NLP FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
How come I've never heard of NLP before? Is it a new thing?
What does NLP stand for and what does it mean?
CBT and NLP - What's the difference?
Is NLP evidence-based?
Do I have to tell you my life history and talk about my problems?
Why are some mental health/medical professionals sceptical about NLP?
What's the 'linguistic' component of NLP about?
I'm a Christian - is it ok for me to use NLP?
Fact bites
How come I've never heard of NLP before? Is it a new thing?
NLP has been around since the 1970s and was using positive psychology and solution-focused brief interventions long before those terms were popularised.
What does NLP stand for and what does it mean?
NLP = Neuro Linguistic Programming:
Neuro = Brain and nervous system
Linguistic = The language we use to communicate with ourselves and others
Programming = How our patterns of thinking and behaving are shaped, and how we can reprogram ourselves
Put simply, NLP is about how our thinking is structured, and how to change our thinking to get the results we want.
What's the difference between CBT and NLP?
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is a bit like "NLP lite" - or to put it the other way around, NLP could be considered as "CBT on steroids"! They both work on the undeniable principle that our thinking determines how we feel, and how we feel drives what we do (our behaviour). However NLP seeks to disconnect unhelpful feelings from our past experiences (or with worry/anxiety, our future imaginings) in order to move forward, whereas CBT is more inclined to make connections and then try to talk yourself out of feeling whatever you don't want to be feeling. For most people, this is slow, laborious and often painful. Interestingly, while CBT is still commonly recommended by many health professionals, a meta study in 2013 concluded that CBT is no more or less effective than any other psychotherapies or pharmacotherapy method (NLP was not included in the comparison). See the study results at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23870719
Is NLP evidence-based?
NLP is not an easy thing to measure scientifically simply because it is highly individualised. No two people think exactly alike, therefore NLP is most effective when it is tailored specifically to each individual. However, there is more and more scientific evidence emerging to support what NLP practitioners and their clients have known for decades - it simply works. The most comprehensive database of studies can be viewed at https://www.ia-nlp.org/scientific_research.
Do I have to tell you my life history and talk about my problems?
Only as much as you want to. NLP techniques are more focused on how we are thinking, in terms of the words and images in our minds, rather than what we are thinking about. For instance, a phobia or trauma can be resolved without the therapist ever knowing what it was about - how cool is that?
Why are some mental health/medical professionals sceptical about NLP?
You'd have to ask them! Our best guess is that it is too simple, too fast, too easy and too effective for them to be able to fit it into their training and beliefs that emotional and mental health issues are complex, hard to change and require a lot of time, effort and specialised knowledge about dysfunction (not to mention medication). Fortunately, more and more people in these professions are seeing the value of the positive psychology of NLP and the simple, solution-focused techniques, and referring patients for resolution earlier.
What's the 'linguistic' component of NLP about?
One of the things NLP offers is a deeper understanding of how language both creates and reflects how we perceive and experience the world, and how to use it more effectively. For example, if someone has been worrying a lot, a CBT therapist might suggest they designate a time each day for worrying, and each time a worrying thought occurs, to consciously put it aside until the designated 'worry time'. The NLP version of that would be to set aside a 'solutions time', so that the person is programming themselves to find solutions instead of to worry! I certainly feel a lot happier at planning to find solutions than planning to worry - which would feel better for you? (Of course, with NLP we would also give you the tools to change the thinking patterns of worry; the foregoing is just a simple example.)
I'm a Christian - is it ok for me to use NLP?
NLP is quite simply based on how people naturally think - the way God wired us. It uses your God-given ability to change the way you're thinking to break through strongholds and renew your mind. For instance, if your overall objective is to model your life on Jesus and receive the fruit of the Holy Spirit, then NLP offers the tools to help you follow His path more easily. For a Christian perspective on NLP, read this article on NLP by a Christian Coach.
Fact bites
- In the UK, NLP is part of nursing training
- In some states of the USA, NLP is taught in conflict resolution training for police
- NLP is the basis for the most effective treatment ever found for PTSD, as evidenced by a recent US study of war veterans, using what is now called Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories (RTM) See more at http://www.researchandrecognition.org/index.html. (NB: this is only one of many NLP methods for fully resolving PTSD. )