Neuro-Linguistic Psychotherapy (NLPt) encompasses the skilful and ethical application of a constructivist approach to psychology using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) tools and techniques. NLP is an applied psychology that developed out of the process of modelling change work in sessions with leading psychotherapists in the 1970’s. In this applied research, initially conducted by Richard Bandler and John Grinder, certain patterns were identified which, when reproduced, produced similar results in other people. At its heart, NLP provides a way to analyse peoples’ subjective experience in detail, creating a model by which to duplicate replicable results. People around the world have benefited from learning about the NLP model.
Over the past 40 years the methodology of NLPt has focused on application and applied practice. The number of academic papers relating to the practice of NLPt is growing, however research in the field has lagged behind other therapeutic approaches such as CBT for example.
Nevertheless, there is clear evidence of the efficacy of Neuro-Linguistic Psychotherapy as an approach.
Academic and Applied Neuro-Linguistic Psychotherapy Texts
- Practical Magic. A Translation of Neuro-Linguistic Programming into Clinical Psychotherapy. Stephen Lankton. (Camarthen, Crown House)
- The Clinical Effectiveness of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Lisa Wake, Richard Gray and Frank Bourke. (London, Routledge.) A comprehensive and academic appraisal of NLP Psychotherapy.
- NeuroLinguistic Psychotherapy. A Postmodern Perspective. Lisa Wake. (London, Routledge). A personal perspective on NLP therapy by a leading writer in the field.
- The Theory and Practice of NLP Coaching. A Psychological Approach. Bruce Grimley. (London, Sage) The theory and practice of NLP as applied to coaching, but also therapy.
- Magic in Practice: Introducing Medical NLP: The Art and Science of Language in Healing and Health. Garner Thompson and Dr. Khalid Kahn. (London, Hammersmith Press)
Journal Articles and Research Papers
- The Journal of Experiential Psychotherapy, (2016). The journal publishes articles in NLP, Coaching, Counselling and Psychotherapy.
- Evidence-based Neuro Linguistic Psychotherapy: a meta-analysis. Cătălin Zaharia, Melita Reiner, Peter Schütz. (2015) “Neuro-Linguistic Psychotherapy as a psychotherapeutic modality grounded in theoretical frameworks, methodologies and interventions scientifically developed, including models developed by NLP, shows results that can hold its ground in comparison with other psychotherapeutic methods”
- Pilot study using Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) in post-combat PTSD. Lisa Wake, Margaret Leighton. (2014). “Data suggest that NLP has potential as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of symptoms of anxiety and depression associated with a self-report of PTSD.”
- Raising maths attainment through enhanced pedagogy and communication: results from a ‘teacher-level’ randomised controlled trial. Richard Churches, Fiona Allen. (2013) “Based on the evidence from this research, some NLP training has the potential to improve attainment if used as an enhancement to the development of pedagogy and subject knowledge, but not, we would argue, instead of such programmes”
- Eliciting Metaphor through Clean Language: An Innovation in Qualitative Research. Paul Tosey, James Lawley, Rupert Meese. (2014). “The first contribution of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of Clean Language for eliciting naturally occurring metaphors in order to provide in-depth understanding of a person’s symbolic world.”
- Exploring inner landscapes through psychophenomenology: the contribution of Neuro-Linguistic programming to innovations in researching first person experience. Jane Mathison, Paul Tosey (2010)
- Examining the Clinical Efficacy of Core Transformation: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Dinesh J. Braganza, Ralph L. Piedmont, Jesse Fox, Geraldine M. Fialkowski, Richard M. Gray (2019) “The results over the total 8-week study period indicated significant, moderate overall effect sizes (ds = 0.63 and 0.52) for symptom experience, emotional stability, affect balance, global well-being, and purpose in life. “ - How Neurolinguistic Psychotherapy (NLPt) could Help to Improve Psychological Wellbeing within the Dental Profession. Joanna Taylor. (2016) “It is concluded that NLPt could provide a robust methodology for reducing psychological distress within the profession, by helping dentists to understand the concept of unuseful constructs, to improve behavioural choice and to discover the possibility of a more resourceful way of being.”
- PTSD: Extinction, Reconsolidation, and the Visual-Kinesthetic Dissociation Protocol. Richard M. Gray, Richard F. Liotta. (2012) “
- A brief treatment for fear of heights: A randomized controlled trial of a novel imaginal intervention. Bruce Arroll, Suzanne M Henwood, Fred I Sundram, Douglas W Kingsford, Vicki Mount, Steve P Humm, Henry B Wallace, Avinesh Pillai (2017) “This is the first randomized trial of this novel imaginal intervention which is probably effective, brief, easily learnt, and safe. It may be worth considering doing this prior to some of the longer or more expensive exposure therapies.”
- Neuro-Linguistic-Psychotherapy (NLPt) treatment can modulate the reaction in pollen allergic humans and their state of health. Klaus Witt. (2008) “In comparison to the people of the control groups the participants of the NLPt-HHT groups experienced highly significant improvement in all psychological-diagnostic measurements.”
- Clinical and cost-effectiveness of the Lightning Process in addition to specialist medical care for paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome: randomised controlled trial. Esther M Crawley, Daisy M Gaunt, Kirsty Garfield, William Hollingworth, Jonathan A C Sterne, Lucy Beasant, Simon M Collin, Nicola Mills, Alan A Montgomery. (2019). “The LP is effective and is probably cost-effective when provided in addition to SMC for mild/moderately affected adolescents with CFS/ME”
- An open-label, randomized controlled trial of the reconsolidation of traumatic memories protocol (RTM) in military women. Richard Gray, Denise Budden-Potts, R. Schwall, F. Bourke. (2020). “RTM effectively treated PTSD, independent of trauma source in female SMs and veterans effectively replicating previous results in male populations. Further research is recommended”