An easy way to think of NLP is as thinking on purpose. Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a set of behaviours, skills and attitudes that enable us to understand how we organise information and communicate with others. Put simply, your nervous system (Neuro) is directly affected at all levels by the way you communicate with yourself (Linguistic). The interplay between your neurology and your language sets up patterns of behaviour (Programming).
In other words, NLP is the study of how we process information and how that affects our behavior; or very simply how your brain works. By utilising NLP techniques you can take control of how you think. The way we think of something, the words and pictures in our mind, create our feelings and behaviors. By learning how to change your thoughts you can change your feelings, get rid of anxieties, old beliefs, limitations that may have held you back in the past and create new more powerful beliefs that enable you to achieve your goals.
NLP could also be described by saying that it is a model of how our brains work. NLP contains a large number of different techniques and exercises with which we can teach our brains, and ourselves, to act in more appropriate ways. With the help of NLP, you can achieve things that are important to us in your life.
NLP comes from words Neuro-Linguistic Programming. In this instance the word “Neuro” refers to our neurological processes, ie. the processing of information within our brain and mind. “Linguistic” refers to both our verbal and body language, through which we communicate in both conscious and unconscious level. By “Programming” we mean the structure of our thinking and how we have programmed ourselves to think and, as a result, act, and especially the way we can get better results by changing certain structures.
In short: NLP is probably the most efficient way to develop yourself and have access to your internal resources.
NLP Is an Attitude
NLP is an attitude that can be characterized as curiosity, a desire for adventure, and a desire to learn skills that can be used to find out what kind of communication affects other people and what is useful to know. NLP is an attitude of seeing life as a unique and unexpected opportunity to learn.
NLP Is a Methodology
NLP is a methodology and method based on the holistic operational presupposition that all behavior has a structure and that this structure can be modeled, learned, taught, and modified (reprogrammed). NLP is based on success, modeling success and teaching it onwards. NLP is a way to know what is useful and effective through our own sensory abilities.
NLP Is a Technology
NLP is an advanced and innovative technology that enables organizing data and observations in ways that allow you to achieve results that were previously impossible.
NLP Is a Study
NLP is a study on the models that guide our behavior. It is a study of the structure of subjective experience as well as of what can be calculated and planned from that structure. It is a study of how we can use our brains more efficiently and usefully.
NLP Is Not a Science
Psychology is a science based on theory, opinions, and conjecture. It is based on statistics and scientific data. NLP examines human subjective experience and is based on mathematically calculated and formulated models. It is not scientific because it defies and challenges science. In addition, as psychology explores the causes of failure, NLP explores, models, and teaches success.
NLP Is Not Therapy
NLP is not therapy and is not about therapy, although it has its roots in modeling successful therapists. NLP is about teaching and how people can be taught to control their own brains, think in new ways and act in new ways. By doing the same things in the same way, you will always only achieve similar results. NLP teaches you to think in a new way and achieve new kinds of results – the kind of results you want.
NLP is being used by teachers, athletes, sports coaches, musicians, artists, personal trainers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, civil servants, accountants, negotiators, supervisors, entrepreneurs, speakers and many, many others – including therapists.
In short: NLP is perhaps the most effective way to develop yourself and harness your internal resources.
Samu Haber, photo by Olaf Heine
“I have in Hannu Pirilä’s NLP coaching learned to think in new ways and, as a result, started to act and behave in certain situations in different ways, thanks to which I, in turn, have been able to create new kinds of results for myself. I highly recommend Hannu’s coaching to anyone who wants to make a positive difference in their lives.”
-Samu Haber, Artist, Sunrise Avenue
A Brief History of NLP
NLP was originally developed in the early 1970’s by Richard Bandler and John Grinder. As some sort of initial nudge to develop NLP was Bandler’s discoveries of the incompetence of psychology and different forms of therapy to produce practically any help to people. Together with Grinder, Bandler studied and modeled those few therapists who, in contrast to most others, for some reason were able to produce positive results. These therapists were Milton Ericksson, Virginia Satir and Fritz Perls, among few others.
After modeling these able therapists, Bandler and Grinder started to model also other top experts of their field: Olympic athletes, corporate executives, sales people, artists and so on. Bandler and Grinder realized that they were able to first model the unconscious skills and mind strategies of these top experts, and then teach other people to think and act in the same way as they do. An understanding, of how human brain works and how people can be taught to think and behave in more useful and meaningful ways, was born.
In NLP, the subjects of interest are not the problems and their history, but rather the skills, competencies, successes and their structure. NLP is, above all, a technology through which we are able to create desired changes. As Richard Bandler puts it: “NLP is not about fixing people, it’s about optimizing people.”
Dr. Richard Bandler, who is indisputably the father and developer of NLP, has developed NLP further for about 40 years now. This is why the NLP represented by Dr. Bandler, is nowadays something much more than what it was in the beginning. NLP methods have been used, for example, in setting of personal goals, curing fears and phobias, therapy work, mental coaching of top athletes, development of communication skills, strengthening of self esteem and coaching of business executives.
I am a Licensed Trainer of NLP® who is trained by Dr Richard Bandler himself and certified by The Society of NLP™. Therefore all students who pass my NLP trainings will be granted a certificate by Dr Richard Bandler.
When you want to get a certified NLP training to your organization or any other group of people, or to get more information about NLP courses, please contact me at:
hannu@hannupirila.com
or
Tel. +358 50 66 281
