NLP Techniques

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is an exciting field that holds the potential to transform your life dramatically, by leveraging the power of your mind–both conscious and subconscious. To understand its efficacy, it's vital to comprehend the conscious and subconscious parts of the mind, and how they play a significant role in who we are and how we behave:

• Your “conscious” mind is the part that you are actively aware of and controls your critical thinking abilities.  
• Your “subconscious,” on the other hand, is the vast hidden realm that stores most of what you'd call your personality.  That includes your memories, creativity and emotions. It also includes several important mental layers called the Beliefs, Values, and Identity.

We could spend this entire website just discussing all these various layers.  For a good introduction to each level, check out the Mind Layers Introduction page.

---

How Can We Use NLP To Improve Our Lives?

When someone wants to change his or her life, the first option is usually to simply "decide to make a change", and then rely on willpower to get the job done.  Sounds simple, doesn't it?  Unfortunately, it's not quite that easy.  Here's a typical progression for a bad habit, or resistance to moving forward with some goal:

• We make a decision to do something or change something
• We start to look at our behaviors to figure out what needs to change
• We decide on which behaviors to change, and then try to force ourselves via willpower to make those changes
• Despite our best efforts, we procrastinate, we do something else, we distract ourselves with other tasks, or we simply keep doing the same old behavior
• We sigh and figure out it wasn't meant to be

So what goes wrong?  Changing deep-seated behaviors and beliefs is challenging. Why? Simply put, willpower alone is often insufficient to change our behaviors.  That's because behaviors are actually driven by subconscious beliefs, values and identities.  If we want to change our behaviors, we have to change those other elements first.

Enter NLP techniques. Being the dynamic blend of neuroscience and language, NLP techniques are tools you can use to reprogram your subconscious mind. They are able to communicate with the subconscious mind and make changes that your sheer "willpower" can't achieve.

NLP techniques are safe, efficient and offer speedy results. Unlike traditional behavioral modification therapies that may require long-term commitment, NLP targets the root cause of your issues providing you tangible results in less time. A single session with an NLP-certified coach can often bring significant breakthroughs.

Furthermore, if practiced regularly, these techniques can continually support your personal development process. They can be your mental and emotional toolkit that you carry with you, always accessible whenever you need to navigate a tough situation or bolster your self-belief.

Let's take a look at the most commonly used NLP techniques and how they can help you achieve your goals.

---

NLP Techniques: Belief Change

The first among these powerful NLP techniques is Belief Change. This employs language and mental images to challenge and transform the limiting beliefs holding you back. For example, if you possess a limiting belief such as "I can't succeed in my career," this technique can deconstruct this belief, unearth its root, and rewrite it into a potent affirmation such as "I have everything I need to succeed."

---

NLP Techniques: Timeline Therapy

Next up is Time Line Therapy, a potent tool that uses mental "time lines" to reconsider and recraft past negative experiences or fears about the future. For example, if a past failure is causing you anxiety about an upcoming project, Time Line Therapy will help reframe that failure as a learning experience, liberate you from its hold, and create a more positive outlook for the future project.  Or if you have anger, shame, guilt or other negative emotions about a past event, Time Line Therapy will help you gain a new perspective on that experience, which in turn helps you move forward with more constructive perspectives.

---

NLP Techniques: The Meta Model

The Meta Model is up next. This comprehensive verbal tool probes and challenges vague or general statements, then helps identify underlying truths.  This process helps us recognize options or situations we might not have noticed before.  For instance, suppose you've been saying, "I always fail at everything," Meta Model questioning might help you realize that in reality, there are several areas where you do succeed.  Those past successes can then serve as stepping stones for your next success.

---

NLP Techniques: The Milton Model

In contrast to the above method, the Milton Model uses intentionally vague language to foster creative thinking and drive subconscious change. By generating a wide array of possibilities, it offers an antidote to narrow, rigid thinking. If you've been feeling stuck, using the Milton Model could help you envision a range of new and exciting paths to your goal.

---

NLP Techniques: Parts Integration

Parts Integration is a technique aimed at resolving internal, often subconscious, conflicts. This situation will often announce itself when we say something like "part of me wants to do X, but another part of me wants to do Y."  Parts Integration helps reconcile such contradictory parts, and often help us recognize options that we hadn't seen before.  

---

NLP Techniques: Perceptual Positions

Perceptual Positions encourages you to explore a situation from three different perspectives: your own, another person's, and a neutral observer's. This can help build understanding and resolve conflicts. For example, if you're bewildered by a coworker's actions, using Perceptual Positions can help generate empathy, understand the other person's perspective, and find a constructive, win/win solution.

---

NLP Techniques: Anchoring

Anchoring: This technique involves creating a trigger or "anchor" for a desired state of mind. If you've ever heard of "Pavlov's dog", this is the same process.  In short, any repetitive experience in our past will "prime" our bodies to respond the same way in the future.  We can use this to our advantage by remembering past events that created a desired mental state, and create some physical cue associated with those memories.  Then when we want that same mental state in the future, we use that physical cue to achieve it.  For instance, we can create a "calm" anchor by recalling past experiences that we found calm and soothing, and then pressing our thumb and forefinger together while we recall those memories.  Then anytime we want to calm ourselves in a tense future situation, we press our thumb and forefinger together again. 

---

NLP Techniques: Reframing

Reframing: This technique allows you to change the way you perceive an event.  When we change that perception, we can also effectively change the event's meaning as well as our reaction to it. One classic reframing example is that when we think of a situation as a "problem", we get all stressed, and focus on all the things that are wrong with that situation.  If we instead think of that situation in terms of being a "challenge", suddenly we start to think about potential solutions.  If we then think in terms of that situation as being an "opportunity", not only do we see solutions, but we also start to see how we can benefit from the situation in some way, which helps build motivation to address it. 

---

NLP Techniques: Swish Pattern

Swish Pattern: This is used to replace an unwanted behavior or response with a new one. For example, substituting a feeling of fear with a feeling of confidence when public speaking.  This technique is based on the mind's reliance upon sensory input to not only create memories, but also change our perception of them.  Since perception is based on the five senses, when we change that sensory information we can change our feelings about that memory.  This can be used for anything from "dialing back" our love of chocolate chip cookies, to changing our feelings about a past traumatic event.

NLP Techniques: Perception Positions

Perception Positions: This is a technique which is extremely easy to learn, and amazingly potent to use.  This technique essentially bootstraps you out of wherever you are, and lifts you to a higher vantage point where you can see options that you couldn't see before.  This can help us change destructive behaviors, get out of a rut, and/or simply see a new way to move forward towards a goal.

---

Advantages of NLP Techniques

Despite their differences, all these NLP techniques have a common purpose: tackling any negative, dysfunctional or undesirable beliefs, values and identities in your subconscious mind. They provide a mechanism for you to use language to connect, communicate and reprogram these 'invisible' aspects of your personality.

---

Teaching Yourself NLP

While some people may find the thought of delving into the depths of their subconscious mind intimidating, rest assured that NLP is a safe and supportive approach. The foundation of NLP consists of respect for the individual's mental and emotional safety, emphasizing self-compassion and paced growth.

Remember that your inner obstacles are not insurmountable. NLP techniques are designed to help you look inward, find the limiting beliefs that constrain you, and replace them with thriving alternatives. They can assist you in realizing that change begins with oneself and is absolutely within your reach.

As with all change, motivation plays a crucial role. Engaging with these NLP techniques is not a passive process, it requires dedication and the willingness to perceive yourself and your challenges anew. And so, with every step you take, applaud yourself on your commitment to self-improvement.

If you're reading this web page, you are capable of learning NLP techniques.  All you need is qualified instruction.  One of the best schools for Neuro-Linguistic Programming in North America is Transform Destiny.  They offer a variety of online, self-paced classes to learn various NLP techniques and how you can apply those techniques to achieve your goals.  If you prefer in-person training, they offer in-person NLP classes too.

---

Working With An NLP-Certified Coach

If you notice a plateau in your progress or feel overwhelmed, an NLP-certified coach can offer much-needed perspective, guidance, and support. They are trained professionals capable of skillfully facilitating your experience with NLP techniques, ensuring you're able to fully benefit from them.

Working with an NLP coach can be highly beneficial. NLP-certified coaches have the expertise to guide you through the process, helping you to navigate through your subconscious, shining a light on parts of yourself that you may be too close to see clearly.

Coaches offer another advantage.  Delving into the deep recesses of your subconscious mind might unearth some distressing memories or emotions. Having an NLP coach by your side during this process can assure you that you're in a safe environment and can offer immediate guidance and comfort.

Remember, you no longer need to be at war with yourself, locked in constant battle with negative self-talk, and hitting your head against the same wall of failure.

NLP gives you the power to break down that wall and walk through towards your goals and dreams. It enables you to talk positively to yourself, nurturing a healthy, happy mind. You'll soon see that your external issues were not the real problem. It was always those deeply held negative beliefs, values, and identities within yourself that held you back.

You're capable of learning these techniques. and/or successfully working with an NLP coach to reach your goals. After all, the journey towards personal change is never a lonely battle when you are armed with NLP techniques!  So, start your journey today – for a better and brighter tomorrow.  When you are ready to begin this process towards a better you, contact me to set up an appointment.

---

Contact Me For Help Reaching Your Goals

When you're ready to move forward, push through obstacles and make real progress towards your goals, Contact Me today.

---

---