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Neuro-linguistic programming
(NLP) is a set of techniques, axioms and beliefs that
adherents use primarily as an approach to personal development. It
is based on the idea that mind, body and language interact to create
an individual's perception of the world and that perceptions, and
hence behaviours, can be changed by the application of a variety of
techniques. The underlying source of these techniques, called
"modelling", involves the careful reproduction of the behaviours and
beliefs of those who have achieved "excellence". The early focus of
NLP was the study of the underlying patterns in the language and
techniques of noted and successful therapists in hypnotherapy,
gestalt therapy and family therapy. The patterns discovered were
adapted for general communication and effecting change
General description
NLP was influenced by the ideas of the New Age
era as well as beliefs in human potential. The basic ideas of NLP
were developed around 1973 by Richard Bandler, a student, and John
Grinder, a professor of linguistics, in association with the social
scientist Gregory Bateson. They focused on learning (modelling) the
communication and influence patterns of successful people in various
fields. Although the underlying theoretical principles have not been
supported by scientific research, a number of its techniques appear
to have been based upon existing therapeutic techniques.
As a personal development system, NLP is
applied in the form of group trainings, seminars, or individual
client/practitioner consultations. It is also applied as a therapy
in itself or as an adjunct by therapists in other disciplines. NLP
practitioners deal with personal issues ranging from reframing
negative beliefs, to dealing with stage fright and simple phobias,
to self-help, depression, or addiction. More generally they deal
with peak performance assistance in business or sports and
communications and motivation. Professionals in other fields take up
NLP as professional training for coaching, consulting, counselling
and therapy.
NLP and its techniques have been widely adopted for use in
motivational seminars, adult learning, and management and sales
training, often being mixed with pop psychology and other
applications outside of mainstream, like seduction.
Concepts and methods
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is based
on the idea that with our senses we are only able to perceive a
small part of the world. Our view of the world is filtered by our
experience, beliefs, values and assumptions. We act and feel based
on our perception of the world rather than the real world. NLP
teaches that language and behaviours (whether functional or
dysfunctional) are highly structured, and that this structure can be
'modelled' or copied into a reproducible form. Using NLP a person
can 'model' the more successful parts of their own behaviour in
order to reproduce it in areas where they are less successful or
'model' another person to effect belief and behaviour changes to
improve functioning. If someone excels in some activity, it can be
learned how specifically they do it by observing certain important
details of their behaviour. NLP embodies several techniques,
including hypnotic techniques, which proponents claim can affect
changes in the way people think, learn and communicate. NLP is an
eclectic field, often described as a 'toolbox' which has borrowed
heavily from other fields in collating its presuppositions and
techniques.
Internal
'maps' of the world
NLP calls each individual's perception of
the world their 'map'. NLP teaches that our mind-body (neuro) and
what we say (language) all interact together to form our perceptions
of the world, or maps (programming). Each person's map of the world
determines feelings and behaviour. Therefore, impoverished - and
unrealistic - maps can restrict choices and result in problems. As
an approach to personal development or therapy it involves
understanding that people create their own internal 'map' or world,
recognizing unhelpful or destructive patterns of thinking based on
impoverished maps of the world, then modifying or replacing these
patterns with more useful or helpful ones. There is also an emphasis
on ways to change internal representations or maps of the world in
order to increase behavioural flexibility.
Modelling
"Modelling" in NLP is the process of adopting the behaviours,
language, strategies and beliefs of another or understanding the
pattern of one's own behaviours in order to model aspects of
oneself. The founders, Bandler and Grinder started by analysing in
detail and then searching for what made successful psychotherapists
different from their peers. The patterns discovered were adapted for
general communication and effecting change. As an approach to
learning it can involve modelling exceptional people. NLP modelling
methods are designed to unconsciously assimilate the tacit knowledge
to learn what the master is doing of which the master is not aware.
As Bandler and Grinder state "the function of NLP modelling is to
arrive at descriptions which are useful." Einspruch & Forman 1985
state that "when modelling another person the modeller suspends his
or her own beliefs and adopts the structure of the physiology,
language, strategies, and beliefs of the person being modelled.
After the modeller is capable of behaviourally reproducing the
patterns (of behaviour, communication, and behavioural outcomes) of
the one being modelled, a process occurs in which the modeller
modifies and readopts his or her own belief system while also
integrating the beliefs of the one who was modelled."
Meta
model
In NLP the Meta-model is a set of specifying questions or
language patterns designed to challenge and expand the limits to a
person's model or 'map' of the world. When a person speaks about a
problem or situation their choice of words, (or ‘indicators’), will
distort, generalize, and delete portions of their experience. By
listening to and responding to these language patterns the
practitioner seeks to help the client to recover the information
that is under the surface of the words. A therapist who ’listens’ on
the basis of their existing belief systems may miss important
aspects. The NLP meta-model, being based on the verbal patterning of
Fritz Perls and Virginia Satir, is intended to facilitate detecting
the indicators of limiting beliefs and restrictive thinking. The
questions in the meta-model are designed to bring clarity to the
clients language and so to their underlying restrictive thinking and
beliefs.
In business or therapy, the meta-model might be used to help a
client elaborate the details of problems, proposals and objectives
by asking about the important information that has been left out.
For example, a person states that "we need to make a decision", a
response could be to ask who will actually be doing the deciding and
how exactly the process of deciding (from decision) would take
place. The word 'we' does not specify who is doing the action. Also,
the word 'decision' is a process which had been turned into an
abstract noun. In that statement there was also an implied necessity
(from need) which could also be challenged to find out if it really
is a necessity.
|Milton Model
The Milton model is a form of hypnotherapy based on the
language patterns for hypnotic communication of Milton Erickson, a
noted hypnotherapist. It has been described as "a way of using
language to induce and maintain trance in order to contact the
hidden resources of our personality". The Milton model has three
primary aspects: Firstly, to assist in building and maintaining
rapport with the client. Secondly, to overload and distract the
conscious mind so that unconscious communication can be cultivated.
Thirdly, to allow for interpretation in the words offered to the
client.
- 1. Rapport
The first aspect, building rapport, or empathy, is done to
achieve better communication and responsiveness. NLP teaches
'mirroring' or matching body language, posture, breathing,
predicates and voice tonality. Rapport is an aspect of 'pacing' or
tuning into the client or learners world. Once pacing is
established, the practitioner can 'lead' by changing their behaviour
or perception so the other follows. O'Connor & Seymour in
"Introducing NLP" describe rapport as a 'harmonious dance', an
extension of natural skills, but warn against mimicry. Singer gives
examples of the pantomime effect of mere mimicry by some
practitioners which does not create rapport.
- 2. Overloading conscious attention
The second aspect of the Milton model is that it uses ambiguity
in language and non-verbal communication. This might also be
combined with vagueness, which arises when the boundaries of
meaning are indistinct. The use of ambiguity and vagueness distracts
the conscious mind as it tries to work out what is meant which gives
the unconscious mind the opportunity to prosper.
- 3. Indirect communication
The third aspect of the Milton model is that it is purposely
vague and metaphoric for the purpose of accessing the unconscious
mind. It is used to soften the meta model and make indirect
suggestions. A direct suggestion merely states what is wanted, for
example, "when you are in front of the audience you will not feel
nervous". In contrast an indirect suggestion is less authoritative
and leaves an opportunity for interpretation, for example, "When you
are in front of the audience, you might find yourself feeling ever
more confident". This example follows the indirect method leaving
both the specific time and level of self-confidence unspecified. It
might be made even more indirect by saying, "when you come to a
decision to speak in public, you may find it appealing how your
feelings have changed." The choice of speaking in front of the
audience, the exact time and the likely responses to the whole
process are framed but the imprecise language gives the client the
opportunity to fill in the finer details.
Representational systems
he notion that experience is processed by the sensory systems or
representational systems, was incorporated into NLP from psychology
and gestalt therapy shortly after its creation. This teaches that
people perceive the world through the senses and store the
information from the senses in the mind. Memories are closely linked
to sensory experience. When people are processing information they
see images and hear sounds and voices and process this with
internally created feelings. Some representations are within
conscious awareness but information is largely processed at the
unconscious level. When involved in any task, such as making
conversation, describing a problem in therapy, reading a book,
kicking a ball or riding a horse, their representational systems,
consisting of images, sounds, feelings (and possibly smell and
taste) are being activated at the same time. Moreover, the way
representational systems are organised and the links between them
impact on behavioural performance. Many NLP techniques rely on
interrupting maladaptive patterns and replacing them with more
positive and creative thought patterns which will in turn impact on
behaviour.
- Preferred representational systems
Originally NLP taught that most people had an internal preferred
representational system (PRS) and preferred to process information
primarily in one sensory modality. The practitioner could ascertain
this from external cues such as the direction of eye movements,
posture, breathing, voice tone and the use of sensory-based
predicates. If a person repeatedly used predicates such as "I can
see a bright future for myself", the words "see" and
"bright" would be considered visual predicates. In contrast "I can
feel that we will be comfortable" would be considered primarily
kinaesthetic because of the predicates "feel" and "comfortable".
These verbal cues could also be coupled with posture changes, skin
colour or breathing shifts. The theory was that the practitioner by
matching and working within the preferred representational system
could achieve better communication with the client and hence swifter
and more effective results. Many trainings and standard works still
teach PRS whilst other proponents have de-emphasized the existence
and relevance of PRS and instead emphasize working within all
representational systems. In particular, New Code emphasizes
individual calibration and sensory acuity, precluding such a rigidly
specified model as the one described above. Responding directly to
sensory experience requires an immediacy which respects the
importance of context. Grinder has stated that a representational
system diagnosis lasts about 30 seconds.
Although there is some research that supports the notion that eye
movements can indicate visual and auditory (but not kinaesthetic)
components of thought in that moment, the existence of a preferred
representational system ascertainable from external cues (an
important part of original NLP theory) was discounted by research in
the 1980s.
- Submodalities
Submodalities are the fine details of representational systems.
In the late 1970s the developers of NLP started playing around with
the submodalities of representational systems involving the
enhancement of visualisation techniques (common in sports psychology
and meditation), by including other sensory systems. Submodalities
involve the relative size, location, brightness of internal images,
the volume and direction of internal voices and sounds, and the
location, texture, and movement of internally created sensations.
Submodalities and hypnosis became the focus of Richard Bandler's
later work. A typical change process may involve manipulating the
submodalities of internal representations. For example, someone may
see their future as 'dark and cloudy' with associated emotions, but
would seek through NLP to perceive, and feel it, as 'light and
clear'. Other training exercises develop a person's ability to move
around internal images, change the quality of sounds and find out
how these effect the intensity of internal feelings or other
submodalities. Although NLP did not discover submodalities, it
appears that the proponents of NLP may have been the first to
systematically use manipulation of submodalities for therapeutic or
personal development purposes, particularly phobias, compulsions and
addictions.
Aphorisms
- The map is not the territory
- Life and 'Mind' are Systemic Processes
- Behind every behaviour is a positive intention
- There is no failure, only feedback
- Choice is better than no choice (and flexibility is the way
one gets choice)
- The meaning of the communication is the response it
produces, not the intended communication
- People already have all the resources they need to succeed
- Multiple descriptions are better than one
Techniques
- Anchoring:
NLP teaches that we constantly make anchors
(associations) between what we see, hear and feel and our emotional
states. While in an emotional state if a person is exposed to a
unique stimulus (sight, sound or touch) then a connection is made
between the emotion and the unique stimulus. If the unique stimulus
occurs again, the emotional state will then be triggered. NLP
teaches that anchors (such as a particular touch associated with a
memory or state) can be deliberately created and triggered to help
people access 'resourceful' or other target states. Anchoring appears
to have been imported into NLP from family therapy.
- Swish
The swish pattern is a process that is designed to disrupt a
pattern of thought from one that used to lead to an unwanted
behaviour to one that leads to a desired behaviour. This involves
visualizing a 'cue' which leads into the unwanted behaviour, such as
a smokers hand moving towards the face with a cigarette in it, and
reprogramming the mind to 'switch' to a visualization of the desired
outcome, such as a healthy looking person, energetic and fit. In
addition to visualization, auditory sound effects are often imagined
to enhance the experience.
Swish is one of the techniques that involves the manipulation of
submodalities.
- Reframing
Another technique, reframing
functions through "changing the way you perceive an event and so
changing the meaning. When the meaning changes, responses and
behaviours will also change. Reframing with language allows you to
see the world in a different way and this changes the meaning.
Reframing is the basis of jokes, myths, legends, fairy tales and
most creative ways of thinking."There are examples in children's
literature. Pollyanna would play
The Glad Game whenever she felt down
about life, to remind herself of the things that she could do, and
not worry about the things she couldn't. Alice Mills also says that
this occurs in Hans Christian Andersen's
story where to the surprise of the ugly
duckling, the beautiful creatures welcome and accept him;
gazing at his reflection, he sees that he too is a swan. Reframing is
common to a number of therapies and was not original to NLP.
- Six step reframe
An example of reframing is found in the
six-step reframe which involves distinguishing between an
underlying intention and the consequent behaviours for the purpose
of achieving the intention by different and more successful
behaviours. It is based on the notion that there is a positive
intention behind all behaviours, but that the behaviours themselves
may be unwanted or counterproductive in other ways. NLP uses this
staged process to identify the intention and create alternative
choices to satisfy that intention.
- Well-formed outcome
In NLP this is one of a number of 'frames' wherein the desired
state is considered as to its achievability and effect if achieved.
A positive outcome must be defined by the client, be within the
clients power to achieve, retain the positive products of the
unwanted behaviours and produce an outcome that is appropriate for
all circumstances.
- Ecology
This is a frame within which the desired outcome is checked
against the consequences in the clients life and relationships from
all angles.
- Parts integration
Parts Integration is based on the
idea that different aspects of ourselves are in conflict due to
different perceptions and beliefs. 'Parts integration' is the
process of integrating the disparate aspects of the self by
identifying and then negotiating with the separate parts to achieve
resolution of internal conflict. Parts integration appears to be
based on 'parts' from Family Therapy and has similarities to
ego-state therapy in psychoanalysis.
- VK/D
VK/D stands for 'Visual/Kinaesthetic Dissociation'. This is a
technique designed to eliminate bad feelings associated with past
events by re-running (like a film, sometimes in reverse) an
associated memory in a dissociated
state. It combines elements of Eriksonian techniques, spatial
sorting processes from Fritz Perls, reframing and 'changing history'
techniques.
- Metaphor
Largely derived from the ideas of Bateson and the techniques of
Erikson, 'metaphor' in NLP ranges from simple figures of speech to
allegories and stories. It tends to be used in conjunction with the
skills of the Milton model to create a story which operates on many
levels with the intention of communicating with the unconscious and
to find and challenge basic assumptions.
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