The basis of reframing is to separate Intention from Behaviour. Because all meaning is context dependent, changing the frame of a situation can change the meaning. A reframe is useful in giving someone new insight and understanding of a presenting problem — and in the process, making the problem become a non-issue.
Context Reframe A context reframe changes the context of a scenario so that the meaning changes. Context reframes work well with presenting problems expressed as a Comparative Deletion, e.g. "I'm too..." or "She's too..."
Meaning Reframe A meaning reframe challenges the belief or assumption behind a presenting problem, giving it a different meaning. The statement is usually expressed as a Complex Equivalent. Example: "My mother never cooks my dinner — she doesn't love me." Response: "Wow, I thought my mother didn't love me because she never lets me cook for myself."
Agreement Frame An agreement frame is where you pace and lead an objection by using the word "and" rather than "but". Example: "You want to dissolve the relationship, and it would be useful to look at alternatives first."
Conditional Close A conditional close is a closing statement that agrees with the person on a condition they can satisfy. Example: "I really want to buy the bike, and I know it's important for you to sell it today, so if you include a spare water canister, then we can close the deal now and both be happy."
See also: What are the steps in a 6 step reframe? | What is NLP?