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