NFNLP's NLP Today E-zine
April 2007
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Something to think about from Dr. Wil Horton
Intro to NLP Today E-Zine
NLP Today E-Zine is a monthly series of articles that will bring you the best information in the world of NLP and Hypnosis. We will bring you articles that have been proven in the real world. Heavy with techniques and information you can use in your daily life, whether it's as a therapist with clients, business or sales, or just for self-development. We will get you the information you want and can't get. We focus on proven applications, not theory. Our trainers all "do the work." This is the difference that makes the difference. We cut the fluff and bring the main course. Mental Food you can use. NFNLP is the leader in this type of technology.
This is a service of the National Federation of NeuroLinguistic Psychology and Dr. Wil Horton. We want people to achieve their highest potential, and NLP is the #1 tool for this. You can achieve your dreams.
Captain’s Log:
Tax Sale!
It is April and the IRS calls so, my pain is your gain. We will offer 35% off any one or our home study certification courses (NLP Basic, Master, or Trainers Training), 40% off two, and 45% for all three. You will also get a free hypnosis CD.
This month saw many changes. First of all, the new book “Mind Control” is out and doing well; second, I decided to close Suncoast Hypnosis to focus on writing and developing new programs and products. These decisions never come easy. I have been thinking about this for quite awhile. As you all know, I spend a great amount of time on the road doing seminars. I leave this week for a training in Canada and immediately fly to Malaysia from Toronto. The offices required a lot of my time, which unfortunately, began to reflect in the running of NFNLP. This is also the 20-year mark of running a clinic and the time for a new shift of consciousness. Now is the time to focus on my teaching, which is my first love. I am working on several new programs. The new Master NLP course will be ready later this month. Unfortunately, the editing of the videos fell behind schedule. That was another drawback with running two offices… it made the day-to-day running of NFNLP too much for Christina to handle alone (which she has told me many times in “no uncertain terms.”) It was while working on the NLP Coaching course that I decided to close the Suncoast offices. I was coaching someone about staying in your core business and to focus on what will expand that business, when I realized I needed to take the old adage to heart… “Follow your own advice, and quit burning the candle at both ends.” There were many time I would get home from a trip teaching at 11 pm, and be in the office at 9 am seeing clients. That is, also, why it took two years to get the book ready. Many of you have asked for more courses, books, and products. Now I will be able to fulfill that.
Coming soon, Certified NLP Coaching course. It will be available in a home study format. The requirements are Basic NLP certification and a desire to expand your skills to a new area. It will have a personal coaching aspect to it… coaching the coach… so you can experience the process as you learn to do it. It will also be one of the few that discuss marketing your new services. Call (941) 408-8551 for details or email me at nfnlp@aol.com.
The NGH Trainers course is scheduled for May 30 to June 4, 2007. It will be held in Venice, Florida and looks to be a great course. Call for details. You may also check our Web site for the link of suggested hotels and available airports for transportation to Venice. Get your Hypnosis trainers certificate with an NLP slant. For those of you who already have your NLP Basic Practitioner Certification and the NLP Master Practitioner Certification, this is the perfect opportunity for you to get a double certification…we will also certify you as a NLP Trainer at the same time. AND as an extra bonus…anyone registering for the NGH Trainers course before May 15, 2007, will receive a FREE NLP Home Study Certification Course. Take note…this gives the perfect opportunity for those of you who have your NLP Basic Practitioner Certification to get a free NLP Master Practitioner course, which will enable you to take this class and obtain your Trainers Certification!
Speaking of the NGH, I hope to see you at the NGH conference in August where I will be teaching a NLP Basic Practitioner Certification course August 8-9 and August 13-14, and a NLP Master Practitioner Certification course August 15-17, 2007 in Marlborough, MA.
I will be in India June 9-13, 2007 doing an NLP trainers course, and possibly a Coaching course. Then in July, it’s back to Malaysia for more NLP and Hypnosis courses. Sign up now for any course and get a free hypnosis CD.
I have a favor to ask those of you who are licensed professionals in the field of psychology, psychiatry, mental health counselors, social workers, marriage and family counselors, and alcohol and drug counselors. I am doing some research and would love to speak to you. I would appreciate it if you would contact me (preferably by email since I will be out of the country the next couple of weeks) letting me know when is the best time to reach you and at what phone numbers.
Another area I would love to hear some input is in the area of children with ADD and “bi-polar” disorders. We have been receiving some emails from several of our practitioners regarding how they are using NLP techniques with children. As you all are aware, these disorders have become very prevalent in this day and age…(as well as autism, surprisingly. Just what is in the water these days???!!!) and I will admit I know of some very young children whose parents have these disorders and I am waiting to see how/if any these traits (whether behaviorally or physically) will be reflected in the children. And, if so, what is the best way to address this early on. One of the greatest benefits of NFNLP is the exchange of knowledge and experience and we find it truly interesting to hear how others deal with various situations/case studies so that we may share the knowledge and others may benefit from it.
Also, we are adding another area to our website…a “virtual” book store/library per se. At this time we have your email and Web site links on our directory, and those who wished to exchange links are on our link page. What we would like to do now is, those of you who have written books, may send us a photo and description, and a link where someone could contact you if they would like to purchase a copy. These books do not have to be in the NLP field. I know Dee Chips has written a lovely book of poetry. We are a multi-talented group of people. Christina has written a fantasy novel, which will be available this summer. The books may be paperback, hardback, or e-books. We will not be responsible in selling them or such…but we will be a “pointer” in your direction (whether to your website, an Amazon link, etc.)
I hope you enjoy the following article, let me know your feedback.
I hope to see you on the road to a happy destiny!
William Horton, Psy.D. CAC CMI
Techniques and Tips:
The following “technique” was submitted by one of our students (Master Practitioner level). Those of us who have gone through any kind of grief counseling about losing a child (I went through Compassionate Friends.) will recognize how important it is to talk about and remember the loved one. Kevin used this to change someone’s state. It is important for us, as “caregivers/therapists” to remember this.
“Go With Your Gut”
By Kevin Perline
I’m not sure if this is a new technique (if it is I would simply call it “Go With Your Gut”) but recently I was conducting a workshop on managing stress with a group of health care providers. Near the end of the workshop I had the group access a pleasant memory and revved up the VAKOG. After the workshop five people remained behind to talk. A women started to discuss how she found the exercise difficult because she would keep seeing her son who died 15 years ago when he was 6. She mentioned that she also has three beautiful daughters but still found it difficult to think of anything pleasant. She mentioned that she struggles with this every day. Others who stayed behind tried to comfort her with the usual comments but she remained in a sad state. Without thinking I asked the following questions:
While I could tell the other people were uncomfortable with these questions, she seemed to answer them easily and in present tense. Her body became more relaxed and she looked at me afterward with a puzzled look. I remained silent and waited, she then thanked me and said “every time I talk to people about my son they talk about him in the past, I really appreciate the way you respected my need to keep him with me.”
Again, I’m not sure if this a new technique, I’m also not sure how this works in regards to timelines but it did something positive for her in that moment and made me think more about how our brains and our needs work.
Theory into Practice:
HUMAN HARDWARE
Throughout history, a perplexing question of mankind has been “why are some people more successful than others?” While the complex explanation involves the interplay between genes, physical environment, socioeconomic and cultural indicators, the simple explanation involves programming.
In the early 1970s, a team of scientists at the University of California at Santa Cruz set out to answer the question of why people with similar backgrounds of education, training, and experience were not similarly successful. They wanted to explore what they called “the secrets of effective people” and wanted to “model human excellence”. What they discovered between people is that, while backgrounds were similar, the brain wiring – or programming -- was distinctly different. What developed out of this research was the field of neurolinguistic programming. The word “neurolinguistic” is actually a combination of three words:
Neurolinguistic programming rests on the premise that thought patterns (programming) are largely responsible for an individual’s success or failure; that preconceived thoughts and mental conditioning effect our social interactions and accomplishments. The theory is that if you remodel your negative thoughts, you can change your personal situation. This “remodeling” of thoughts requires a process called neurogenesis.
Neurogenesis
Simply described, neurogenesis is the creation of new nerve connections in the brain. These nerve connections are somewhat similar to the hardwiring of a computer. While the computer relies on hardware composed of digital circuitry, the human brain relies on hardware composed of neural circuitry – composed of billions of neurons (nerve cells) forming a complex neurological system (nervous system). These neurons assess the human environment and react accordingly by sending chemical messages to each other through electrical impulses. These messages form the basis of our learning, productivity, behavior, and very survival.
Neurogenesis is essential to success in humans. As we often look to scientific studies of other species to explain processes in humans, let me share a fascinating study of canaries. Frederick Nottebohm's studies performed in the early 1990s illustrate the importance of neurogenesis in songbirds. The songbird depends on its beautiful melodies to attract a mate and produce offspring, ensuring its lineage. In his studies, Nottenbohm discovered that in order to sing these complex melodies, the male birds continually generated new brain cells in their song center. In fact, approximately 1% new neurons are created in the song center daily. Because human behavior is so individually varied, we cannot assess the daily potential of new neural connections, but just compare the canary brain capacity to that of a human and imagine the possibilities!
While you may have heard the statement that humans use only 10% of their brains, this is not exactly true. The correct statement is that humans use only 10% of their neurons at any given time (due to the sheer volume and task specifications). However, this means that the more new neural connections you build the greater productivity you can expect from your active 10%.
The Brain as a Computer
We previously compared the brain’s neural circuitry to the hardwiring of a computer. Let us further explore this comparison. Both the computer and the human brain have massive information processing ability that is based on the transmission of electrical signals, and both have a memory that can grow and learn to accommodate changing needs. However, both can, also become damaged with faulty programming information. For a computer this faulty information comes in the form of viruses; for the human brain it is negativity. Fortunately, both systems can be changed and modified to correct this damage.
However, there is a fundamental difference between computer hardware and the human neurological system. The difference is that while computing hardware may vastly vary from person to person, every person posses the same neural hardware. There is a common basic physical neurology with billions of neurons processing approximately 40,000 bits of information per second, aiding the brain in reasoning, learning, and memory. In the absence of a disease process, or physical damage or defect, we all possess the same neural hardware. Consider this carefully: every human being shares the same neural hardware. So, if we all share the same hardware, then we all share the same potential!
If we all have the same potential shouldn’t we all be equally successful? Again, programming is the underlying answer to why some people are more successful than others. Most of us have heard the old axiom of “it is not what you have but how you use it”. In brain neurology, this rings true. The actual wiring of your brain – the number of neural connections -- depends on your individual programming. Too often, mental resources are underutilized and the wiring is subsequently damaged through faulty programming. Chemical abuse can also damage the wiring. Proper programming involves positive nurturing input. Until the last decade, the prevailing scientific theory of neurology was that the human brain could not establish new neural connections. In other words, what you are born with is what you have and as you age they will die. It is now known that the more than one hundred billion neurons of the brain are geared to reinvest in themselves. Positive, enriched environments stimulate the brain to create more neural connections. The more you learn, the more you become capable of learning. You can actually rewire, or reprogram, your brain! You can do this at any age, the more you stimulate it. the more it grows!
Negative Programming
While positive programming stimulates neurogenesis, negative programming halts neurogenesis. Negative programming includes feedback which acts as a stressor. A stressor, whether internal or external, produces a biochemical stress response. Following, we will discuss stressors and the stress response process.
The stress response process was first described by Hans Selye in the 1930s as “the rate of wear and tear on the body”. Broadly, the term describes the biochemical reaction to a threat to biological balance (also known as homeostasis). While researchers agree on the physiological and psychological effects of stress on the human body, the term itself remains somewhat of an abstract concept because it is dependent on human perception. In other words, the occurrence of stressors as well as the degree of stress response depends on individual situational analysis. This means that it is not set in stone and it can be altered!
Stressors can be either external (coming from someone else) or internal (coming from yourself). Stressors fall into categories of
From these categories, many combinations can occur, and not all are bad. Acute stress is actually helpful, temporarily flooding the body with hormones to assist in regaining homeostasis. For example, positive-acute-mental stress could be exemplified by the exuberation of winning a Nobel Prize. Certainly, no one could call this a bad thing, but the body still gets a little overwhelmed and needs to regain balance! Alternatively, chronic stress is damaging, continually flooding the body with hormones, which over time can damage mental functions. As an example, negative-chronic-mental stress could come in the form of everyday worries such as low self-esteem. Low self-esteem is an example of negative programming. It also becomes self reinforcing.
Regardless of the source, the effect of continued stress from negative programming is neurologically toxic. What this means is that when the brain is constantly exposed to worry and negativity, homeostasis (balance) becomes the priority and all other neural functioning suffers. In this situation, existing neurons are preoccupied with survival and the brain does not exert effort on creating new neurons. Again looking to another species to explain human processes, Elizabeth Gould’s studies have documented this chronic stress effect in primates. These studies show that when a primate is under chronic stress “its brain begins to starve. It stops creating new cells. The cells it already has retreat inwards. The mind is disfigured.”
Broken Windows Theory
“Broken Windows” is a social theory relating to urban vandalism. The theory states that if windows are broken and left unrepaired in an abandoned building, the community will believe that this vandalism is acceptable. Further, if left unaddressed, the vandalism will spread into other parts of the community. However, immediate repair of the broken windows and steps to prevent future incident sends the message that vandalism is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. The same theory has been expanded to graffiti, thus the push to “clean up the environment”.
This same theory could be applied to negative programming of the human brain. If the brain is exposed to negative programming without intervention, the individual will believe that this is acceptable. The same can be applied to failure, if accepted, it becomes the norm. If left unaddressed, this will develop into chronic mental stress, affecting the structure of the brain and reducing the success potential of the individual. However, introduction of positive programming will rewire the brain, producing new neural connections and increasing individual success potential.
Upcoming Trainings:
Advanced Rapport Skills
NLP Coaching Course
Dates to be Announced
Venice, Florida
* * * * *
NLP Basic Practitioner Course
April 19-22, 2007
Ontario Hypnosis Center
Toronto, Canada
Call for Details: 416-489-0333 or visit
http://www.ontariohypnosiscentre.com
* * * * *
Basic and Master NLP
April 24-May 6, 2007
Kula Lumpur, Malaysia
Call for Details: 60 122041884 or visit
http://www.powereventsasia.com
* * * * *
NGH Trainers Training
May 26 to June 2, 2007
Venice, FL
Call for details: NGH (603) 429-9438 - NFNLP (941) 408-8551
* * * * *
NLP Trainers Training
June 9-13, 2007
India
Call for details: 91-22-32599907 / 32599908 or visit http://www.creativemanagement.org
* * * * *
NLP & Sales (also)
NLP Basic Practitioner Course
July 21-28, 2007
Kula Lumpur, Malaysia
Call for Details: 60 122041884
Email: abuhanifah@gmail.com or visit
http://www.powereventsasia.com
* * * * *
NLP Basic Practitioner Course
National Guild of Hypnotists
August 8-9 & 13-14, 2007
Marlborough, MA
(603) 429-9438
Check schedule for details
or www.NGH.net
* * * * *
NLP Master Practitioner Course
National Guild of Hypnotists
August 15-17, 2007
Marlborough, MA
(603) 429-9438
Check schedule for details
or www.NGH.net
* * * * *
NLP & Sales (also)
NLP Master Practitioner Course
September 5-12, 2007
Kula Lumpur, Malaysia
Call for Details: 60 122041884
Email: abuhanifah@gmail.com or visit
http://www.powereventsasia.com
* * * * *
NLP Basic and Master Training
September, 2007
Long Island, NY
Call for details: (941) 408-8551
Visit our website: www.nfnlp.com for lodging suggestions.
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NLP Basic Practitioner Course
October 13-16, 2007
Ontario Hypnosis Center
Toronto, Canada
Call 416-489-0333 or visit
http://www.ontariohypnosiscentre.com
* * * * *
NLP Master Practitioner Course
October18, to 21, 2007
Ontario Hypnosis Center
Toronto, Canada
Call 416-489-0333 or visit
http://www.ontariohypnosiscentre.com
* * * * *
NGH Trainers Training
October 24-28, 2007
Venice, FL
Call for details: NGH (603) 429-9438 - NFNLP (941) 408-8551
* * * * *
NLP Basic Practitioner Course
November 12-15, 2007
Post NATH Conference
Virginia Beach, VA
Call 800-296-6463 or visit
http://www.holistictree.com
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NLP Basic Practitioner Course
November 21-25, 2007
Kula Lumpur, Malaysia
Call for Details: 60 122041884
Email: abuhanifah@gmail.com or visit
http://www.powereventsasia.com
* * * * *
NLP Master Practitioner Course
November 28-December 2, 2007
Kula Lumpur, Malaysia
Call for Details: 60 122041884
Email: abuhanifah@gmail.com or visit
http://www.powereventsasia.com
* * * * *
NLP Trainers Training Course
December 4-9, 2007
Kula Lumpur, Malaysia
Call for Details: 60 122041884
Email: abuhanifah@gmail.com or visit
http://www.powereventsasia.com