What is NLP and how can it help as a therapeutic modality?

One of the modalities I use in my coaching sessions is NLP, and whilst many people know that NLP stands for neuro-linguistic programming, they usually don’t know much more beyond that. So I thought I would try to explain a little more about NLP, for those who are unsure of what it is or how it can help them.

‘Neuro’ refers to our nervous system, ‘linguistic’ is all about language, and ‘programming’ is all about how the language we use on ourselves impacts our nervous system, which the brain is a key part of. This is the internal programming that runs our thought processes and behaviour patterns, usually in the unconscious mind, which is why people can often find it so difficult to make long-lasting change in their lives.

Neuroplasticity: what is it and why is it relevant to NLP?

It used to be thought that once the brain was fully developed it couldn’t be changed, and therefore that our behaviour patterns were fixed. However, modern neuroscience now proves that our brain (as well as the rest of our nervous system) can adapt, grow, reorganise and rewire itself in response to stimulus. This ability for our brain to adapt and change according to stimulus is what we term ‘neuroplasticity’.

When we run thought patterns or take action, our brain wants to make this as easy as possible for us, so it recognises the thought or behaviour as something we do often or in a particular set of circumstance, so it will short cut this over time and assign it to our unconscious mind, so we no longer need to think about it and it becomes an automatic response for us. 

This is something you may be familiar with if you drive, when there was a time when you couldn’t drive at all, then you learnt the skill over a period of time, passed an exam, then really started learning to drive! If you drive a regular route each day and nothing new or significant happens, you may arrive at your destination without any real specific memories of the journey because you were on ‘autopilot’. Current research shows that 80-95% of our behaviour is actually unconscious. 

The stimulus that allows us to rewire ourselves can be external or internal and includes our own thoughts and behaviours. So if these aren’t healthy and positive, we can become stuck in a negative cycle, unable to make the change we’re seeking. This is because we’re not dealing with the issue at the unconscious level, so an NLP practitioner will work with you to help you shine a light on your own internal processes, thought patterns and behaviours that are causing issues in your life and then guide you in updating these to ones that enhance your life and empower you. 

What happens in a NLP session?

During the initial session, your practitioner will usually spend a short amount of time capturing the key information needed about the issue you’re experiencing and what changes you’d like to make, by asking the relevant questions. 

The remainder of the session and any subsequent ones are spent focusing primarily on solutions. This may take the form of guiding you through a process that enables you to think about a situation differently, or gives you tools that you can use in your daily life in certain moments to help you be at ease, or deal with particular circumstances (or people!) in a healthier way. 

There are many different processes that vary in length and style, which practitioners will have in their toolbox to help with life's inevitable various issues. However, a good practitioner will always make the session bespoke to the client's needs and circumstances, ensuring that the client’s comfort is the priority. 

You are always in control of the session and fully conscious and aware of everything that’s taking place. NLP is not hypnotherapy, although some people do find it very relaxing, and occasionally intriguing with the potential for things to come to the forefront of your mind that you had long since forgotten, or are not able to fully make sense of immediately. 

This is all part of the process of working on unwanted unconscious behaviours, and where appropriate, replacing them with positive behaviours and patterns. NLP is a simple yet powerful tool to resolve many issues in life, which is well demonstrated by the number of people who have cured a lifelong phobia in just one session!

So if you’re interested in knowing more about how it can help you, book a discovery call with a qualified NLP practitioner today.