I recently was told that since humans aren’t by nature monogamous, any time we try to live that way, we encounter struggle. Humans are a good many things by nature, and a good many more not so. For example, most of us would agree that “survival of the fittest” seems to hold true. Even those among us […]
When you spend a lot of time doing anything–even something others consider intimidating or scary–such as public speaking–it’s easy to overlook the skills you call upon so often. We tend to achieve, via “overlearning” or rehearsal, such a high degree of familiarity and comfort with that skill that we no longer can relate to others […]
Virginia Satir, the brilliant family therapist, who introduced us to Conjoint Family Therapy, contributed on a grand scale to our understanding of relationship and family dynamics. She was brilliant at identifying unhealthy dynamics in a relationship and educating the members to function more effectively together. Yet one of her more startling contributions was what many […]
Tad James, one of the (and by some accounts, THE) first NLP Master Trainer, once repeated the joke, “What’s a meta for?” Indeed. That linguistic playfulness is a powerful key to influence as hypnosis uses many different pathways, that being one of the easiest to learn. Though to build on James’ question, metaphors can guide […]
Hypnotic language is an incredibly powerful skills set, and I teach my clients to use it with exquisite precision and power. It’s in use all around us, though most of us don’t recognize it. But even not understanding such a power does nothing to diminish its influence over us. I typically begin with that foundation […]
“Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.” ― Alfred A. Montapert Years ago, I came up with (I thought) the pithy and clever: “Never confuse activity with productivity.” I read a lot, so when I later came across the quote at the top of the page, I felt properly […]
There is a fundamental linguistic challenge at the heart of this one. In hypnosis, a concept called “deletion” is a very useful device. It references an implication, one the unconscious mind is too clever to miss—though is not overtly stated. If I tell you, “Today, I’m doing okay,” on the surface, I’m simply telling you […]
I was asked recently about the concept of “influence” and whether it was somehow a bad thing. In my mind, the words may have well been, “Effectiveness–isn’t that somehow a bad thing?” Influence is no more good or bad on its own than is “ice skating” or “spelunking”. Although you might disagree if you truly […]
NLP speaks about maps of the world, a robust collection of perceptions, beliefs, values and experiences that determine how we will perceive the world around us. Think of it this way, you have some desirable destination in mind, and you know which means of transit can get you there best. Most likely you’re not, for […]
In the complex web of human interaction, countless factors influence our thoughts, behaviors, and decisions – many of which operate beneath the surface of conscious awareness. From subtle cues in our environment to unconscious biases ingrained in our minds, the realm of unconscious influence plays a profound role in shaping our perceptions and actions. Today, […]