Are NLP courses worth doing?

[Plato]

Has anybody here got NLP Practitioner or Master Practitioner qualifications?

I can get all the information I want very cheaply from books. Is it worth spending the money to learn it from a professional trainer?

Is there a tangible difference between master and standard?

How valuable is the title "Certified NLP practitioner"?

Thanks

[Angela]

You can get all the information you need to be a massage therapist from books, too. What you get in a training is actual experience and practice on other human beings. It's no small difference! I read books and listened to audio about NLP for a year or so before my training, and was pretty amazed by the impact of actually doing the processes with other people -- both as the therapist and as the client.

Plus in most NLP trainings you also learn some form of TIME Techniques (Timeline Therapy, etc.), which is the single most valuable thing I learned in my training, and I use it every day. I think if we were to make this therapy, which releases old, stored-up negative emotions, routine in our lives, the world would be a much more peaceful and joyful place to live. Plus it's fast and fun!

As a Master Practitioner and Master Hypnotherapist (and Master of Time Techniques), you learn quite a bit more and go much deeper. I wouldn't recommend being a professional practitioner without the master study, but if you're just doing it for your own personal development, you can do a lot with just the standard Practitioner training.

[Plato]

Thanks Angela. I've never heard of TIME techniques. I'll be sure that the course I do has it.

I'm considering being a professional practitioner. I think I can offer more value that way than just through spreading knowledge. I don't want to invest thousands of pounds without considering it thoroughly though.

How realistic is it to make a good living? I know you've just started on it. How's that going? Does it take long to build a reputation and client base?

[Angela]

I would be doing this even if I weren't getting paid for it -- it's the most rewarding and fun work I've ever done.

But I'm glad to be getting paid for it!

I don't know how to answer your questions about how realistic it is. It is real in my life, and I'm having fun building my practice at a rate that feels very comfortable for me. It's easy to promote myself because I'm so confident that it works and that I do it extremely well. My trainer is referring his excess clients to me. But I don't know how it is for anyone else. My closest cohort in the training, the person I thought was most gung-ho, type-A, really going for it, isn't making any money at all yet.

That would be a good question to ask of a training company: how many people in your last training are seeing clients and how much are they charging? Ask for and contact references.

I'll be doing a little seminar in a couple of weeks on the business & marketing side of things and am looking forward to that.

Why don't you start with an introductory weekend course? You'll get a great taste of it for a small price.

[AdamFl3tcher]

Plato, you really want to get some of the stuff by Dr Wyatt Woodsmall and Tad James...

Amazon.com: Time Line Therapy and the Basis of Personality: Tad James, Wyatt Woodsmall: Books

Both provide great information on NLP. I'm also going through a few DVD's I got from Robert Dilts who also seems to provide solid info.

- Adam

[nhaasch]

Originally Posted by Plato

Has anybody here got NLP Practitioner or Master Practitioner qualifications?

I can get all the information I want very cheaply from books. Is it worth spending the money to learn it from a professional trainer?

Is there a tangible difference between master and standard?

How valuable is the title "Certified NLP practitioner"?

Thanks

I'm one weekend away from finishing up my NLP Practioner Training. Without a doubt my training has been worth the time and money.

I'm uncertain if it will be the same for everyone. This is especially the case because the quality of the students and instructor could easily be different.

I've felt fortunate to be working with an instructor with 20+ years of experience in teaching NLP. It is more then that though in that the training is focused around an already existing NLP community here. About 1/3 of the people that are at the training sessions already have their practitioner certification. These people are attending simply to help grow the community.

I'm curious as to how much the training differs from trainer to trainer. I'm guesses it's a lot. I highly recommend you do some research before enrolling. In particular it would be useful to talk to people that have taken the practitioner training with that particular trainer. I also agree with Angela in that you can take a weekend intro course to better determine if this is the right option for you.

One other thing, you might want to check to see if there are any local NLP groups in your area. If so, you may find it useful to attend some of the group events and learn more before enrolling in a course.

[Plato]

Just reading about Timeline Therapy here:

Time Line Therapy.net-Change Your Life Quickly, Easily & Comforatbly

For example, if you are asking the unconscious mind to clear up certain symptoms, you must ask the unconscious mind when it will start and when it will finish the process, or you may find six months later the process is incomplete. When asked, "why?" The unconscious mind may simply say, "I haven't started yet."

Thanks for the pointers guys. Not sure what to do atm. Just more research I guess.

[UnleashReality]

nlp is pseudoscience as far as i'm concerned.

check out the "sedona method" rather.

i guess a quote by freud did it for me, "you cannot understand aproblem of the mind on the same level of consciousness that created it."

and to quote Hale Dwoskin, creator of the Sedona Method, "the only reason we want to understand our problems is because we plan on having them again".

all the best
alex

[gerber]

I had already a lot about NLP before I attended a NLP Practitioner course, so I already knew most of the theory. But practicing it with a trainer and my fellow students was what helped me the most. You actually do all the exercises. If I read a book I usually skip most of the exercises, because I think I already understand the material (which of course is not always the case).

Like I said, most of the theory you can read in books, but it helps to actually do some of the things mentioned in the books. So take the course if you would like to practice the material with like-minded people. It makes you aware of how you behave in certain situations. You can get great feedback from the other people. It really helped me to grow.

[Angela]

@gerber, that was so true for me, too! And it was mind-bogglingly fun to work with the variety of people in my training, because of all the things we take for granted about the structure of subjective experience, but that are constructed in a completely different way in other people's heads than in our own!

[ilrein]

Instead of an NLP class, I've taken a Professional Hypnotherapy one, and I had researched and practised the topic for years before signing up (for quite a bit too!).

I am very glad I did it. Naturally the practise was invaluable, we spent minimal time talking philosophic theory, and everyone had been hypnotized by everyone else in the room at least once before the course was over. The most valuable part of the course was meeting the teacher's assistant, a man whom I am actively working with to generate wealth.

Even more so, being Certified allows me to legally charge for my services, I love the reputation that comes with it, and it has opened access to many hypnosis/NLP related functions.

High cost, great experience, definitely a fantastic choice.

[Angela]

That is a great choice, ilrein! At the school where I did my courses, at least, they have a separate course where you can just get certified as a hypnotherapist or master hypnotherapist. That's a great shorter, and much less expensive, way to figure out if a school is right for you.

[Brutha]

and to quote Hale Dwoskin, creator of the Sedona Method, "the only reason we want to understand our problems is because we plan on having them again".

NLP is not about understanding problems.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Brutha

NLP is not about understanding problems.

Agreed. If you're understanding your problem, you're probably doing your problem. One of the wonderful things about NLP is that using it can shift your perspective in such a way that you can't even find a problem in your situation anymore. That's one of my favorite things in NLP coaching: when I ask, "How about that old problem you used to have (10 minutes ago)? How is it different now?" And the person responds either by laughing, like he finds it just goofy that he had been operating inside *problem* because he suddenly is experiencing such inspiring new choice and opportunity, or by looking sort of befuddled, searching inside to try and find *problem* that is just gone now. Such fun!

But it can also give you some deep and surprising understanding of why and how people build problems in the first place, and that can give you a lot of freedom and flexibility in helping yourself and others be free.

[Rivelli]

I don't think NLP courses are good but I believe the Strategies of Genius books by Dilts to be some of the best books Ive read.

Amazon.com: Strategies of Genius, Volume One: Robert Dilts: Books

[Simcha]

Is anyone aware of an internet based training course in NLP that is any good - or do you believe that one on one training is the only way to go?

I have been doing some research on the web - looking for NLP type training course and haven't seen anything that looks worth pursuing.

Perhaps (Angela?) - it's a program ready to be hatched?

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Simcha

Is anyone aware of an internet based training course in NLP that is any good - or do you believe that one on one training is the only way to go?

I have been doing some research on the web - looking for NLP type training course and haven't seen anything that looks worth pursuing.

Perhaps (Angela?) - it's a program ready to be hatched?

Yes, there are Internet and CD-based courses. This past weekend I was in a seminar with a couple who is in the middle of taking one, and they have now decided to also do an in-person course as well, because the value they got from the in-person exercises during our seminar showed them that the improvement from their CD course is monumental. It really makes a huge difference to actually work on yourself and work with real peope as you are learning the techniques. And it's amazing difference if you actually generate breakthrough for yourself during your course, because then you are that much more inspiring to the people you work with afterwards.

It's great to do a group course rather than one-on-one, because you are confronted with people's issues that you might not otherwise, and you learn to deal effectively with them. Also, part of my course was group dynamics and presentation which, of course, wouldn't be feasible without any people there.

[Plato]

To everyone who gave me advice:

I've decided to attend a 3 day seminar in London next month. Breakthrough To Success - Christopher Howard Events

Don't know if it'll be any good, but I have free entry so at worst I can ditch it and hang out with my grandma.

I think I will attend an NLP Practitioner course as a reward for earning my first £10,000. Not too long, baby, come on.

[dave marshall]

Hi,

I am a master practitioner and have attended the howard event: be aware he will sell you his courses and he is very good at it! anyway I would not have missed this event for the world, it was fantastic, get ready to have your buttons pushed and really make the best of the experience and ready for loooong days... 9am till 11pm!!

brilliant choice,

dave

[Angela]

Yes, and he'll probably be extremely good at it! It looks like the free tickets are an excellent way to introduce people to his other courses -- but this looks like it's got plenty of value on its own, too.

Just remember the magic words if you're ever feeling pressured: "I'll pass!" (As soon as you start arguing why you can't sign up for something, you are opening the door for persuasion. "I'll pass" just eliminates that entirely.)

But who knows, maybe you'll be totally inspired and find some powerful way to create the necessary money in your life! Wouldn't that be great?

If I were you, I would go with the intention of getting great value out of the weekend, and let go of giving yourself an out (ditching and going to grandma's.) You'll be really powerful if you take on the course from a perspective of being 100% at cause, whether you sign up for an additional course or not.

I can't wait to hear how it goes for you! It's easy to imagine you being a trainer someday, yourself.

Lots of love
A

[lifetimelearner]

I love your website Angela

[Plato]

@ Dave: 9-11??? That's intense! My dog could probably sell courses with that amount of time to pitch.

Very glad to hear your endorsement.

@ Angela: Thanks for the wise words. I have every intention of getting max value from it.

And I'll eat my hat if he sells me something. Promise. I'll make you a video of me on YouTube eating hat soup.

Muchos Love

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by plato

and i'll eat my hat if he sells me something. Promise. I'll make you a video of me on youtube eating hat soup.

Muchos love

lol

[Angela]

Thank you lifetimelearner! I'm getting ready to publish my blog, I hope you'll check in.

Plato: De nada, mi amor!

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by Angela

Thank you lifetimelearner! I'm getting ready to publish my blog, I hope you'll check in.

I will and maybe talk to you about a consultation too