+ What is NLP?

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is "The Study of the Structure of Subjective Experience and what can be calculated from it."

+ What is NLP technology?

NLP is based on finding out what works and formalizing it.

In order to understand NLP, it is important for people to make a distinction between a model and a technique.

A model is a formal representation of behavior that allows prediction. Models are most commonly used in physics. A model will allow you to create new techniques. The techniques generated from these models are techniques, nothing more.

Some people will want to learn something from someone they consider to be a genius and they will have to elicit enough information in order to accomplish this. When they do this, they are actually eliciting the genius' "strategy", or "strategies". They have not elicited a new "model". The strategies will include the models that constitute NLP. Once put together in the proper sequence, they will change someone's internal representations. This set of strategies is called a technique, which when used, would change that behavior.

The models that constitute NLP are all formal models based on mathematical, logical principles such as predicate calculus and the mathematical equations underlying holography. What we have done is simplified these so you don't have to know about the mathematical equations or holography because we have provided the models and some techniques.

Furthermore, all of these models are generative. For example, when challenging one Meta Model™ distinction, the answer will always be a surface structure (a sentence) containing further Meta-Model distinctions. In addition, these models are also recursive, i.e., the model can be applied to itself.

These distinctions will help people understand the difference between what a model and a technique is.

+ How are the NLP building blocks used to observe experts?

NLP has a wide variety of building blocks such as calibration techniques, patterns in the language someone uses, predicates and Meta Model, eye movements and Submodalities, other analytical models such as Logical levels, Meta-programs, perceptual positions, timeframes, etc.

These tools were not developed in order to observe experts. They were discovered by observing experts. They were developed in order to further evolve human consciousness to the point that people could replicate skills and have deliberate control over their own consciousness. Nothing in NLP is analytical. It is all designed to be applied. If you do not know how to apply something that you learn as "NLP" then, it is either not NLP or you have a bad teacher. The best example of this misunderstanding is Meta-Programs.

Meta Programs describe how people sort through multiple generalizations. As such, they will tell you what lies inside and what lies outside of someone's generalizations about things like doors, for example.

When someone says, "Stupid door!", that gives you a pretty good idea about what lies outside their generalizations about what doors "are". If you then ask them how they know the door is "stupid", they'll give you an answer that will identify their "sorting style", i.e., "There's no knob," meaning that it can only be a not-stupid-door if it has a knob. If what they want is to be able to open more kinds of doors, then you have to teach them to sort for things other than just a knob in order to identify a door. That's how Meta-Programs work. They don't just explain what the person is doing. They give you something to do.

NLP consists of models. By applying these models one can generate techniques. The models are patterns. As such, they will be true 100% of the time. That is why statistics don't apply.

+ What can I do with NLP?

There are many areas in which NLP has been utilized. Whatever your profession is, you can use NLP to build on whatever it is you are already doing.

+ What are typical NLP applications?

Collapsing Anchors, Visual Squash, 6-step Reframing, V/K dissociation, Change Personal History, Belief Change, Reimprint (all which are sometimes called NLP), are some of the techniques that were derived from applying the models. All these models and techniques can be used in many areas or professions.

+ Isn't NLP mainly used for therapy and that's where the procedures came from?

NLP never calls anything a "procedure", but rather techniques or exercises. It's important to emphasize that NLP is an educational tool, not a form of therapy. We teach people about how their brains function and people use the knowledge they learn for their individual goals.

+ What are the best products and applications for business?

The techniques that one would learn with NLP can be applied to any business scenario. Although there are no physical "products", the strategies that you will learn can become an important foundation in the way you conduct yourself through your daily interactions. Our platform has been designed to help you apply what you learn to any business environment that you feel is suitable.

+ What about enhancing creativity?

By learning the techniques and strategies involved with NLP, the degree of creative output that you have in your daily life will be greatly improved. Once new behavioral strategies are created, you will understand how NLP can be used as as a creative tool and applied to any scenario in which you deem suitable.

+ The basic NLP Presuppositions are:

The NLP Presuppositions are the basic assumptions of the technology that have not yet proven to be false.

+ What is DHE®?

See What is DHE®?

+ How can I learn to train others in NLP?

While it is most useful and required to attend a Licensed Practitioner program, then a Licensed NLP Master Practitioner, then a Licensed Trainer program (Charisma Enhancement®), none of these are the only way to learn NLP nor necessarily the best for any one person. NLP has been designed differently, and each program contains unique material regardless of skill level. So it is often useful to attend some programs that are actually "applications" of NLP, i.e. Persuasion Engineering®, Design Human Engineering®, or Neuro-Hypnotic Repatterning®. It is also highly recommended to attend several NLP Practitioner and Master Prcitioner programs and get lots experience applying your skills prior to becoomg a Licensed NLP Trainer™.

There are wide variety of courses available including introduction courses, Design Human Engineering® courses, business and personal consulting, Personal Enhancement Courses, NLP as an application to Hypnosis, Sales courses, etc.

+ Can you recommend some good NLP books & tapes?

NLP recommends reading Persuasion Engineering®, The Structure of Magic Vol. I, and Vol. II, Time For A Change. Magic In Action II, Using Your Brain For A Change, Patterns of Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H. Erickson Vol I & Vol. II, as well as The Adventures of Anybody. In addition, NLP recommends reading the texts listed in the bibliography of The Structure of Magic I.

The tapes NLP recommends include: Design Human Engineering®, Hypnosis in Munich (unedited), Personal Enhancement Series™ (The Neurosonics Tapes), The BarbizonTapes, and The NeuroSynchronizer. There are many others, and even new ones!

Most of these products can be purchased through NLP Seminars Group International's online store: NLPStore.com.

+ How do I find good NLP Institutes?

See our Institutes listing.

+ What are the roots of NLP?

Any references to earlier work can be found in the bibliography of The Structure of Magic Vol. I.

Within this bibliography, there are pieces of research that are behind the developement of NLP. Reading these books with a knowledge of what NLP is will show that they had something, but didn't know how to formulate it yet. NLP applied what was learned from various earlier works and developed models that are the foundation of NLP.

*Persuasion Engineering®, DHE® and Design Human Engineering® are registered trademarks of John La Valle's