negative memory in viewing angle, distance and time relationship. This actually takes less time to do than it takes to explain it. Since having the person review the memory from their limited perceptual viewpoint might cause the person emotional pain, ask their unconscious mind to make the
review at neuron speed as you count to three. This requires the conscious mind to trust the unconscious mind to actually do what is ask of it. Now expand the limited perceptual viewpoint to include second position. Second position is that of imagining what the event would look like through the eyes of the offending person in the memory event. Third position is that of pretending to watch the event through the eyes of a neutral observer.

 There are six possible viewing angles to any event. These are in addition to the self-position of observation. They are: View from in front of the event. View from the right side. View from the left side. View from the back. View from above looking down on the event and View from below looking up at the event. The mind can extrapolate what the event would look like from these positions. Each new viewing angle gives new learning to the mind.

. Expanding perceived distance creates a safety factor within the memory. The greater the distance from the event, the lower the amount of the physical response to the event. Increase the perceived distance in progressive steps. View the event from 10 feet away. View the event from 100 feet away. View the event looking down from a mountain top. View the event from an airplane flying at 35000 feet being able to see all of the surrounding countryside at the time of the event. Imagine standing on the surface of the moon, looking at the earth and seeing the event in relation to the entire earth.

 Expanding perceived time adds to the safety factor. Expanded time seems to validate the assurance of survival to the safety mechanisms of the mind.

Let your mind imagine looking back on the event from various distances in the future. Look back from one year in the future and notice how you have survived the emotional impact. Go to five years and look back. Expand the time differential to 10 years, 20 years, end of life, and a post death view looking back.

 Ask the person if with the expanded understanding gained through the expanded viewing process, do they need the negative emotion any longer? They will always say “No!”

 I prefer to use a ratcheting collapse anchors technique to defuse the
negative emotional response. Ratcheting between the negative anchor and the positive anchor creates a detour in the mental pathways of the mind. This ratchet is really a chaining action where you fire the negative and then quickly fire and hold the positive anchor. Touch the negative anchor briefly and say “You no longer want this, you want this (touch the positive anchor and hold). Dr. Richard Bandler said “Speed is an essential element in long term change”, so increase the speed of the anchor chaining. Touch the negative anchor and say “not this”. Release the negative anchor. Touch the positive anchor and say “this” process several times, holding the“this” anchor Repeat the “not this, “this”(positive anchor) longer and longer each time. Have the person take a deep breath and exhale.

Step Five: Validate the shift within the memory emotion.
 To validate the change within the mind regarding the problem memory simply ask the person to recall the negative memory and notice how the memory is represented now.

Ask them to try and bring back the negative response. If they cannot access the negative response, the task is finished. If they can access the negative response have them change the location where the memory is stored.
Changing its location will usually deactivate the emotional connection. Ask the “Head Librarian” to store this memory in the vault archives of the deep unconscious mind since all of the important learning from the experience has been retrieved. Use a process driver to make this change.

Let me say a word about Process Drivers. When instructions are given directly to the unconscious mind, the mind may become distracted from those instructions before it finishes the assigned task. A Process Driver keeps the mind focused upon the task until the task is completed. The disposition of the mind is to follow pre-established patterns. Change however requires the development of new patterns. What I desired in a process driver was some device that would not only run a process to
completion but also provide an ongoing feedback so that the process could be monitored.

Step Six: Remove all the memories in the memory chain to a safe distance. I always want to keep the person well grounded within their own body structure since this is the home they will live in on a daily basis. Rather than dissociating the person, I find it more useful to dissociate the problem. The problem may be real or imagined but as long as both the person and the problem reside within the same body, the body responds immediately to the problem reference. By removing the problem from the body space, the body no longer responds to the problem with the same intensity. Distance is a wonderful sub-modality that the body understands.

Step Seven: Run the defuse process on the entire chain. Simply say< “May I borrow your arm?” Reach out and gently raise their arm to a 90 Degree angle.

Step Eight: Validate the shift within the entire memory chain.

Step Nine: Install the shift within the past memory files as a standard for future behaviour.

Step Ten: Install the shift within the future path of the person as an ongoing reference for the inner mind.

To Summarize the single memory cleanup
PROCEDURE FOR RE-EVALUATING A SINGLE MEMORY.
ANCHOR CHAIN METHOD.1. Touch Anchor the problem to be addressed.

2. Retrain the root memory. Address the unconscious part of the mind and assign it to do each of the following tasks at the unconscious level and at neuron speeds. Do not expect or require verbal responses to your requests. Verbal responses only slow up the processes. Trust their unconscious to carry out your requests. You can test the end result. Learn to trust the work of the unconscious mind.

3. Lightly touch and release anchor A and say “Review the memory as it is presently recorded in the memory file.”
“Review memory from present age looking back.”
. “Review memory from second position.” (The other person) immediate other, trusted friend, wise man, Christ, God.
. Review memory from each of 6 viewing angles, (front, right side, rear, left side, above, below)
. Expand viewing distance. 20 ft., 100 ft., 500 ft. aerial view 30ooo ft aerial view, view from the moon.
. Expand time since experience. 20 yrs, 50 yrs, 100 yrs, 1000 yrs, 10ooo yrs.
50ooo yrs, million years,

4. Neutralize emotion from memory trigger. (Ratchet between negative
response and positive response anchors)
“now that you have expanded the memory and retrieved all of the positive learning from that memory, you no longer need the negative emotion attached to that memory. Would you like to remove the negative emotional response?”
The client will almost always say ‘YES’. Ask the unconscious mind to take all of the positive learning from the negative experience and relocate it in the positive anchor response area. Use a ratchet format for chaining across to a positive emotion response. The ratchet format is as follows: Briefly touch anchor A and say “We no longer want this! We want this! (touch and hold anchor B for 5 seconds) Repeat “Not this, this!” holding the B anchor longer and longer each time. This actually builds a new neurological pathway between the memory content and the desired response.

Test the completeness of this activity by saying “Go to the original memory and notice how it is different now” “Notice what changes have occurred.” Give the client time to respond so that they validate to themselves the change. The validation of the change is a great mental convincer. This mental convincing helps to stabilize the rapport between therapist and client. It helps to remove conscious scepticism.

A TASK Driver is like a foreman who keeps the workers doing their job. By attaching a mental process to a naturally occurring event, the event will keep the mind on task. TPM uses an elevated arm for this task driver since the elevated arm can easily be seen and monitored both by the therapist and the client.

Using TPM to place NLP Meta-Programmes in a Hierarchy

“Meta Programs emerged as part of NLP in the 1970s. A number of the patterns were initially proposed by Richard Bandler as ways in which people kept ‘coherency’ in their mental programming……Further research into these and other patterns was spearheaded by Leslie Cameron-Bandler (together with David Gordon, Robert Dilts and Maribeth Meyers-Anderson)”.
(Encyclopedia of Systemic Neuro-Linguistic Programming and NLP New Coding by Robert Dilts and Judith DeLozier p 756 NLP University Press 2000).

One of the most powerful TPM processes involves identifying a client’s Meta Programmes and then placing them into a hierarchy so that they more usefully serve the client.
Consider the effects of this process (full description in Appendix).
Within NLP there are processes that are used to identify a person’s Meta Programmes and also to identify where, within a range, the person is in relation to the Meta Programme.
For example one might identify within the Motivation Meta Programme that someone in a given context might be more motivated Away From rather than Towards.
NLP processes enable a person to move along this range.
TPM enables a person to decide where they want to have the Motivation Meta Programme in a hierarchy that includes all the Meta Programmes.
The effects of this are extremely powerful – we are almost talking about a change in personality.

From an NLP viewpoint we can see that Robert Fletcher has developed the NLP Parts Model to its logical extreme.

In therapy and counselling TPM is a gentle change process, respectful of the client’s model of the world.

The wide range of TPM processes and techniques are applicable and suitable for all ‘problems’ – whether they exist on a physical, mental, emotional, psychological or any other level.

One of the central tenets of TPM is that the ‘parts’ we use, or Controllers, have intelligence and choice and this choice exists and works at both a conscious and unconscious levels.

Using the TPM processes described above and others it is possible now to do a complete piece of work with a person, aligning their identity, values, life purpose, beliefs and virtues in ways that serve them better.

After reading Robert Fletcher’s first article on TPM in Anchor Point, I recall thinking ‘if, repeat IF this is true it represents a quantum leap in our understanding of how mind and body work together’.

“Any sufficiently developed technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
Arthur C Clarke

The magic of TPM.

APPENDIX

Courses

Current Courses