What is NLP anyway......

good question......... I wonder how long a posting here could be...... Let me try a short answer, maybe by way of getting your interest rather than attempt a full explanation.... One way of describing NLP...... is to say that it is the study of excellence. NLP models look for people who do things in an excellent way, and then look for those things that 'make the difference' between ordinary and excellent. Those things may be behaviours, and often they are attitudes, mind sets, values and beliefs, as well. For example, many elite athletes say that mental preparation is a key factor in getting the best results. It is not just about having a body in peak condition. Certainly, within a therapeutic context, there are many elements that make up a successful intervention. Not just the action steps involved, but also the mind set and operating paradigm of the coach. Once a robust model is developed and tested, it can be taught to others. Models exist in many fields. Therapy of course, and also business, sports, health, wealth, relationships, happiness.... The letters NLP stand for N - Neuro; which relates to stuff going on in our brains; L - Linguistic; which is language; and P - Programming; which in this context is the relationships between the language we use, both externally with others and internally with ourselves, and the way our brains function. My sister Sue Isaacs has put together a really clear way to describe NLP and some of the ways it can help. I repeat her words below... NLP offers a set of tools for setting clear, achievable goals. By understanding how your mind works, you will be able to take more control of your thoughts, emotions and behaviours. NLP provides ways of releasing unwanted emotions from past events. For instance, the NLP ‘phobia cure’ is renowned both for dealing with phobias and traumatic events from the past. Here are some of the ways that you can benefit from NLP in your personal life. BELIEFS Our beliefs are the gateways to our behaviour. NLP shows you how to identify your beliefs, and if appropriate, change them. OUTCOMES One of the most important questions we all face is ‘what do you want’ out of life. We tend to focus on all the things that we don’t want - the problems. One of the keys to success is to have clear outcomes in all areas of your life. NLP offers a set of tools for setting clear, achievable goals. RELATIONSHIPS Our ability to communicate effectively with others can greatly enhance the quality of our life. By studying and modelling excellent communicators, NLP is able to show you how to create and maintain rapport, how to be more congruent in your communications and how to understand the intention behind others’ behaviour. CONTROL HOW YOU FEEL It is all too easy to feel the ‘victim’ of events outside of our control. It’s Monday morning so we ‘feel bad.’ But what if you were able to take more control of your thought process, feelings and emotions so that you are in the driving seat. NLP opens the door to the programmes that run your brain. By understanding how your mind works, you will be able to take more control of your thoughts, emotions and behaviours. THE PAST It can be hard to move happily into the future if we are still dogged by our past. NLP provides ways of releasing unwanted emotions from past events. The NLP ‘phobia cure’ is renowned both for dealing with phobias and traumatic events from the past. BELIEFS Our beliefs are the gateways to our behaviour. Because our beliefs are often ‘unconscious’ we are not always aware of the important role they play. NLP shows you how to identify your beliefs, and if appropriate, change them. This represents some of the most powerful tools for personal change available. CHANGE We all have aspects of our life that we want to change. You will be in a better position to change unwanted feelings and behaviours when you understand more of how you, as a human being work. NLP offers you this and much more. Sue specialises in helping female clients work though seperation and divorce issues using both NLP and Coaching interventions. Let me know if you want an introduction. Actually, of course, there are many other websites about NLP. Ones I would recommend for people interested in starting their own hourney are: http://www.nlpu.com/ which is the home page of Robert Dilts, one of the original developers, and someone who I have been privileged to study and work with. http://nlpuniversitypress.com/ which is Roberts NLP encyclopedia site, a great reference source, available freely. and http://www.itsnlp.com/nlp/whatis.htm where you will find the elegant description of NLP by Ian McDermott, Director of Training for ITS, my NLP teacher, and one of my heroes. At the bottom of this topic, there is a button to take you back to the home page, and from there, you can select any of the other topics.