Neuro-Linguistic Programming, commonly known as NLP is considered by the founders to be a dynamic tool which can change people dramatically on all levels of awareness. According to the co-founders Richard Bandler and John Grinder who wrote Frogs Into Princes (1979). Plus many other books jointly and separately observed three therapists, Fritz Perls, a person centred therapist, Virginia Satir a family therapist and Milton Erickson MD a doctor and hypnotherapist in the mid 70s. Combining these three therapist's work Bandler and Grinder produced this modern technique, which has according to NLP practitioners of NLP has proved to be dynamic, rapid and useful in all areas of life. From commerce and industry to the therapeutic world, NLP is a well-known tool, even to the layperson.
The Six Logical Levels
NLP is considered by the founders to be an empowering belief-changing system, which concentrates on sensory experiences and internal representations. NLP works through six levels, from environment to purpose, progressing and charting all the sensory experiences to a higher level of self-empowerment.
The six logical levels in Neuro-Linguistic Programming are the:
- Environment
- Behaviour
- Capabilities
- Beliefs and Values
- Identity
- Purpose
Sensory Perceptions
NLP is built around these sensory perceptions of human beings, recognizing and addressing the instinct human beings have to survive. NLP identifies states and preferences a person may use in everyday life.
The preferences may be visual (seeing), kinesthetic (feeling), or auditory (hearing). A person’s state and preference has a huge bearing on whether any communication is successful or not.
Six Easy Steps to Awareness
According to the process of NLP the practitioner starts in the environment, with whatever the client’s problem is. Then the practitioner accesses the clients’ senses, increases positive aspirations or past successful achievements’ and walks the client through each level to purpose, increasing his or her resources until the client has reached a sense of personal awareness and achievement.
The client is then walked back through each logical level to environment again, bringing back any insights he or she has experienced at the sixth level (purpose). This technique can be quick and often enlightening and appears to change a clients attitudes, behaviour and thinking quite dramatically. Considered one of the more dynamic tools in psychology, however most NLP practitioners prefer to call this technique more of a programming system rather than a psychological therapy.
The Meaning of NLP
The term "neuro" relates to the brain and nervous system. A persons thinking effects their actions and vice verse. "Linguistic" refers to language and how language is used and perceived. Programming is a computing term, but an ideal explanation of how the mind operates to people who use NLP. Psychologists would term the human mind is a collector of habits, thoughts, beliefs and values. Like any computer, information is stored whether negative or positive in files. According to practitioners, NLP rewrites the negative and increases the positive to achieve better results.
Empathy Through to Spirituality
When a practitioner lacks empathy and awareness, believes NLP is the panacea, they may be coming from an intellectual point of view, and according to a group of NLP practioners may fail their client spirituality. NLP may then feel, to some people who are seeking spiritual enlightenment, "dry" and the concepts of NLP may fail to go far enough. However a well-rounded NLP practitioner is creative and flexible, therefore enabling clients to use their preferred sensory perception to connect with the world in terms of the six logical levels. But will also explore much further into the realms of the unknown.
Wide Awake Hypnosis
NLP according to various practioners is very similar to using hypnosis. The only difference is the person keeps their eyes open when work is being undertaken, however a trance state seems to occur. This modern tool according to those who prefer this type of personal change is a fast and rapid and seems to work especially well with logical people who shy away from psychological therapy. NLP started in the business world as a dynamic self-motivational tool to build confidence, self-esteem, public speaking, by the founders. NLP is believed to expand the aims and goals as well as changing negative beliefs and values. This type of work is often used by psychologists, hypnotherapists and cognitive and behavior therapists. However the British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis consider Hypnosis an ever changing field.
Sylvia Lerigo - Optimum Healing - Established in 1995 Psychological Healing and Training Centre Brief History in my Time After many years in the ...
