Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP): Does it work?

You may have seen people hypnotized in movies. They use the stereotypical swinging pocket watch and say "you are getting sleepy". They make people do silly and embarrassing things like bark like a dog or cluck like a chicken. That is very entertaining, but does hypnosis work in the real world?

Does Hypnosis Work? - The Truth Behind A Controversial Subject

Hypnosis is a real technique that has been used since the 18th century to aid people with physical or psychiatric problems. Hypnosis has been used to help people with problems from overcoming fears to physical healing. It is a very powerful tool that can help people when conventional medical science cannot.

So how does hypnosis work? First a person must be in a trance like state. This happens when a person is extremely relaxed but the mind is in an alpha, or active, state. The trance like state is like sleeping, but being aware of verbal guidance. In this state your subconscious mind absorbs message very easily and makes changes accordingly.

When your subconscious mind makes changes, you thinking will change. If you have been afraid of something your entire life, your fear of it rest in your subconscious mind. If that is changed through verbal guidance, then your fear disappears. This is very helpful to people who suffer from phobias of common things in the world such as spiders, clowns, flying, or driving. There life may be very difficult if they are always worried about their fears.

Self-hypnosis is something that is growing in popularity as well. This is when you use a tape or compact disc as verbal guidance. The tape or compact disk will put you in a very relaxed state but keep your mind active with a verbal presence. When you enter a trance like state, the tape or compact disc feeds your subconscious mind information. Some self-hypnosis products help people with self-confidence, motivation, fears, thinking positive, and addictions. Products like these are great because you do not have to hire someone to hypnotize you and you can use them as many times as you like.

Warning: If you are planning to purchase a self-hypnosis product, be aware that not all of them are legit. Some may be someone just trying to make a quick buck off of you with a product that does nothing. Only purchase self-hypnosis products from respected companies that have been around for some time.

The Truth Behind A Controversial Subject:

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How does it work?

The varying interpretations of NLP make it hard to define. It is founded on the idea that people operate by internal "maps" of the world that they learn through sensory experiences.

NLP tries to detect and modify unconscious biases or limitations of an individual's map of the world.

NLP is not hypnotherapy. Instead, it operates through the conscious use of language to bring about changes in someone's thoughts and behavior.

For example, a central feature of NLP is the idea that a person is biased towards one sensory system, known as the preferred representational system or PRS.

Therapists can detect this preference through language. Phrases such as "I see your point" may signal a visual PRS. Or "I hear your point" may signal an auditory PRS.

An NLP practitioner will identify a person's PRS and base their therapeutic framework around it. The framework could involve rapport-building, information-gathering, and goal-setting with them.

Techniques

NLP is a broad field of practice. As such, NLP practitioners use many different techniques that include the following:

Note: One of the techniques of NLP is to attempt to remove negative thoughts and feelings linked to a past event.

• Anchoring: Turning sensory experiences into triggers for certain emotional states.
• Rapport: The practitioner tunes into the person by matching their physical behaviors to improve communication and response through empathy.
• Swish pattern: Changing patterns of behavior or thought to come to a desired instead of an undesired outcome.
• Visual/kinesthetic dissociation (VKD): Trying to remove negative thoughts and feelings associated with a past event.