What is NLP?
NLP stands for Neuro-Linguistic Programming, a name that encompasses the three most influential components involved in producing human experience: neurology, language and programming.
The neurological system regulates how our bodies function, language determines how we interface and communicate with other people and our programming determines the kinds of models of the world we create. Neuro-Linguistic Programming describes the fundamental dynamics between mind (neuro) and language (linguistic) and how their interplay effects our body and behavior (programming).
NLP is a pragmatic school of thought - an 'epistemology' - that addresses the many levels involved in being human. NLP is a multi-dimensional process that involves the development of behavioral competence and flexibility, but also involves strategic thinking and an understanding of the mental and cognitive processes behind behavior. NLP provides tools and skills for the development of states of individual excellence, but it also establishes a system of empowering beliefs and presuppositions about what human beings are, what communication is and what the process of change is all about. At another level, NLP is about self-discovery, exploring identity and mission. It also provides a framework for understanding and relating to the 'spiritual' part of human experience that reaches beyond us as individuals to our family, community and global systems. NLP is not only about competence and excellence, it is about wisdom and vision.
What Is Neuro Linguistic Psychotherapy & Counselling?
Simply put, psychotherapy and counselling are ways to understand how and why we do and think the way that we do. The objective is to use this understanding to improve our lives by making changes that seek to achieve our goals and dreams.
Neuro Linguistic Psychotherapy (NLPt) is a specialised form of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). The idea is that we work from and react to the world as we construct it from our experiences rather than directly from the "real world". We build our own unique models or maps of the world. Although all such maps are genuine to each of us, no one map is fully able to represent the "real world". Further, NLP is a way of exploring how people think, identifying success and then applying these successful actions or even beliefs in ways that work. This has proved practical and effective in a wide range of applications and situations. Using this form of what is called "modelling" change can be quite quick.
NLPt is broad based and draws on concepts from many areas of psychology and psychotherapy. Influences stem from the Gestalt 'school', the family therapy of Virginia Satir, Ericksonian brief therapy, and humanistic psychology. There are also clear links with the fields of systems theory, behavioural psychology and linguistics.
What happens in the therapy?
The Neuro-Linguistic Psychotherapist and Counsellor will seek to help you, the client, to identify your desired state i.e. your goals and dreams. You’ll then seek to achieve them by using your own and new resources and skills. This can involve you in experimenting with changing beliefs that limit your success, identifying new beliefs, and/or gaining insights into patterns of your behaviour, which help you to have more choices.
Whilst your personal history is taken as relevant to how you are now, the emphasis will be on how you create how you are today from experiences past and present as well as your ideas about your future. The main focus is on how rather than why. In general people have three main responses when experiencing the world.
- ‘delete’ – we choose to ignore some of our experiences.
- ‘generalise’ – we create universal rules from single experiences.
- ‘distort’ – we create connections and meanings from and between experiences that may not have been meant and that may or may not be helpful.
Your NLP Psychotherapist or Counsellor will be paying close attention to the words that you use, your body language and your behaviour. From this she or he will suggest how you create how you are and changes can be made that will help you become more in control of your life – now and in your future.
This means that you will learn new skills that will help you to achieve measurable success. Your NLP Psychotherapist or Counsellor will help you define these measures so that you will know when your work is complete.
All NLPtCA members have agreed to abide by the Code of Ethics and Complaints Procedures of NLPtCA. If they are practising as psychotherapists and/or counsellors they have also agreed to maintain professional liability and malpractice insurance.