Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP, is a very broad personal development system that can be used to address a huge array of issues. It is focused on the idea that any behavior can be taught to anybody else if it is broken down into small enough chunks. Therefore, NLP focuses on examples of excellence and how it can be taught to other people. Since it’s advent in the 1970s, many people have found solace and improvement through therapy that focuses on NLP. The rest of this article will detail some of the issues that some people have found NLP helpful for. However, it is always best to discuss these matters with a trained health professional. Do not let an article you read on the internet make any decisions regarding your mental or physical health for you.
First, some people have used NLP to break free of phobias. A phobia is an irrational and all-consuming fear of something. Spending time with a trained NLP coach that has experience breaking phobias has produced remarkable and quick results for many people. With a variety of tools and options at their disposal, an NLP coach can help a phobic client break the chains of their phobia.
Secondly, NLP has been used consistently in helping people improve their communication skills. Sales professionals have used NLP to increase their ability to build rapport with potential clients for years. In fact, improving sales techniques is probably the number one thing people think of when they hear the word NLP. By identifying non-verbal cues such as eye and bodily movement as well as cues based on tone of voice and inflection, a trained NLP practitioner can quickly build rapport. Any sales person will tell you that the most important thing they can do to ensure a successful transaction is building rapport with an individual.
Thirdly, NLP can be used to help people improve self-esteem. Self-esteem is a complex concept that has many different factions and facets. NLP can be used to identify areas that are impacting a low self-esteem and how to raise them to a higher level. Many NLP practitioners see clients for reasons such as being stuck in a rut, being bored and dissatisfied with a current career, and unfulfilling relationships. All of these issues can have their basis in the problem of low self-esteem.
Fourthly, Neuro-Linguistic Programming has been very successfully used in extinguishing bad habits and replacing them with good habits. The basis of life lies within the habits that make up our daily actions. Quite often, detrimental habits are the difference between somebody who is extremely effective and happy and somebody who feels like they are stuck in a rut. Studying NLP can help you identify those bad habits and give you the tools necessary to develop better habits as replacements.
Many psychotherapists have adopted some of the principles of NLP into their daily practice. While NLP was heralded as the “next big thing” in psychotherapy in the 1980s, it fell out of regard during the 1990’s. It has never been soundly and empirically proven to be effective. However, NLP is experiencing a bit of a rebirth in the last decade or so. Many psychotherapists are realizing that adopting the principles of NLP into their own practice is a very beneficial way to help their patients even more. As you’re doing research into therapists, ask about their experience and level of comfort with NLP. Many will be happy to talk to you about it and even more will be using some NLP techniques while they work with you and you may not even realize it.
