Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is based upon NLP

So what is NLP ?

NLP is the acronym for "Neuro Linguistic Programming".

The "Neuro" refers to the neurological process of seeing, feeling, hearing tasting, smelling - the 5 senses we use for experiencing the outside world, as interpreted by our brains.

"Linguistic" refers to the part that language and vocabulary plays in organising our thoughts and communications with others.

"Programming" refers to how we can program our thoughts and communications with others(1).

When we study Neuro Linguistic Programming methods, we learn to understand is how we FILTER our experiences through our 5 senses, both intentionally and unintentionally, to achieve what we desire.

References: (1) NLP- The New Art and Science of Getting What You Want. Dr Harry Alder.(Piatkus, 1994)

Its about how we "perceive" things.

The words and language our brains are exposed to, form our beliefs.

Our beliefs affect our perceptions.

Our perception of anything is our reality of that experience.

The History Of Neuro Linguistic Programming

In the early 1970's , NLP founders, John Grinder (a linguist) and Richard Bandler (a mathematician,psychotherapist and computer expert), collaborated to analyse the methods of 3 leading psychotherapists who had been able to bring about remarkable and substantial changes in human behaviours.

The 3 therapists whose methods they studied were:

Dr Milton H. Erickson (described as one of the leading hypnotherapists of all time),

Virginia Satir (an outstanding family therapist who was able to bring resolution to the most challenging relationship problems) and

Gregory Bateson (a British anthropologist).

The Neuro Linguistic Programming methods formulated from Grinder and Bandlers' studies have had far reaching impact in all areas of human life - from business and sales success to sports psychology (all olympic teams will now use these methods in their mental preparations).

Many of the best elite individual athletes and sportspeople now make use of neuro linguistic programming modelling to keep ahead of, or catch their competition.

In the realm of Psychotherapy, the practical success of the application of their Grinder and Bandlers' methods challenged the more traditional method of psychotherapy - psychoanalysis.

Currently it seems that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is the most favoured form of psychotherapy, and CBT structures itself on Neuro Linguistic Programming.