| NLP has been called the study of | | | | past and present rather than on why. In |
| subjective experience. Its central | | | | general this is taken to be a process of |
| contention is that people operate from | | | | "deletion" in which some experiences are |
| and respond to their "construction" of | | | | ignored, "generalisation" in which |
| their experiences rather than from a | | | | universal rules are inferred from |
| single external "reality". They have | | | | individual sets of experiences, and |
| their own unique models or maps of the | | | | "distortion" in which connections are |
| world and each one is different from | | | | made between experiences, the intensity |
| every other. All such "maps" are valid | | | | or quality of which may be heightened or |
| whilst no map is fully able to represent | | | | diminished by internal processing. |
| the "territory" or external reality | | | | "Experiences" are highly varied but |
| itself.NLP has a theoretical basis the | | | | they can finally be described in terms |
| core of which is that it is a way of | | | | of past and present sensory inputs |
| thinking about people which has proved | | | | modified by deletion, generalisation and |
| practical and effective in a wide range | | | | distortion. That is to say, that at any |
| of applications, contexts and | | | | one time, an individual has access to |
| situations. It is not held to be "true", | | | | external sensory inputs through the |
| but it is taken as a useful model. The | | | | visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, |
| model itself is organic and changes as | | | | abstract, gustatory and olfactory |
| new applications are explored. It is | | | | channels and to internal constructions |
| broadly based and draws on concepts from | | | | {memories, with or without deletion and |
| many areas of psychology and | | | | distortion, and synthesised fantasies} |
| psychotherapy. | | | | which can be described in terms of the |
| Early influences stem from the Gestalt | | | | same basic five senses. The particular |
| "school", the family therapy of Virginia | | | | "construction" actually experienced |
| Satire, Ericksonian brief therapy, and | | | | depends on the extent of distortion and |
| humanistic psychology. There are also | | | | deletion in each of the ten categories |
| clear links with the fields of systems | | | | {five internal and five external}.The |
| theory, behavioural psychology and | | | | "meaning" ascribed to the experience |
| linguistics, especially the works of | | | | depends on the extent of generalisation |
| Bateson, Watzlawick, Korzybsky and | | | | or distortion applied to it. Change |
| Chomsky.NLP addresses the issues of | | | | takes place in the present and is |
| creating expectations which cannot | | | | experienced in the future. Understanding |
| sensibly be realised. To do this there | | | | the "past" as a means to achieve change, |
| is a great deal of emphasis placed on | | | | is in effect understanding the present |
| the concept of "ecology" in the personal | | | | construction of the past. |
| and corporate change work in NLP. The | | | | Cybernetics and systems theory provide |
| changes sought must be fully | | | | a metaphor for the NLP model of |
| representative of the whole person or | | | | personality. It is seen as being one |
| system, and not just a part that may be | | | | where the person is driven by cognitive |
| fanciful {albeit also creative} or | | | | patterns of experience rather than by |
| careless of the potential adverse | | | | cause and effect chains. |
| consequences of change.The NLP approach | | | | NLP psychotherapy is typically brief |
| is "reflexive" in that therapists seek | | | | compared with some other types of |
| to make their own psychological | | | | psychotherapy. Furthermore because NLP |
| processes explicit and to understand | | | | is generative as well as remedial, work |
| these in terms of the theoretical model | | | | with an NLP therapist or counsellor can |
| on which their therapeutic approach is | | | | move on from dealing with past |
| based. The essential remedial and | | | | limitations to future performance in |
| generative model for change is NLP. | | | | order to achieve personal and |
| In NLP it is stated that PRESENT STATE | | | | professional goals.James Angove has an |
| + RESOURCES = DESIRED STATE. Where the | | | | interesting and varied professional |
| resources are "enabling states" drawn | | | | background in the field of corporate |
| from client's own experience.The NLP | | | | multi-nationals. Twenty years ago he |
| psychotherapist and counsellor seeks to | | | | embarked upon a change of direction and |
| help the client to identify the desired | | | | began training as a therapist. |
| state and then achieve it using his or | | | | He is a Certified Master Practitioner, |
| her own internal resources. This can | | | | and Trainer of the Art of Neuro |
| involve the client in changing limiting | | | | Linguistic Programming. He is |
| beliefs, acquiring new beliefs, and / or | | | | experienced in the use of Bio |
| gaining insights into patterns of | | | | energetics, Reflexology, Ericksonian |
| behaviour, thereby enabling more | | | | Hypnosis and Psychotherapy. He combines |
| choices. | | | | the experience of both fields of |
| Whilst the client's personal history is | | | | business, and therapy to bring a new and |
| taken as relevant to his or her present | | | | pervasive perspective to finding |
| state, the emphasis is on how he or she | | | | solutions and enhancing trainings. His |
| constructs that state from experiences | | | | website is Therapist Online. |