Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)

Neuro Linguistic Programming otherwise known as NLP, is an empirically supported therapeutic technique with it’s roots in Hypnotherapy, that focuses on the way that we think and process information that impacts on the way we perceive the world and events.

These unique and individual perspectives are commonly known as ‘programmes’.

Most of these “programmes” will be “learned behaviours” that become habitual ways of thinking and reacting to any given situation.

Importantly, as they have been ‘learned’ they can also be ‘un-learned’ which allows you to react to external events in different ways.

What Does Neuro Linguistic Programming Mean?

Neuro Linguistic Programming considers THREE factors and can probably be best described by breaking the words down individually:-

NEURO is about your Neurological system. NLP is based on the central concept that we experience the World through our various senses and translate that sensory information in to thought processes, including both Conscious and Unconscious thought processes.

These thought processes “activate” the Neurological system which directly affects our Physiology, Behaviour and Emotions.

LINGUISTIC refers to the way that we humans use language (and words) to make sense of our World, to conceptualise experiences and to then communicate that experience to other humans.

NLP looks at LINGUISTICS from the point of view of HOW the words YOU speak (or think) influence your experience.

PROGRAMMING considers the ways in which we “learn” and then how we “code” or represent those experiences mentally.

Your own individual Programming is made up of your internal processes and thinking styles (or “strategies”) that you apply when you solve problems, evaluate something, learn and try to achieve something.

NLP helps people to “re-programme” these internal codes so that they are better able to obtain the results or outcomes that you want.

A Brief History of Neuro Linguistic Programming

Neuro Linguistic Programming really began in the Santa Cruz University of California in the United States during the 1970’s.

At that time, Richard Bandler, a Masters level student of Mathematics and Information Technology got together with Dr. John Grinder a linguistics Professor to study and attempt to understand why some people not only communicated very effectively, but also how these types of people were able to overcome the adversity that saw so many others “fall by the wayside”.

A significant amount of their work took into consideration the successful use of Analytical Therapy by the Famous Milton Erickson, considered to be a Genius in understanding the impact that “words” could have on people and their ability to overcome problems.

You can read more about Milton Erickson’s work on the British Hypnosis Research Website page here: britishhypnosisresearch.com/about-ericksonian-hypnotherapy

Can Neuro Linguistic Programming Help My Problem?

Almost any problem where you recognise that your THINKING is the main problem can be addressed with Neuro Linguistic Programming.

Neuro Linguistic Programming is particularly helpful in dealing with Habitual Behaviours or habits because our thinking patterns, which have become ingrained over a period of time, are invariably held together by our language patterns (often this language is our own internal dialogue and not necessarily the words that we use when talking to other people) and NLP is particularly well suited to changing these very patterns.

Here at Tranceform Psychology in Wombourne we frequently make use of NLP principles in the normal course of our work and sessions.