Sometimes I’m asked if what I do is really NLP. Because my therapy style is so integrative as well as person-centred, it can create some confusion. And I’ve been thinking a lot about this over the last few days, and have come up with some interesting observations I’d like to share with you.

To begin with, I place the NLP presuppositions at the core of NLP. They aren’t just some assumptions that help in the presenting and accepting of new approaches. I was recently telling a friend how not only do I work with those presuppositions, but they’ve also become entirely part of me, I breathe them in as well in my everyday life. Because I find it impossible to preach to my clients that “there are no failure, only feedbacks” and then not believe it in my own life; Or challenge them on their view of the world, reminding them that “the map is not the territory” and not apply that in my everyday interaction with the world.

Traditional NLP is too often seen as a quick fix tool that allows people to quickly change the way they feel about things, cure phobias or stop smoking. And that’s how it’s unfortunately advertised and used by most practitioners out there.

The Person-Centred approach brings a new dimension to it. It allows the creation of a quality relationship with the client, taking the time to build rapport, seeing the complexity and the depth in the person, not only focusing on their behaviours. Looking at all the neurological levels involved, understanding the deep maze that makes them a human being.

So I guess when people ask me if what I do is really NLP, they might be thinking about the quick fix tools-NLP, such as the swish, the representational systems or the submodalities work. Which I believe are the core and the starting point of the work I do; they’re key processes than can be used alone or combined with a lot of other approaches for so many different issues.

But NLP is so much more than that. There are amazing practitioners and pioneers out there, that take it to the next level, inventing deep therapeutic tools that go beyond quick fix. I’m talking about Robert Dilts and his Reimprinting or his work on allergies. Or Tad James and his incredible Time Line work;  And of course Connirae Andreas and her amazing work around trauma, grief, shame and her brilliant Core-Transformation process.

And that’s what I believe and use the most in NLP. It’s unlimited potential to extend and become a deep therapeutic tool, that alone or combined with other approaches can significantly change people’s lives.