Neuro Linguistic Programming

Neuro Linguistic Programming – What is it?

Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a psychological approach to change an individual's thoughts and behavioral patterns to help them achieve their dreams and goals. Richard Bandler and John Grinder developed it in the 1970s. It guides people to change their lives for the better and be more positive in their thoughts with the help of perceptual, behavioral, and communication techniques.

The idea behind Neuro Linguistic Programming is that it is possible to identify thoughts and behavioral patterns of successful people and apply these patterns to general population to get desired results.

Unlike hypnotherapy, where the unconscious mind is of the primary concern, Neuro Linguistic Programming focusses on the conscious brain. As evident from the name, NLP uses language to change one’s behavior and thoughts.

What are the benefits of Neuro Linguistic Programming?

NLP cannot only be used to treat mental health conditions, but it can also be a way of progressing at work and helping with personal growth. As this technique works on changing your behavior, it can be used to solve many behavioral problems. For example, it can help you with the following conditions:

○ Phobias

○ Depression

○ Anxiety

○ Panic attacks

○ Attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD)

○ Post-traumatic stress

○ Addiction

○ Irritable bowel syndrome

○ Obesity

○ Chronic pain

○ Schizophrenia

○ Obsessions and compulsions

○ Borderline personality

○ Allergies

Apart from helping you with these conditions, Neuro Linguistic Programming can benefit you by:

Clarifying your vision, purpose, and values

Enhancing your leadership qualities

Polishing your problem-solving skills

Helping you overcome limiting beliefs

Strengthening your relationships

Bringing more energy and peace to your life

Boosting your confidence

Teaching you to deal with difficult people

Helping you have more control over your mindset

Assisting you to break unhelpful behavioral patterns

What should I expect from a Neuro Linguistic Programming session?

The developers of Neuro Linguistic Programming believe that everyone has their own “map” resulting from their subjective experiences. This internal map results from the information we gathered through our five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The way we react to a situation and make decisions about something is based on these learned experiences, and everyone is biased towards one of these senses. This biasedness is known as the "preferred representational system or PRS. Neuro-Linguistic Programming is based on this PRS that is specific for each individual.

The most common NLP techniques that your therapist can use include the following:

  • Rapport: the therapist builds trust and understanding with you by studying your verbal and non-verbal gestures. They develop rapport by mirroring your body language.
  • Anchoring: in this technique, the therapist will train you to associate certain sensory triggers with particular emotions. For example, the therapist might ask you to think of a memory that makes you feel calm. Once you start to relive that memory and begin to feel calm, the therapist will ask you to create an anchor, such as making a fist. After this, whenever you will need to feel relaxed, making a fist can help you achieve it.
  • Reframing: by using this technique, your therapist will teach you to turn your negative feelings into positive ones while you are stuck in an unpleasant situation. Reframing is a way to train your mind to see the positive aspect of apparently negative situations.
  • Visual/Kinesthetic Dissociation (VKD): VKD enables you to dissociate negative emotions and feelings associated with past trauma. This technique utilizes visualizations to achieve this goal. Your therapist will ask you to think of the adverse event and then imagine viewing that event from the viewpoint of a bystander. By giving your experience a distinct perspective, VKD can help eliminate negative emotions.

Conclusion

Neuro Linguistic Programming has gained huge popularity due to its widespread effects on multiple conditions, especially emotional disturbances. By training your mind to be more positive in a potentially negative situation, it can help you live a more calming and relaxed life.

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