#hynposis

[firespawn]

What did Santiago say ?

It's hard to hear over the loud screaming. But I tried to listen very closely and this is what I hear Santiago say while he was hypnotizing Madeleine.

I'm curious what do you hear him say ?

[psychologistart]

Wanted to play around with my character Gorehound’s Eyes since he’s got that hypno pattern in em

He’s v wacky™

[ask-disco]

drugs are bad

really bad

[nlpishypnosis-blog]

Is NLP Just Hypnosis?

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is just Hypnosis. That's what people say. They claim that NLP is Hypnosis - but is it really? That's what this article is all about. It is all about discussing the relationship between NLP and Hypnosis so that, by the end of the article, you will be able to know not only why people make that claim, but whether there is any truth behind it. 

To begin with let's consider what is generally meant by NLP and what is generally meant by Hypnosis. NLP is an attitude of curiosity that leaves behind a trail of techniques. And those techniques are normally how really successful people get results in areas of life including business, therapy and education. Hypnosis on the other hand is a way to bypass the critical faculty of a 'patient' so that they can be healed of certain symptoms or behaviours. NLP has been around since the 1970's while Hypnosis can be dated back thousands of years. NLP is mainly available in Western countries like America, Australia and the United Kingdom while Hypnosis is much more prevalent in Eastern countries like India (Although thanks to TV Hypnosis is gaining steady traction in the Western World too over the last few decades). 

If you are new to NLP then you should start with this NLP Book.

And while you are there subscribe to the online NLP Channel on YouTubetoo: http://www.youtube.com/user/learnNLPonline

So here is where the confusion starts. While NLP is NOT Hypnosis and Hypnosis is NOT NLP it is a bit more complicated than that. Because remember how I said NLP is about finding how successful people get results? Well, one of the successful people they got curious about was a man called Milton Erickson. And Milton just happens to be the Grand Father of modern hypnosis and one of the most successful hypnotherapists of the 1900's. So here is where everything gets a bit subjective. Because many of the things that they discovered Milton Erickson did really well were integrated into NLP. Things like building comfort for the client (rapport), speaking in a vague way that can have people become more suggestible (the Milton Model) and telling stories that have people behaving in new ways because they think that they want to (metaphors). And these models in NLP have come DIRECTLY from Hypnosis. So do you start to see where the confusion has started?

But it is possible for you to work with someone trained in NLP and for them to never use any of the techniques modelled from Hypnosis. They could be using techniques that have their origins elsewhere as NLP has been based on modelling literally HUNDREDS of successful people. And if you worked with someone who was using non-Hypnosis based techniques then the answer is firmly that NLP is not Hypnosis. Though should you be working with someone who is trained in NLP it is quite possible that some of the techniques they utilise could have had their origins in Hypnosis. In which case NLP could be considered to have elements of Hypnosis. But that is a bit like considering a tennis player is like an Oprah singer just because they both need to breath deeply. Sure, there are common elements between NLP and Hypnosis but common elements alone do not make one thing equatable to something else.

So maybe we should broaden the discussion and think about why it is that people care whether NLP is Hypnosis. The NLP question would be, "For what purpose do you want to know why NLP is like Hypnosis?" And what I know from talking to hundreds of people about this very topic is that the number one reason for asking that question is that people have fears about being hypnotised or put 'under' hypnosis. And these misconceptions couldn't be further from the truth. Nobody with NLP is ever going to put you 'under' hypnosis against your will. That's because even experienced hypnotists cannot put people 'under' hypnosis against their will. With Hypnosis, regardless of NLP, the client is always under control. MORE IMPORTANTLY when 'under' Hypnosis you will always live by your Beliefs and Values, regardless of how deep into trance you may go. If someone were to ask you normally to stand up, you would do that - the same in Hypnosis. If someone were to ask you normally to rob a bank, you would never do that - you would never do that in Hypnosis either.

Before working with anyone with NLP or Hypnosis it is important that you give the trained person the opportunity to resolve any fears or concerns you may have about NLP and Hypnosis. The more comfortable you feel when sitting down with someone who uses the techniques the better they will work for you and the faster results you will experience. 

Check out a video for those of you wanting to learn more about NLP Books.

I really hope you've enjoyed the blog post. It took me a little while to write and I wrote it for people looking for more info about whether NLP is the same as Hypnosis. Would love it if you were to leave a comment with your thoughts. Have you been trained in NLP or Hypnosis? Do you agree with what I've said. Starting a discussion around these ideas would be awesome :)