About NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming)
by Greg Alexander
This article is part of our 'About' series where we asked practitioners of various healing modalities and therapies the same set of questions to give you some background information, features of the healing modality, health benefits and what you might expect from a session with this type of practitioner.
1. What type of healing modality or therapy do you practice and how would you summarize it?
I practice Neuro-Linguistic Programming (or NLP). In a therapy or coaching context, NLP provides specific processes for exploring your behaviour and emotions, to become aware of choices you have and the effect a change in your life can have on you and on others. It has both conscious and unconscious components, and there's a wide range of ways for working through a change from very simple to more complicated. Naturally every session will depend on the individual and the change they're considering - with common goals in professional, emotional, health and relationship contexts.
2. Why did you decide to become a practitioner in this field and what do you enjoy most about it?
I was always motivated by making a difference in people's lives and I'd studied Psychology and counselling earlier, but NLP stood out with its attention to helping people find a more satisfying and enjoyable balance in life. After experiencing NLP I chose to be extensively trained, and now use NLP both on its own and integrate it's processes into my other work.
The thing I enjoy the most about working with NLP processes is the amount of choice it gives my clients and the way it bridges emotions, thoughts & intuition - it assumes we aren't aware of everything that we value and know, and works on several levels.
3. What is the history or foundation of this therapy/healing modality?
NLP was founded by John Grinder and Richard Bandler in the 70s. It began with their interest in modelling the communications patterns used by 3 respected Psychotherapists (Fritz Perls of Gestallt Therapy, Virginia Satir of Family Therapy and Milton Erickson of Ericksonian Hypnosis). The modeling they did, and the patterns they found, formed the basis of NLP. NLP now teaches methods of studying how someone does what they do, as well as a range of change processes.
NLP evolved in multiple directions, with practitioners expanding the range of processes and focussing on different aspects of NLP. Some of these processes were integrated into NLP, some into other fields such as hypnotherapy and there are NLP-related offshoots such as Anthony Robbins' Neuro-Associative Conditioning. I studied John Grinder's "New Code NLP" which further develops and refocusses NLP - including unconscious skills and change within a person's whole system.
4. What are the key features and components of this form of therapy/healing modality?
NLP is generally experienced in a talk-therapy context. It involves changing states and perspectives very deliberately, and the practitioner will direct the client in how they explore the issue.
NLP sessions explore:
- intent of a behaviour & values
- distortions & generalisations in our experience
- unspoken values and the unconscious
- changing state, and creative visualisation of both a problem and goal
- how we internally see/hear/feel our world, and alternatives that affect our experience of it
- multiple perspectives of a problem (clearly separating 'self' from 'other', dissociation, as well as past/present/future viewpoints
- resources and experience from other contexts that can be applied effectively elsewhere
- internal conflicts & differing needs
- consequences of an existing or new behaviour on self and others
NLP sessions aim to empower individuals to make their own choices, both in the sessions and in their lives.
5. Does this therapy/healing modality cater to the physical body, mind, emotions, spirit, or a combination of these?
A change in the mind or body affects all our systems, everything is interrelated. NLP works directly with the mind & emotions, and can be used for physical and spiritual goals or issues. NLP does not teach any spiritual belief itself though some practitioners & trainers integrate their own or related spiritual beliefs.
6. When should someone visit this type of practitioner?
When you want a change - whether to handle issues in your life more effectively, when you have some internal conflict over what you want, if you're depressed, or if you want to lower stress. Generally, if your life isn't how you want it or what you're doing isn't working - or if you would like more control and choice over a behaviour or emotion you experience.
7. What can someone expect from a session?
Session length will depend on your practitioner - usually from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. Change can occur in one session (depending on the change), and ongoing sessions would usually involve different issues or goals.
What happens in a session will really depend on the practitioner's background and what the client wants.
Typically, it will involve:
1) clarifying what's going on and the client's goal, through a combination of exploration processes
2) changing client states & perspectives, exploring effects of changes, and building resources for change
3) checking whether new choices meet the goal's intent, and reinforcement of acceptable new choices
OR using post-hypnotic suggestions to allow choices and options to emerge in the following week.
The real change occurs when clients return to their lives, integrating new perceptions & choices.
8. What are the most common outcomes for clients?
Clients leave in a more resourceful state - basically a better emotional state available to them for dealing with an issue. They'll have some new behaviour patterns and reactions they've explored, but are more likely to alter and combine those in new ways to suit their needs. Depending on the processes used, in the following 2 weeks clients will often find an entirely new alternative that works well for them.
9. Can you share some success stories from this form of therapy/healing modality?
a) I had a client who was scared and anxious when in groups and any social situation. We first used different "perceptual positions" to cleanly separate his own perceptions and others, and we repeated this for multiple situations where he'd been anxious. It was a simple exploration, and the following week he reported this was no longer an issue, and we continued work with other goals.
b) Another client had a more unusual request - she asked to play tennis better. For this, I taught her some principles of NLP modelling which we then practised, then used some trance, and did a 'personal edit' to have her move in ways that tennis professionals used and see how that might work or adapt for her. I called her a week (and month) later, and she reported that her tennis scores hadn't changed at all, but she no longer experienced pains in her shoulder after a match - these had been quite bad (she hadn't mentioned previously).
c) One client was depressed and had sought help from multiple sources. We explored her depression in the context of her life and values - she was getting what she valued but didn't feel it. We explored ways of associating and experiencing these important parts of her life, and practised doing it. While her feelings changed immediately, we continued to work with her thoughts and the relationship between her and her family before she started feeling good about herself.
10. Is there anything else that stands out to you about this form of therapy/healing modality that you'd like to share?
Sure. NLP teaches that if something's not working do something different. That applies to myself as a practitioner, as well as to clients generally.
"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've already got"
The above examples were 3 great successes, changes can take longer or occur in different ways. NLP trainings vary widely (some training is quite extensive, others short), and practitioners and clients have different styles. Find a good practitioner, find someone you feel comfortable working with but more importantly someone with whom you can see a change happening in yourself in the weeks after a session, and if it's not working have them refer you to someone else.
NLP has some great and unique ways of helping people change, and works to give the individual the power to transform themselves when and where necessary.
Thank you to Greg Alexander of Dee Why, Australia for answering Peaceful Willow's questions about NLP. For more information about Greg please visit his website: www.pro-match.com/nlp/NLP_Counselling.html.