NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming is about how to use the language of the mind to consistently achieve our specific and desired outcomes.  From personal experience of using NLP to help myself and others, I for years considered NLP to be utilised  more by Coaches than Hypnotherapists. That was until I read this quote, from one of the founders of NLP, Richard Bandler

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"I have written many books and talked to many hundreds of people about hypnosis and NLP, and people are still confused about the similarities and differences between the two. In this book I hope to simplify the issue. My attitude is that at some level or other, everything is hypnosis. People are not simply in or out of trance, but are moving from one trance to another. They have their work trances, their relationship trances, their driving trances, their parenting trances, and a whole collection of problem trances"

 

Quote from Richard Bandler's Guide to Trance-formation

Health Communications Inc

Introduction, Part 1, Page 2

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I have underlined for you the key statement within that quote, as to why I include NLP under hypnosis, rather than coaching.

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My NLP journey so far

 

I first heard of NLP during my Registered Nurse training in 1981, when 2 of the Nurse Tutors returned from NLP Practitioner training, and introduced some NLP tools into the nurses skill set.

It appealed to my scientific mind, which values both the journey towards solutions, and the destination those solutions lead to. 

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Roll time forward to present day, and I'm now an NLP Practitioner. I utilise some aspect of NLP in my professional and personal life virtually every day. It is a toolbox for success! Indeed NLP is among the modules that I regularly teach in my role as Recognised Professional Hypnotherapy Trainer for the NZSPH (New Zealand School of Professional Hypnotherapy)

 

What is Neuro-Linguistic Programming?

NLP can best be understood by breaking the name down

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Neuro refers to the mind and nervous system, through which we experience the world via our senses. (Interestingly, world famous British Broadcaster and Naturalist Sir David Attenborough recently aired a program showing that, as we are mammals, we have access to 27 senses. Despite this, we fully utilize only 5. Imagine what we could succeed at if we used the other 22 as well!)

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Linguistic refers to language and other (non-verbal) communication systems through which our experiences are coded, stored and given meaning

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Programming refers to our ability to discover and utilize the programs which we run in our minds, in order to achieve specific outcomes

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NLP is not considered to be a therapy, and indeed is often used for non-therapeutic purposes, such as business, education and sport. It is, however, a tool box which can greatly assist therapists and coaches in many fields.  Below, I have presented for you some of the NLP tools that I most often utilize to help my clients.

 

Perhaps you may find something here to help you too?

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Rapport Building

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No matter what profession you work in, where you are, or what you are doing there, if you cannot connect with others present at that time and place, then it is unlikely that you will succeed. Rapport is vital if your desire is to influence others to, for example, buy into your products, employ you in a job, or even go out on a date. NLP can be used to help you recognize rapport building opportunities and harness rapport building skills. I am able to work with you as an individual, team or company to identify key rapport building opportunities and build your skills. Ask me about NLP Rapport Building Programs and workshops. 

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The Disney Success Strategy

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This is one of my favourite NLP techniques, and is said to have originated by modeling the way in which legendary film producer Walt Disney achieved so much success. It is widely utilized in Leadership Coaching and Business Coaching, as it opens up the mind to seeing issues from key 1st party, 2nd party and 3rd party perspectives, enabling you to predict and overcome objections, gain agreement, and move forward your goals.

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The NLP Logical Levels

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This is one of the most taught NLP techniques for success, and is very popular in business coaching. NLP models logic as having 6 layers, namely environment, behaviour, capabilities, values and beliefs, identity and purpose. By understanding how we think, speak, act, react and interact in each of these levels, you can empower yourself, your team and your business.

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TLT, or Time-Line Therapy

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I have been a big fan of Time-Line Therapy ever since it enabled me to stop seeing flashbacks from a terrifying event in my teens, in which I was nearly blinded.

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Imagine all the events of your life, from birth to death, as if stored chronologically as snapshots in a photo album. That's your Time-Line. Now imagine regularly recurring events, such as birthdays. That's a pattern within your Time-Line. Imagine that you can now experience your Time-Line from 1st party, 2nd party and 3rd party perspectives, just as others view your life. Imagine that you can revisit those events, making the memory of positive events more powerful and the memory of negative events unimportant. That's the essence of Time-Line Therapy.  I would be happy to help you address traumatic events and change unwanted habits with TLT. It is most likely there would be tears, as there was for me. But I can say from personal experience that it will be worth it!

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Parts Therapy

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For me, procrastination is one of the most debilitating, annoying and time-consuming of habits.  It happens when I am "in 2 minds" about something. Part of me wants to go out and network and deliver a keynote speech that could sell a gazillion books. But another part of me wants to stay in and keep warm and cosy by the fire, with my dog, cat and cuppa!  Parts Therapy is about how we get those Parts (and others) to work together, so that we can get things done.  It's about not fighting with ourselves

 

Anchors

 

In NLP, an anchor refers to a deliberately created trigger for a very specific emotion or response. It can be an auditory trigger, like a phrase set up in the same way as a Post Hypnotic Suggestion. These are often used in advertising. For example, the phrase "where everyone gets a bargain" is an auditory anchor recognized by New Zealanders as relating to "The Warehouse". An anchor can also be a visual cue, like a huge M signifying the McDonald's brand. But most commonly, therapeutic anchors are kinaesthetic or touch related. For example, I often create an anchor which helps people to stay calm by just bringing the tips of their thumb and index finger together. Anchors have a huge variety of uses limited only by our imagination. Ask me more if you are interested

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Modeling

 

NLP modeling is not stepping on a catwalk! Rather, NLP enables us to model what one person does and teach others how to do it. For example, maybe you have a company that sells cars. There is an expectation that each salesperson sells a minimum of 1 car per day, and if they all achieve that, then great! But what if one salesperson consistently sells 3 cars per day? What do they do that is different, and which allows them to make those extra sales, and what's it worth to your company to teach all your other sales people to do the same? I can work with you and your company to do that.

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How I use NLP with you

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The above list outlines the main NLP techniques that I personally use with clients on a regular basis. There are many more. When you come to see me, you may choose to have an NLP only session, or I may offer you one or more NLP techniques during a session for any of my other services, if and when appropriate. I am also happy to provide NLP for your teams and company, as a training workshop. These techniques are very powerful for team-building, confidence, sales and of course, success!

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