NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING
In the early 1970’s John Grinder, a Linguist, and Richard Bandler, an Information Scientist, set about discovering the secrets of effective people. Could their behavior be duplicated? Could the brain copy a healthy pattern of behavior that would lead to positive effects both physically and emotionally? In other words, could the brain be reprogrammed allowing an individual to experience a mental ‘overhaul’, or mental re-modeling? Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) was born.
Human Behavior
The human nervous system is made up of the brain, spinal chord, ganglia, nerves, and nerve centers. It coordinates and controls our responses to stimuli, and conditions behavior and consciousness.
Our five senses, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting are constantly feeding data into that greatest of all computers, our brain. The brain stores the data and this is what determines how we perceive, and react, to any given situation.
Our reaction to stimuli, on the part of one or more of our senses, will result in behavior in keeping with our prior experiences. For example, if a past experience has caused you to be afraid of rats, your reaction to the sight of one will be totally different from that of a person who has had one as a pet.
What It All Means
Neuro, refers to the nervous system. Neurons, are nerve cells. They transmit the signals that control our responses.
Linguistics, refer to verbal and non-verbal signals transmitted by the nervous system.
Programming, refers to the conversion of signals into information. Based on presumptions resulting from our prior experiences, and training, our brain determines what behavior is appropriate to that information.
How It Works
Most of us are familiar with the power of positive thinking. It is hope in the face of hopelessness. It is that which, along with medical intervention, cures the patient who was diagnosed as terminally ill. It may include prayer and faith but it is still hope, still positive thinking.
If an ill person has only negative thoughts concerning the chance of recovery, has given up hope, it will impact their health in such a way as to make recovery doubtful if not impossible. Using neuro-linguistic programming, their negative thoughts are replaced by positive thoughts that could aid in their possible recovery.
Treatment
For the neuro linguistic therapist it is not a case of actions speaking louder than words. It is all about our words speaking louder than words. They reflect a pre-conceived idea, by our subconscious, about our problems. Our words reveal how our nervous system has been programmed by our past experiences to send the same old signals in reaction to stimuli, resulting in the same old behavior, compounding the problem but never resolving it.
Studying the words we use and reading our body language the therapist determines what pre-conceived ideas are causing our problems. She, or he, can then help us understand that remodeling our thoughts will result in altered behavior that can solve our problems.
Potential
NLP is a quick, effective therapy with countless applications, and is frequently used in conjunction with hypnotherapeutic intervention.
Space does not allow for an extensive list of areas in which NLP has proved to be valuable, but the following will provide some insight. Offices, schools, and sports use it to enhance performance. It is used in stress management, weight control, resolving phobias, and overcoming neurosis. It can even help you stop smoking.
As you would expect, NLP has it’s share of skeptics. That is grist for another mill.
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