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NLP stands for Neuro-Linguistic Programming. It is an alternative psycho-therapeutic practice that was developed in the 1970′s. The intent of NLP is to restructure our underlying beliefs that create our habits and structure how we perceive ourselves and reality. NLP can get rid of strong feelings such has frustration, hatred, and depression towards ourselves, others, and events just as easily as instilling beliefs of self-confidence, determination, and happiness within ourselves. Neuro-Linguistic Programming works by studying (modeling) how successful people operate on an internal level so that we may then recreate their excellence in ourselves and others. We can model any human skill or behavior once we have learned the beliefs, physiological responses, and internal strategies that led to that skill or belief. Similarly, we can gain access to the unconscious through light trance work and restructure one’s patterns that lead to habitually being stressed, unhappy, and depressed.

One of the ways I define NLP is that: “Neuro Linguistic Programming allows one to get in touch with their conscious or unconscious beliefs, ask that belief what it’s true purpose is, and modify that belief to one of the individuals choosing that will shift their life in their intended way. NLP allows an individual to remove unwanted programs in their mind and body and re-program themselves to connect with positive resources to lead a more full life towards reaching their potential.”

A little of NLP’s history… NLP was originally called The Study of the Structure of Subjective Experience and was created in the 1970′s by John Grinder, Ph.D. and Richard Bandler. John Grinder was an assistant professor in linguistics at UCSC and at the time Richard Bandler was an undergraduate in philosophy and psychology at UCSC who went on to complete his masters in psychology. Then, Bandler was studying Gestalt Therapy and recording and editing recordings of Fritz Pearls (founder of Gestalt Therapy). Bandler and Grinder met and began to model various cognitive behavioral patterns of therapists (Gestalt Therapy, Erickson Hypnosis, etc.) and created the basis of the methodology that became the foundation of NLP. In the 1980′s Richard Bandler also created and trademarked techniques within the fields he calls Design Human Engineering™ and Neuro-hypnotic Repattering™. Neuro-Linguistic Programming became a system of techniques for creating lasting change within an individual by tapping into the workings of the human mind; working with both the conscious and unconscious beliefs. The internal images, voices, and feelings within us are the basis of our thoughts and memories and create how we perceive ourselves and the world. These are our mental maps. They shape our beliefs, attitudes, and expectations of ourselves and life. By studying the subjective experiences of people who are masters in their fields we can model how successful people are masterful and then duplicate their internal programs in others. Through this study and understanding of successful people’s mental maps we find that these same success mastery strategies can be taught to almost anyone. If you can learn to become something, for instance, depressed or have an addiction, then you can unlearn it as well. You can change by choice; and by re-programming your beliefs. This is the purpose of NLP; to become the best you, possible.

NLP Presuppositions are the central principles of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Presupposition meaning you assume something to be true and act as if it were, in which case you believe that an NLP Presupposition is true prior to beginning with the NLP exercise or technique. After the session you do not need to continue to believe them, although, after your session you may decide to keep them as a part of your own belief system if it works for you. They are listed below in no certain order.

The NLP Presuppositions are:

• Reality is subjective (people respond to their experiences)
• The Map is not the territory (mental map)
• Behind every behavior is a positive intention (every action has a purpose)
• If you continue doing what you are doing you are likely to continue to get the same results (change makes change)
• You already have all the resources you need
• People work perfectly (people’s results are from their mental maps; people make the best choice for them that they know at the time)
• Choice is better than no choice
• Every experience or behavior has a structure
• Anyone can do anything anyone else in the world can do
• Mind and body are one (you don’t have a thought without a physiological response)
• You can not not communicate (you are always communicating something to someone; only 10%-20% of your communication is verbal)
• The person with the most flexibility has the most influence in any situation (the more options you have the more control over a situation)
• There is no failure – only feedback