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NLP- Neuro-Linguistic Programming

The official definition of NLP is “the study of the structure of
the subjective experience.”

We prefer to think of it as
“The Art and Science of Effective Communication”

Here are some other definitions by one of my NLP teachers, Steve Andreas in his excellent book NLP: The New Technology of Achievement.

NLP is the study of human excellence.
NLP is the ability to be your best more often.
NLP is a powerful and practical approach to personal change.

NLP is the acronym for Neuro-Linguistic Programming.  Neuro refers to our nervous system, the neural pathways of our five senses.  Linguistic refers to our ability to use language and how specific words and phases mirror our mental worlds.  Linguistic also refers to our “silent language” of postures, gestures and habits that reveal our thinking styles and beliefs.  Programming is borrowed from computer science, to suggest that our thoughts, feelings and actions are simply habitual programs that can be changed by upgrading our “mental software.”

Ready to hear more?  Here are the NLP Presuppositions, our basic assumptions about communication that provide us with the eagle-eyes view of the theory of NLP. 

• The Map is not the Territory:  Written in 1933, this statement is referring to the fact that we experience the world (the Territory) through our five senses and can only recreate a small portion of that reality in our minds—the “Map”.

• People respond according to their Map of the World:  You respond to the world based on what you perceive of it, based on your data selection process and informed by your cultural and social background, not to mention memories, decisions, experiences and values and beliefs.  You respond to the world according to your map, and I respond to the world based on my Map.  There is a good chance that at some point, we will have different points of view on a topic, based on our Maps.  However, with NLP training, we may still have the opportunity to stay in rapport (good relationship) with each other by understanding how to hear each others subjective experiences; our separate Maps.

• There is no failure, only feedback:  Good news!  What others call a “mistake”, NLP calls a learning experience. 

• The meaning of the communication is the response it elicits:  This one is powerful!  It places the responsibility of the success of a communication squarely at the doorstep of the communicator.  When you understand this, you will never again blame the other person for not understanding you.  This pre-supposition empowers you to take charge of the communication itself.

• If what you are doing is not working, do something different:  Sounds easy, doesn’t it?

• You have all the resources you need to achieve your desired outcomes:  It is true.  Think of all that data from the first pre-supposition that is being deleted out.  ALL that information is at your disposal.  See, hear and feel your five senses; the way you receive data.  You may not think you have the internal resources you need, but you do have the resources to acquire new resources!

So where did NLP come from?  In the 1970’s, a grad student by the name of Richard Bandler enlisted the help of a linguistics professor, Dr. John Grinder to study the works of three of the greatest therapists of their time.  Instead of examining their work from a psychology point of view, they exclusively focused their study on their usage of language.  The three therapists were Virginia Satir, developer of Conjoint Family Therapy, Fritz Perls, the founder of Gestalt Therapy and Milton Erickson, considered by many to be the greatest proponent of Hypnotherapy of all time. 

So, NLP is a series of understandings and techniques that are based on four things:

• Rapport with others
• Sensory Awareness in yourself and others
• Outcome oriented thinking
• Your own behavioral flexibility

Respectfully,
Michael DeMolina, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor

Michael is a certified Master Practitioner Trainer of NLP through The Society of NLP,
the original certifying body of Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

Please feel free to contact Michael at Michael@awisdomcenter.com, or 770-3656