Explicit conceptualizations of reframing have been used by a number of therapists who understand that «problem behavior» only makes sense when it is viewed in the context in which it occurs. These include a number of therapists with a family or systems orientation, notably Paul Watzlawick and the Mental Research Institute group in Palo Alto, and Jay Haley and Salvador Minuchin and the group at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic. These therapists generally use what is described in Chapter I as «content reframing.»

They have designed specific reframing interventions such as «prescribing the symptom," and «paradoxical injunction," which effectively reframe behavior in order to change it. They also use techniques of directly intervening to change the actual external physical context in which the behavior occurs.

Virginia Satir uses a great deal of reframing in her work, from simple redefinitions to more elaborate reframing via psychodrama in her «parts parties» and «family reconstructions.»

Carl Whitaker reframes with nearly everything he says to the families that he works with. Symptoms become reframed as accomplishments or skills, «sanity» becomes craziness, and «craziness» becomes sanity.

A more elaborate and «all–purpose» method of reframing, called «six–step» reframing, was developed by Bandler and Grinder, and already appears in print in Frogs into Princes. This book presupposes that you are already familiar with that basic six–step model of refram–ing; much of the book will make sense to you only if you have some prior knowledge of, and experience with, that kind of reframing. You can find an excellent description and discussion of six–step reframing (as well as other basic NLP patterns) in the third chapter of Frogs into Princes.

What is new in this book is an explicit description of the basic structure of reframing, and the presentation of several additional models of reframing. This book presents specific step–by–step techniques to implement these models, as well as ways to determine which model is most appropriate for a particular problem situation.