What is NLP?

NLP (Neuro-linguistic Programming) can read and sound rather complex and even perhaps as though “your mind” is going to be re-programmed or controlled in some way without your permission! However, this is far from the reality. Put simply, neuro refers to our nervous system, the pathways of our five senses by which we see, hear, feel, taste and smell. NLP is about increasing our awareness of these senses and learning to use them consciously. Linguistic refers to our ability to communicate; our specific words and phrases mirror our mental models and the way we think. It also refers to our inner beliefs, habits, and silent language. The language patterns are a reflection on who you are and what you think. Programming suggests that our thoughts, feelings, and actions are simply habitual programmes that can be changed by upgrading our mental software. A programme is a series of steps designed to achieve a specific result. Through awareness of these sequences  you can code the structure of your own and other people’s experience 

It was first developed in the U.S. in the early 70's from studying the thinking and behaviour of particularly effective and successful people. If you want to make changes for the better it makes perfect sense to study what does work rather than what doesn’t! Therefore the developers of NLP, Richard Bandler and John Grinder "modelled" a number of remarkable achievers in the field of psychotherapy, anthropology and hypnotherapy being Virginia Satir (1916 -1988), Fritz Perls (1893 -1970), Gregory Bateson (1904-1980), an d the most influential of all, the famous hypnotherapist, Milton H Erickson (1901 - 1980).  

Their findings led to NLP - not so much a therapy, more of an approach to life and reframing into positive thinking. (It can be usefully combined with Hypnotherapy, Life Coaching and EFT).

NLP exercises are like thought experiments, mental exercises using all your senses, or a game and the playground is your mind. 

It is now used internationally by millions of people throughout the world in such diverse fields as personal development includingsport, management, marketing, public relations, education, therapy and many others.

NLP offers a way of understanding human communication and improving it - a way of working out what produces excellence and how we can each achieve it…………because the map is not the territory.