Abstract: This study represents the first experimental test of the effectiveness of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) techniques in ameliorating phobic behavior and attendant fear and discomfort. Twelve subjects meeting the DSM-III criteria for Simple Phobia were recruited by referral and advertisement in local newspapers of Middlesex County, New Jersey. Treatment was evaluated in a pretest-posttest control group design. The experimental (NLP) treatment involved the imaging of scenes related to feelings of the phobias from a dissociated position of subject watching viewer watching actor. The control procedure involved the imaging of pleasant scenes. All subjects were treated for two sessions within one week, each lasting less than one hour. Subjects were evaluated at pretest, posttest and three week follow-up with measures of approach to phobic stimuli, fear of approach to graded phobic stimuli, in vivo or in vitro (fear thermometer), discomfort, general symptomatology (SCL-90R), global fears (FSS- III) and with self-report questionnaires. Subjects were administered a test of hypnotic susceptibility (SHSS) and received a final self-report form two months posttreatment. The NLP treatment was demonstrated to be effective in reducing phobic behavior and subjective distress, and was superior to the control condition in improving approach behavior and in reducing fear, discomfort and the intensity of a wide range of symptoms. Hypnotic susceptibility was not significantly related to any dependent measures at pretest, posttest, or follow-up. Treatment outcome compared favorably with more conventional treatments and speculations about possible critical factors and mechanisms of action were discussed. Positive Results.