NLP

Neuro-linguistic programming (or NLP) is an interpersonal communication model applied in psychotherapy and other contexts of communication and change. It attempts to observe naturally self-taught expertise, and then model the processes and habitual patterns that experts intuitively use on the assumption that those behaviours were responsible for their results. Much of NLP's philosophy, worldview and approach was laid out in early technical books, for example, Structure of Magic vol. I & II and seminar transcriptions, for example, Frogs into Princes.

NLP was co-created by Richard Bandler and linguist John Grinder in the 1970s through observation and imitation of gestalt therapist Fritz Perls, family systems therapist Virginia Satir and psychiatrist Milton H. Erickson. The originators emphasized modeling of excellence as the core methodology, that is, the observational and information gathering methods they developed to define and produce the models of exceptional communicators. They also claimed that the basic assumptions of NLP draw from aspects of neurology ("neuro-"), transformational grammar ("linguistics") and cybernetics ("programming"). It has often been promoted as an art and science of effective communication and defined as 'the study of the structure of subjective experience'. Others put more emphasis on the tools, techniques and applications specific to contexts such as psychotherapy, business management and communications training, motivational seminars, personal development, and teaching.

Critics argue that the basic theoretical assumptions of NLP and strong claims of efficacy presented in books, workshops and promotional material have not been accompanied by empirical research. The majority of psychological and experimental research published in the 1980s in The Journal of Counseling Psychology was not supportive of the claims that matching preferred representational systems and sensory predicates enhanced the client-counselor relationship. Critics argue that the lack of empirical support and exaggerated claims indicate questionable science, pseudoscience, New Age or outdated psychotherapeutic technique. While there have been some efforts within NLP to improve its practice, recent research is spread thinly across various disciplines and the field remains splintered.

Overview
Neuro-linguistic programming studies and models how people think about and perceive aspects of their life, and how to work with the underlying cognitive and emotional processes at a practical level. The range of potential uses is varied, and NLP has an exceptionally broad and adaptable structure.

The field originated in the work of Richard Bandler and John Grinder in association with polymath Gregory Bateson in Santa Cruz, California in the early 1970s, when they recorded and studied in depth several world renowned therapists who seemed to obtain almost magical results by the therapeutic standards of the time. They concluded that a comprehensive set of self-taught approaches and skills was largely responsible for their success, that these could be summarized and expanded upon, and that much of human perception and experience was also structured and could be worked with effectively in this way. They stated, in contravention of the professional wisdom of that time, that the internal human experience demonstrated itself in people's behaviors, and could be worked with directly given an appropriate mindset, and that this was why certain individuals were so singularly successful as therapists compared to the norm.

Despite its substantial influence and adoption of its viewpoints, extreme skepticism persists in some quarters, due both to its pop psychology usage and non-traditional approach to psychology.

source : en.wikipedia.org