You might have heard about NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and wondered whether it is something you should take a look at for yourself.
NLP is one of the most misrepresented practices I have ever come across. And to be honest, the reason I haven’t written about it over the last six years is because there is a lot to tackle!!
My NLP Background…
Being kind of a mind freak at an early age, I studied NLP under Robert Dilts and Judith Delozier (two of the four authors of NLP Volume I).
By the end of 1993, I was a “Master Practitioner.” And by 1995 I was a, “Trainer’s Trainer.” However, you will not find NLP anywhere in my biography or previously on my resume.
There is a reason for that.
Before I go into this, let me state up front that studying NLP has definitely helped me in quite a few areas of my life. It can serve as a great “gateway” to some of the great minds of the mid-20th century, and by default takes you out of your own perceptual position.
Said more simply, you start to pay attention to the way other people see the world and to social systems in a way that most people simply do not.
NLP: Science, Fiction or something in between?
First, I simply have to let you know that NLP is NOT a science. Not even close. There is no theory generation, testing, peer review, or anything to control quality. The variety in training is astronomical! And testing practitioners is basically non-existent. So, all people really have to do is pay for a certificate (kind of like hypnosis practiced by non-licensed therapists).
A lot of the initial teachings of NLP have been debunked. For example, “eye accessing cues” representing “representational systems” has been falsified. But ask almost any NLP practitioner and they will preach it as the gospel.
In fact, there really hasn’t been anything developed by NLP that has stood the test of time.
And as far as being a “persuasion machine,” NLP will not do the trick on its own. You are better off reading the persuasion literature.
But Don’t Throw Away NLP Yet…
However, NLP did bring a lot of stuff from other disciplines and made it easier to understand. It takes some work from Fritz Perls, Gregory Bateson, Virginia Satir and Milton Erickson and actually makes it accessible to regular people. This is where the value lies.
From Fritz Perls and Virginia Satir, you learn about systems and perceptual positions. This is extremely valuable in getting along with others and yourself.
From Gregory Bateson, we learn about ecological thinking. Robert Dilts does a great job of using Bateson’s logical levels in a lot of NLP techniques. This practice can really help organize your thinking.
And what NLP learned from Milton Erickson can also be helpful. This is the value of metaphor as well as “pacing and leading.” I am friends with Milton’s daughter Betty Alice. She told me that Erickson was NOT a big fan of NLP, but admits they did a decent job of modeling hypnosis structurally (although not therapeutically).
So, there is something there… Just go in with the proper expectations and your eyes wide open.
Knowing NLP Does NOT Make You a Therapist
This is my biggest pet peeve about NLP (and hypnosis, by the way). Going to 30-day course does not make you an expert in anything…especially something where testing is not taken seriously.
When I studied NLP, I simply could not believe the crazy people who were walking out of there with certificates! (Myself included – I was 23 years old and was in no position to counsel anybody).
So if you do learn NLP, do it for yourself. Don’t pretend you are somehow now qualified to deal with somebody’s deep emotional issues. You really need to get a counseling degree from a quality institution. It is irresponsible to do otherwise.
This goes for hypnosis as well. We only publish programs from practitioners with doctorates in psychology and a license to practice mental health. This is important.
Your Opportunity to Learn NLP
I have been given a lot of NLP courses to evaluate over the years. Most of the stuff has been way overpriced for what they deliver. I have finally found one that I think delivers the goods in an easy to understand way and at a very affordable price.
The irony is that the guy who created it and I couldn’t be more different in our philosophies.
He has been practicing hypnosis without any counseling experience for years, sells NLP as something you can go and make money with in just 4 weeks, and definitely leans metaphysical.
If you know me, you know I am not into anything metaphysical (not a big fan of the New Age).
But at the same time, he has created the most complete and affordable home study NLP course out there and I don’t want my personal opinions about his other work to get in the way of you giving it a try.
So, if you have always wanted to at least get a taste of NLP without breaking the bank, then I recommend you give this course a try. The only thing I ask is that even though one of the sales pitches is that you can start practicing when you are done… don’t do it.
http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/recommends/NLP
In Conclusion
Sorry for the long post, but I really value honesty and transparency. But the long and short of it is that if you have not had real exposure to NLP, this is the best program for the money out there. Steve G. Jones is almost done with his doctorate in Education from Georgia Southern University. It shows because this course is well thought out. Just don’t go out and start doing “therapy” with a home study course!!!
And the fact that Steve and I are about as far apart as two people could be on metaphysical issues should not get in the way of you experiencing some really good content.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Thankyou Michael for the well thought out post. I share your opinion that NLP is not a science, miracle or anything in between. But as you say, some exposure can be very helpful as long as you don’t drink the Kool-Aid
Thanks Dr. Miriam!
There is a lot more to this and I hope everyone chimes in. NLP’s misrepresentations are probably more interesting than NLP itself.
Really enjoyed the flavor of your comments.
Tools to assist one with in life come in many forms.
Yet as you say, a 30 day course, has it’s place, but it in no way qualifies one to teach/assist others, unless you already possess other qualifications.
Michael, interesting post and very useful perspective on NLP.
Just to show how thoroughly I read it, I caught an interesting typo the second time you give her name: “Virginal Satir”. Freud is smiling.
Michael, thank you for spreading the word about this! The wikipedia entry on NLP is quite good about taking the claims of the NLPers to task too.
Thank you for advising people not to start delving into people’s difficulties without comprehensive training. I appreciate your candor which is an unusual commodity from anyone who has something to sell, and I hope it works well for you. NLP has been around for quite some time now. I was working with chronic pain patients using bio-feedback in a neurological clinic back in the 70’s and remember hearing about it then. On the strength of your disclaimers I’ll seriously consider purchasing it. I suppose its staying power does lend some credibility to it as well. I also know some clinicians who have incorporated it into their practice.
I consider your comments to be one of the most indepentant assessments of any program I have been exposed to. Best Wishes.
David,
Thanks for the correction! It has been changed…
Thanks for the very informative post. I have been curious about NLP and am so thankful to have your insights and suggestion.
Regards!
A review this candid, especially of a product that one is endorsing, is rare and refreshing. And that deserves to be acknowledged and commended.
I have gone back and forth over the years regarding whether NLP training would be valuable for me; perhaps this gentleman’s course is a cost-effective way to get introduced to the concepts without drinking the Kool-Aid, as someone above put it.
Kim Frazier
Vibrance Wellness Coaching
Thank you for the very honest evaluation and warning to not start practicing mental therapy until one has solid training. The one and only NLP session I had many years ago was life-changing for me, revealing and changing my perspective on myself and giving me a very valuable mental tool for not getting stuck in the past but looking forward.
THANK YOU for this post. It is great to see someone be frank and honest about some of the hocus-pocus out there. I went to a ‘certified’ NLP practitioner for a while as I’ve had some pretty deep emotional problems for a long time. I didn’t get much benefit out of it and when I said “this isn’t working for me” (in fact quite the opposite - it exposed but didn’t heal some deep wounds) I was told that was because I wasn’t applying it properly. I was then encouraged to spend $4000 AUS on master classes and the pressure to attend was immense, which thankfully I saw through. I was pretty angry for a while about it all. Still am regarding these snake oil salesmen being allowed to peddle nonsense without accountability, but I now channel that into telling people to go into such things with eyes wide open and that there is no ‘miracle cure’. Love you hypnosis cds. Found them very helpful. Thank you for operating a service with such integrity.
I studied NLP and thought it to have some pretty good insights. I also got good feedback when I used it. But as you said… I took the good stuff and tossed out some. I studied it a long time ago. Thanks for the honest insight,
Speaking of typos, I believe you mean “counsel” instead of “council.”
How refreshing to see a blog that presents NLP for what it actually is. NLP is not therapy. Hypnosis is not therapy. Hypnosis is a modality of therapy. A hypnotherapist should be one who is licensed in a mental health-oriented healing art. That’s my take on it anyway. This article was timely in showing me that I do not need NLP training-even though it is the rage of late it seems-I will stick with my therapy training that uses different modalities, including hypnosis.
Michael,
Your honest assessment of NLP is right on! It is a wonderful tool but like any tool it only does a fraction of the job. I’ve taken several classes and it broadened my perspective of how others perceive the world and how differently I perceive it. It opened my eyes as to why I was not exactly in sync with others - as information that is very important to them was not even part of my thought process. I believe I communicate more effectively and understand better what other people need based on how they process information - not based on how I process information. It was a valuable study for me. From the comments of the qualified and certified therapists in the classes with me, they really found some additional useful tools that they could employ with others, but one needs to be a trained professional in other areas first. If anyone is looking to broaden their own perception abilities - I found NLP to be a fun and interesting study.
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