Research Paper By Lilia Ianeva
(Life Coach, BULGARIA)
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) refers to a pseudoscientific intervention to personal development, communication, and psychotherapy(Alroudhan, 2018). The approach was created in the 1970s by John Grinder and Richard Bandler in California, US (Suciu, 2017). The creators indicate that language, neurological processes, and behavior patterns are interrelated, and all are learned through experience. These aspects can be modified to attain various goals in life. Also, they claim that unique skills to certain people can be modeled so that others can acquire them. NLP is useful in treating depression, some kinds of phobias, and psychosomatic illnesses, among others. This article’s purpose is to assess how NLP ay is used in coaching. It explores some of the NLP coaching techniques and discusses how they may be applied in coaching individuals to become better versions of themselves.
NLP Meaning
As indicated above, NLP means neuro-linguistic learning.“Neuro” relates to the nervous system and includes the mind, which processes the five senses, i.e., auditory, visual, olfactory, kinesthetic, and gustatory(Passmore & Rowson, 2019; MOHAMMADI et al., 2019). “Linguistic” refers to both verbal and non-verbal communication that encodes, orders, and gives meaning to the neural network representations. These representations include pictures, sounds, tastes, feelings, self-talk, and smells. “Programming, on the other hand, refers to the ability to realize and make use of internalized programs. These include activities going on in our minds for the achievement of desired and specific outcomes.
NLP is merely studying excellence and making use of identified and internalized programs to achieve personal change and change in other people. The technique is derived from a range of approaches and therapies. One of the creators, Richard Bandler, studied at Santa Crux University, while John Grinder was a language professor. They realized that through modeling, one could take what other people were great at and learn their skills to install it in themselves.
NLP Coaching Techniques
With NLP, the primary concern is determining how a client produces a specific problem and how other factors and their impacts cause the problem. The approach assesses how the individuals obtain the results as they are and seeks to develop strategies that will make the products better. The desires of these people are considered. Many techniques are placed underuse in NLP coaching. Some of these approaches include anchoring, belief change, mirroring and rapport, reframing thoughts, and creative visualization (de Rijk et al., 2020). The latter provides hypnosis and meditation. During the coaching exercise, the coach may employ one or more of these approaches to work with the self and clients to achieve the desired change (Passmore & Rowson, 2019).
Anchoring
The technique of anchoring is useful in the generation of resourceful emotion. The recreation of the feeling may be achieved through engagement in a specific physical action. During the coaching process, an association between the desired emotion and physical activity is created.
The coach may, for instance, require the client to select a resourceful emotion that is positive, like being happy. After choosing the emotion, the client may identify an activity associated with the body, and when engaged, the feeling is achieved (Kim & Bae, 2018). Physical activity can be as simple as talking to someone specific or undertaking certain job roles. This physical activity serves as the anchor for achieving the identified positive, resourceful emotion. The coach allows the clients to work on their unique feelings and thoughts for the achievement of happiness.
Belief Change
Every person associates themselves with self-limiting beliefs. These beliefs, in many cases, become habits that we have to deal with. NLP approach seeks to identify those beliefs that do not positively serve clients and understand their adverse effects (Zamfir, 2019). For instance, an idea may develop from the perceptions such as viewing oneself as a lousy cook or a terrible dancer. Such beliefs drive people to not trying things that they can eventually be good at. Techniques like presuppositions are useful in bringing change within clients through demystification with reality, observations, curiosity, and inquiry on the clients’ state to shift to the desired one.
The client uses the techniques to develop into a space of self-exploration. The experience enables them to build a capacity to study their assumptions and current state of mind and learns to make specific functional changes. Presupposition allows clients to connect with other people and achieve the desired change in their beliefs. Some of the NLP presuppositions that trigger clients to engage in belief change include “every action has a purpose” and “we make the best choice we can at the time.”With such prepositions, it is easier to dismiss any limiting beliefs.
Reframing Thoughts
In client coaching, there are many challenges faced by coaches. By reframing, the client can obtain useful information to change certain emotions to achieve favorable results (Zamfir, 2019). The technique is also used to increase or reduce feelings within clients depending on their desirability. For instance, clients such as women may approach a coach and speak about how negative body image affects them. A client may, for example, indicate that they do not want to be fat. The coach will then need to reframe the client’s thoughts to suggest that they need to be fit. The clients then realize that their actual goals can be achieved through engagement in a fitness routine.
Mirroring and Rapport
Coaches have the primary role of creating an enabling space for clients to learn self-trust. The technique of mirroring and rapport allows coaches to connect with their clients (Zamfir, 2019). The coaches can mirror other people’s behaviors by combining the art of being subtle and the ability to engage in conversation. Some of the client’s actions that the coach mirrors include body language, voice, gestures, and specific words. Clients are likely to establish a connection with coaches that are just like them. In such an environment, a client can feel supported hence can assess their own emotions and thoughts freely.
Creative Visualization
In coaching, persuasion is a very influential art. The coach learns the clients limiting behaviors and seeks to remove them and harmful habits and self-conflicts (de Rijk et al., 2020). The technique of mindfulness may be important in working with clients to achieve self-acceptance. Visualization may also be triggered in the client for the attainment of desirable outcomes. These outcomes are essential for the success of the coaching exercise. The coaches seek to empower clients to be independent in finding their ways to achieve specific goals.
Other techniques used in NLP include goal setting, assertiveness skills, time management, communication skills, Disney strategy, and communication skills. These strategies can be used together to change beliefs and modify stressful and adverse behaviors.
As indicated earlier, NLP is an effective psychological intervention involving the analysis of strategies utilized by individuals who are successful and applying them to achieve personal goals. The intervention relates thoughts, language, and behavior patterns acquired through experience that lead to specific results.
In making use of the NLP approach, modeling, action, and effective communication are very crucial. These aspects are based on the belief that individuals who can understand how others accomplish tasks can copy the tasks when the process is reproduced and communicated to them. Every individual is believed to a personal reality view. Effective practice of NLP will involve analyzing both personal and people’s perspectives to establish a systematic overview of a particular situation. The information gained by the NLP user is useful in applying the learned experiences to achieve the desired goals.
For individuals who want to become better versions of themselves, the techniques elaborated earlier may be useful. Aside from the methods discussed above, the NLP communication model is also another valuable aspect of coaching. It helps in creating an understanding that people have varying communication ways. From this perspective, internal representation is very crucial, and its internalization makes a difference. Individuals communicate how factors such as meta-programs, beliefs, and values can impact their actions.
The nervous system produces behaviors based on the body’s internalized perceptions of action, current state, and physiology. Paying attention to these aspects is therefore essential in the efforts to change external behavior. I would use the NURSE model in working with temperamental individuals who have other conditions to help them become better versions of themselves.
Approaches such as effective communication, assertiveness skills, controlling word choices, and changing mind frames can help manage anger. Research indicates that such techniques improve the self’s perceptions(Stipancic et al., 2010) while promoting the relationships shared with other people (Linder-Pelz,2010). They create a positive environment that enhances mutual satisfaction.
The NLP interventions such as anchoring and creation of rapport will help people in dealing with challenging situations. Through coaching, they will develop practical skills in communicating with their peers, patients, and families. When communication is enhanced, it is not easy to create disagreements with others or become angry in certain situations.
The technique of NLP coaching applies the notion that human behaviors result from neurological processes. The experiences gained from the surrounding environment lead to neuropsychological processes that guide how we engage in everyday events. These experiences include and are not limited to the challenges identified earlier.
The process of coaching using NLP approaches is impactful in accomplishing psychotherapy in incredible ways. It allows individuals to decode the source of certain speeches, thoughts, and words. Therefore, people start to think, feel, and speak the learned experiences and influence others and themselves. The technique of NLP creates a useful association between thinking (mental), behavior patterns (behavior), and speech (linguistics).
The application of the NLP technique in various situations has proved to be effective. For instance, in the treatment of phobia, NLP coaching techniques have shown success in treating fear and anxiety in a short time by use of hypnosis (MacLeavy, 2020). There is a lack of literature showing cases where the application of the NLP technique has been ineffective.
Individuals may also be challenged with many other situations. For instance, balancing between work and life is a challenge for many. Cases of work-related stress reduce the overall functionality of individuals.NLP coaching techniques may be useful in employees about self-care skills. This would help in enhancing their well-being and health. They would also be able to establish healthy relationships with family members and colleagues.
Some of the NLP presuppositions can be useful in the enhancement of communication among individuals. An example is a belief that leads to the development of the ability to change reality. The NLP coaching will seek to educate individuals to change their inner world and own facts rather than change the outside world. The changes can be achieved through the application of the NURSE technique.NURSE is an acronym that stands for Notice, Uncover, Reflect and Respond, See, and Expect(Empowered Nurses, 2016). These are the stages towards achieving positive change.
Notice
Individuals will need to notice what is happening inside of them. It is essential to understand when feelings of anger, pain, anxiety, or frustrations happen. These may occur while at work or when dealing with specific situations. It enables individuals to understand that whatever is happening to them comes from the inside of them, not the outside.
Uncovering
It is important to express some of the adverse feelings arising from stressful events. Expressing the feelings is some relief.
Reflect and Respond
The second step is to reflect on who they are. Individuals should consider the times when the events happen, why they happen, and who is involved. Reflections help them to realize that some events are likely to happen and are associated with such risks of how they feel about them. This understanding is vital in guiding response.
See
In seeing, the individuals are expected to view themselves in the future perspectives. Some situations are highly likely to keep happening again and again in the future. Therefore, they need to consider how they can respond to such events in case they happen. Preparing to deal with future predicaments is very important as it promotes better relationships. In conflict situations, the approach helps in fostering relationships and communication, which then improves outcomes.
Expect
The last aspect is to expect the achievement of positive and desirable results. It is important to expect that things will change for the better. In many cases, the mind focuses on what is bound to fail, and figuring out what works is the best thing to do. Expecting positive results relies heavily on deciding what works.
Conclusion
NLP refers to a neuro-linguistic program that can be applied in many areas of coaching; it concerns the thinking (mental), behavior patterns (behavior), and speech (linguistics) of an individual. The approach seeks to modify certain skills to achieve specific goals in life. NLP technique relies on many methods for its application. Some of the strategies include anchoring, belief change, mirroring and rapport, reframing thoughts, and creative visualization. Others are goal setting, assertiveness skills, time management, communication skills, Disney strategy, and communication skills.
The NLP approaches are essential for use in coaching individuals to help them become better versions of themselves. For instance, workers may be trained on practical communication skills to improve how they relate with their colleagues, families, supervisors, and themselves. This fosters stress coping abilities. NURSE intervention may also be applied in NLP coaching for individuals who want to become better people. It allows them to separate their flaws from the environment’s risks and enhance effective interventions for specific situations.
References
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