NLP, also known as neuro-linguistic programming, is a study of cognition and communication. NLP seeks to link all forms of communication, personal and interpersonal, to determine what is being said. This practice has its roots in psychotherapy and is applied by a wide range of areas today. Interests as diverse as business, therapy and athletics all employ the practice.
The practice was co-created by Richard Bandler, M.A. and Dr. John Grinder at the University of California Santa-Cruz in about 1972. Grinder taught psychology and Bandler, an undergraduate student, sought a model for the popular Gestalt therapy of the time. They created models of cognitive patterns of behavior that formed the basis for NLP.
The communication core of NLP is important because this link to cognition influences the way in which behave. The ability to understand these patterns and influence behavior may help an individual control weight, deal with a dread disease or trauma. It may also be use to influence buying patterns and behaviors of consumers.
People like Anthony Robbins along with the rise of the infomercial in the 1990s popularized NLP as a self-help tool. It is argued that the study of neuro-linguistic programming itself is more complicated than a 30-minute TV ad. The practice is not a quantifiable, static study but rather dynamic and evolving. It should be noted that the study of neuro-linguistic programming is not generally recognized by the medical mainstream. A person who is credentialed in NLP may have met differing standards.
Bandler and Grinder, who parted ways in the 1980s, agreed to share credit for the creation and development of NLP. Several competing organizations and societies offer training and accreditation. You should question any such credentials to ensure that the individual possesses the necessary background and training. The medical community does not accept NLP currently as a practice.
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