Have you ever heard of Pavlov’s dogs? How did he condition them into drooling whenever the bell rang? Is it possible to condition human beings in the same way? Can we learn to condition ourselves?
The most important conditioning occurs internally because once you change from within, you will also change your surroundings to better suit your energy and processes.
Neuro-linguistic programming can help you understand issues buried deep within yourself and resolve them so that you can lead a healthy and peaceful life. It can help improve your comprehension of the human emotions that drive your behavior, which in turn will result in better internal and interpersonal communications.
What Is Neuro-linguistic Programming?
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is an omnipotent psychological approach that combines neuroscience, language, and programming. Neuro-linguistic programming involves assessing behavioral conduct patterns through a conversation between the conscious and subconscious mind to attain self-fulfillment.
- Neurology. Neurology is the study of neurons and their functioning. All the functions of our body are a result of the sensory operations carried out by neurons. This includes everything shivering when you are out on a cold winter night, to the immediate impulse to pull your hand away from a hot tea-pot, or the feeling of misery after losing your job. All of our thoughts and actions are monitored by neurons.
- Linguistics. This is the communication between our body and brain. It is how our conscious and subconscious minds interact with each other and with our bodies.
- Programming. In this case, programming refers to the understanding of the language of the body in response to different situations. It is the way our body acknowledges the reflexive actions of neurons.
What Is Neuro-Linguistic Programming Used For?
NLP assists in analyzing the cause of distress. It helps us take a deep look at our behavior and our responses to distinct feelings, thoughts, and emotions. After learning NLP, you will feel a sense of personal growth in your spirituality, identity, beliefs, capabilities, behavior, and environment.
In addition to this, NLP also plays a vital part in helping us understand human psychology and behavior. It can also generate new opportunities by providing you with the skills to influence others, which can help you grow your business.
Below are some further possible applications of NLP.
- Psychotherapy. Neuro-linguistic programming is used to treat a broad spectrum of issues, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, addiction, and phobias.
- Communication. A lot of people find it difficult to have a conversation, whether it be in a personal, platonic, or professional environment. This may be due to childhood stress, trauma, stonewalling, or poor listening skills. Learning NLP can help resolve these issues.
- Coach and trainers. After taking an advanced program in NLP, you can coach people to reach their full potential, or train them specifically in NLP.
Types Of Neuro-linguistic Programming
Created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder based on the work of Virginia Satir, Gregory Bateson, and Fritz Perls, NLP involves many techniques. Let’s look at a couple of these below.
Empowerment Partnership
In NLP, change occurs when you master the art of communication between yourself and your subconscious mind. Empowerment partnership teaches you how to empower your mind, career, and health to transform your life positively.
Representational Systems
These are the sensory modalities known in neuro-linguistic programming as VAKOG, which stands for visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and gustatory. Understanding this system will help you perceive others in a more positive light, which will enable you to create a good rapport with them. This can lead to improved communication skills among co-workers, which is vital to ensuring your business functions properly.
Learning Neuro-linguistic Programming
Now that we have discussed what neuro-linguistic programming entails and how it can help you grow both personally and professionally, let’s delve into how you can go about learning NLP.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Neuro-Linguistic Programming?
Learning neuro-linguistic programming can be easy. The fundamental course may take three to five days to complete and will provide you with all the basic information on the subject. However, to become a practitioner, you must complete a minimum of 120 hours of direct training in no less than 18 days. At that point, you will receive certification.
Furthermore, to become an International NLP Trainer, you will be required to get either full membership, an associate membership, or a graduate membership from the International NLP Trainers Association.
How to Learn Neuro-Linguistic Programming: Step-By-Step
The following steps will help you choose the NLP course that will meet all your learning preferences.
- Take a fundamental course. This can be as short as one evening and will introduce you to the entire world of NLP. In this first course, you will get an understanding of the possible pathways you can take.
- Enroll in a course. You can explore some of the best choices for NLP courses below. Find out whether you want to be a practitioner or a trainer, and get enrolled at once.
- Choose a trainer. Ensure that your NLP trainer holds an accredited certificate and will train you thoroughly in the fundamentals of NLP.
- Study materials and practice techniques. It is often said that practice makes perfect. To get a good reputation in the NLP industry, you will need to master all the techniques.
- Get certified. To become a coach or trainer, it is necessary to get a certificate from an authorized body. This will also open up your path to becoming an International NLP trainer.
The Best Neuro-Linguistic Programming Courses and Training
There are numerous courses available online which you can choose from to get up-to-date on NLP. Below is a detailed list of courses that you can choose from.
Best Neuro-Linguistic Programming Classes
INLP Center
- Course: NLP-Integrated Life Coach Training – ACC package
- Time: 200 hours
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: $3,400
This is the best course for getting an NLP master practitioner, life coach, or practitioner training certificate. This course provides in-depth training on NLP techniques, and also includes more than 25 small group training sessions.
This course comes highly recommended for anyone who wants to become an NLP life coach.
INLP Center
- Course: NLP Combo Training
- Time: Self-paced
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: $1,099
This course provides both the NLP practitioner certificate and master certificate. It is a six-course personal development program that includes lifetime access to 114 audios and 23 videos. It also has weekly NLP workshops. The class also provides a lifetime membership to the INA (International NLP Accreditation) and a 21-day acuity awareness journal.
The Academy of Modern Applied Psychology
- Course: NLP Practitioner Certification Course (Beginner to Advanced)
- Time: 68.5 hours
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: $17
This course will give you a deeper knowledge of human psychology. It will teach you the modalities and submodalities of NLP, which will help you break unconstructive habits.
The lessons are self-paced, so you don’t have to be worried about not being able to attend sessions. Another interesting aspect of this course is the connections to community groups that it provides. You should go for this option if you are looking for a detailed, yet practical, course.
Free Online Neuro-Linguistic Programming Courses
If you don’t want to enroll in a paid NLP training program, then there are some free courses you may prefer. Below, we have mentioned a few training courses you can take for free.
Alison
- Course: NLP Neuro-Linguistic Programming- Your Ultimate Guide to NLP
- Time: 1.5 to 3 hours
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: Free
This free neuro-linguistic programming course will help you improve your personality and boost your confidence in communication. It will also guide you on how to tap into your full potential.
Taught by professor Paul Cline, the course will transform your beliefs and thought processes to boost your productivity. This is a certificate course that will brief you about the basics of NLP and the tools you will need to succeed in it.
SkillShare
- Course: Fundamentals of NLP | Neuro-Linguistic Programming
- Time: 1 hour, 13 minutes
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: Free
Instructed by Brian Ogilvy, this course will introduce you to the basics of neuro-linguistic programming. He will teach you how to decipher body language and hypnotic language, and how to form a rapport with others.
Coursera
- Course: Neurolinguistics
- Time: 20 hours
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: Free
This is one of the best courses if you want to explore neurolinguistics and neuroscience in-depth. This class comprises a history of neuro-linguistic programming, clinical research, disorders, present-day techniques of research, and paradigms of neuro-linguistic research.
Provided in conjunction with Saint Petersburg State University, this course has flexible deadlines and shareable certificates. This is the best option for those who are interested in the theoretical ideas behind NLP.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming Books
If you want to learn more about NLP, you may want to check out a book. To help you out, we have listed some books that you can skim through while you study.
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Richard Bandler’s Guide to Trance-formation, Richard Bandler
In this book, Bandler explains the tools of hypnosis and how to use them in your life. With the help of self-hypnosis, he explains how you can improve in specific areas. It explains the process of change in a simple way that will leave the reader with a desire to change their ways to live a more peaceful and successful life.
Even if you are new to this subject, you will not have any problem comprehending this book, as it uses simple language. You can use the insight in this book to work on eliminating your deep-rooted fears and phobias, enhance your interpersonal relationships, or boost your workplace confidence.
The Structure of Magic, Vol. 1: A Book About Language and Therapy, Richard Bandler and John Grinder
Introducing NLP in intense detail, this book has profound implications on the structure of language and how it relates to our daily lives. It also explains the meta-model in the easiest way possible so that the readers can make use of this improvement process in their lives.
This book will help you discover deep-rooted issues that are stopping you from making good decisions.
NLP: The Essential Guide to Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Tom Dots and Tom Hoobyar
This powerful guide is spot-on in explaining the concepts of NLP. With the authors’ experiences and advice, this book will help you with personal development and strengthening your mindset. It stipulates the strategies you can use to control your thoughts and emotions to enhance your quality of life.
It comes with a 21-day guide so that readers can start implementing the principles of NLP straight away. With succinct methods and exercises to help you manifest your desired outcome, this book is a must-read for digging deeper into your goals and desires.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming Certifications
Apart from traditional courses and respected online degrees, you might also want to shoot for the following certifications to lead you right into NLP.
NLP Worldwide
- Course: NLP Level 1: Practitioner Certification
- Time: Pre-course study and seven days in person
- Prerequisites: None
- Fee: $3,995
This internationally recognized NLP certification training course is offered in Denver, Colorado. It is meant for beginners who want to grow personally and boost their communication skills. This is the starting point to becoming an NLP coach or NLP trainer.
The course includes 30-day access to NLP books, so you can familiarize yourself with the lingo and techniques before you go. The class includes lessons in NLP presuppositions, rapport building, submodalities, modeling excellence, and eye patterns.
The American Board of Hypnotherapy and NLP
- Course: NLP Master Practitioner Certification
- Time: 120 hours
- Prerequisites: NLP Practitioner Certificate
- Fee: $105 per year
This globally approved training certificate will provide you with 15 hours of direct trainer superintendence. In this course, you will learn machine learning, meta-programs, multi-level communicating, and presentation skills.
This course will guide you in how to utilize the techniques you will need to get your desired NLP outcomes in a short period of time, with lasting effects.
Online Neuro-Linguistic Programming Resources
Learning is a never-ending process. To ensure that we have covered all the resources that could help you learn these topics, we have provided a few websites that can build your skills.
NLP.com
This platform provides you with free resources on NLP. It includes podcasts and links to a considerable number of articles, blogs, and video resources that will help you learn NLP effectively. In addition to these resources, the platform also provides you with research articles for free.
This is the go-to site for anyone interested in NLP. On it, you can also register for numerous training sessions to help you grasp every aspect of the program.
NLP-Techniques.Org
This site will provide you with information on how to master all the techniques used in NLP. It provides one-on-one NLP training, and access to Richard Bandler’s streaming audio and video catalog. It also includes a full index of techniques and methodologies. The website also includes regular blog posts and articles on the possible applications of NLP.
The first three sessions on this site are free, so you can check whether the resources are up to your standards before you have to make a payment.
Excellence Assured
Aimed at providing you with all the most important NLP skills, this website offers numerous international NLP training courses. With over 400 pages of NLP resources, it provides detailed insight through articles, slides, and YouTube videos demonstrating how to integrate this program into your life.
This is one of the best places to gain knowledge before signing up for an official course.
Should You Study Neuro-Linguistic Programming?
By now, you have probably decided whether learning NLP is right for you. But if you are still in doubt, here are a few other reasons you should take up this approach to self-improvement.
The chief reason is personal mastery. Everyone has different goals and aspirations. But what should you do when you are unsure of your purpose in life? How can you tap into your potential?
NLP has answers to those questions. It will help you discover yourself. The techniques included in the process will guide you on a journey of personal discovery. You may also want to study NLP if you wish to become a mental health counsellor.
Another reason is that you can help others tap into their potential. If seeing other people live happy lives makes you happy, then this program could be a good choice for you. You can coach people on how to relieve depression and stress, and resolve their anxiety issues. All you need is a certification and practice.
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