NLP Coaching, Counselling, and Psychology

by Ambrose McKinnery, psychologist, NLP Master Practitioner and corporate consultant

Yes Ambrose, 'I've been seeing a client recently, and we are up to our 22nd session!' You see he has a mood disorder. I nearly fell off my chair at these comments from a psychologist colleague of mine. Let me explain.

As a Psychologist, I spent many years studying the theories of personality and behaviour. The basic paradigm in Psychology is that change is slow, difficult, or impossible. And so I thought, we can't expect too much, and proceeded to learn and work within this limiting framework.

And, at graduation, I had all the theoretical knowledge, but basically no idea how to help someone overcome their difficulties.

So I completed a Graduate Diploma in Counselling, and learnt more about how to actually apply the psychological techniques to help someone in the real world, whether it is coaching, counselling, or other psychological intervention contexts. But you know, my success was always limited in terms of someone really changing, overcoming their problems, and getting what they wanted, including with myself.

It took me many years to realise that my problem, in line with my training, was wasting time focused on exploring a problem, somehow thinking that in bringing a problem or issue to the surface, it would magically transform or disappear!

Alternatively, once a problem or issue was uncovered, or perhaps the client already knew the reasons, then intervention was primarily only aimed at the 'talking' or the conscious mind level, and this is witnessed by the widespread adherence to Cognitive Behavioural approaches (CBT) among Counselling and Coaching professionals.

NLP works in an entirely different manner. It is more concerned with getting your outcome, than digging up your past. No one can deny your past, and many difficult experiences may have been burdened. But you know these things are not happening to someone now. It is how you represent these things to yourself in the here and now that causes the problem. NLP attends to this representation, and in transforming it at deeper levels, real changes and outcomes can be attained.

Often it is limiting beliefs that are the problem, and a person may not even be aware of them. What limiting belief do you have that prevents you overcoming a relationship break-up, that is holding you back with your career, or with any range of life challenges? This is where the potency of NLP cuts in.

And of course, you may not have any real problem or issue, only that you want to get better, to achieve some outcome, and NLP Corporate Consultantes are well trained to help people get what they want.

NLP Corporate Consultantes may have you stand up and move about the room in different positions, will harness the power of your imagination, and allow you to consider what you really want at much higher levels of belief and identity. With this you can alter your thinking, and gain greater control over your emotional state.

You may be surprised to discover that what you really want, is not what you thought you wanted, and that it is much easier to attain than you anticipated. So, as far as 22 sessions go, I couldn't justify taking someone's money.

You may like to read Ambrose's coaching Biography.