Transitioning from Physics to Psychology

As a young physicist, discovering NLP was transformative. I had spent years delving into the mathematical frameworks of physics. At my first NLP seminar, I encountered the notion that NLP investigates the “structure of experience.”

This reminded me of my high school fascination with Freud's exploration of “dream structure,” which initially sparked my interest in psychology. Though my childhood love for captivating science fiction led me to pursue physics, I always held a latent curiosity for psychology.

My path to becoming a physicist was fraught with challenges. During my graduate studies, I faced a significant obstacle: the draft board, which mandated my service in Vietnam as an Army medic before I could earn my PhD.

The Vietnam War profoundly impacted me. Following my service, I immersed myself in graduate school for six years, publishing five papers before earning my PhD in 1977. While I was not re-experiencing trauma in the conventional sense, the psychological aftermath lingered, compelling me to adopt the persona of an abstract scientist, lost in mathematics and the space program.

A pivotal moment in my life occurred in 1980 when I participated in Lifespring trainings, a personal growth organization that encouraged individuals to take charge of their lives. The program emphasized the necessity for significant personal transformations, pushing participants out of their comfort zones.

While some criticized Lifespring as cult-like, I regarded it as life-changing. Through these trainings, I rediscovered my appreciation for interpersonal connections beyond abstract mathematics and reignited my interest in psychology. This experience was a precursor to my deeper involvement with NLP.

In 1982, I began multiple NLP trainings and subsequently formed a monthly NLP study group that thrived for 25 years. Unlike the theoretical nature of physics, NLP permits personal experimentation with tangible outcomes. The techniques I learned helped me confront residual issues from my Vietnam service and understand how Lifespring catalyzed personal change. NLP became a key method in my behavioral modeling toolkit.

My confrontation with psychology's gatekeepers transpired in 1988, when an article in Psychology Today claimed that NLP “crumbled under scientific scrutiny.” This reaction stemmed from a National Research Council (NRC) study questioning NLP's efficacy in enhancing human performance. The NRC concluded that:

> NLP is not a reliable method for exerting influence and is based on flawed assumptions. While there are anecdotal endorsements, practitioners show little interest in conducting empirical studies.

During this period, I was involved with the National Association of NLP (NANLP) research committee and co-authored our response to the NRC report, titled “NLP on Trial” (Anchor Point, 1991). We argued that the NRC's understanding of NLP was incomplete. Yet, we acknowledged:

> The NLP Community must accept some responsibility for the confusion surrounding its definition, which varies widely within the community. Protocols for NLP research design are necessary.

In the following sections, I will examine the NLP community's responses to these critiques.

Responses to Criticism from the NLP Community

The NLP community has approached its critics with thoughtful, innovative, and collaborative strategies.

Thoughtful Engagement with Critics

A significant challenge within NLP is its ambiguous definition. Grimley addressed this in a 2016 paper published in the International Coaching Psychology Review, identifying 14 different definitions of NLP and noting the absence of a standardized one. In a more recent 2024 publication, he and Dormandy proposed a general definition:

> NLP's foundational interest lies in understanding how skilled individuals achieve success and whether their strategies can be replicated and taught. Thus, NLP is described as “the study of the structure of subjective experience.”

Many NLP researchers, when applying for grants, prefer to avoid explicitly mentioning NLP. My own writing has sometimes reflected this sentiment. For instance, in my article “Three Keys to Improving Your Balance,” I discussed NLP techniques for balancing on a bosu ball without explicitly citing NLP.

In my latest piece, “Pursuing NLP Strategies for Healthy and Mindful Aging,” I had to reference NLP, as the article stemmed from insights gained at an NLP conference. The publication editor included a link to NLP's Wikipedia page, which I later removed due to its biased characterization of NLP as a pseudo-science—a label that the NLP community has been barred from correcting.

Innovative and Collaborative Responses

How can NLP continue to evolve without being tainted by negative perceptions? One approach is to rebrand the discipline. In 1996, Michael Hall and Bobby Bodenhamer introduced Neuro-Semantics as a new name for their work. Hall has discussed the historical context behind NLP's challenging reputation, including controversies surrounding the murder trial of one of its co-founders.

To improve NLP's standing, leaders initiated efforts to foster connections among practitioners. In 2012, Hall and Pucelik established the NLP Leadership Summit, bringing together over 150 seasoned leaders from 15 NLP associations globally to discuss the field's future and promote ethical conduct. This summit led to the formation of the NLP Global Body in April 2024, aimed at:

> Uniting NLP Associations worldwide to establish a standard level of professionalism, ethics, and collaboration.

Despite the ongoing controversies surrounding NLP, its application in addressing urgent real-world challenges has shown promise, particularly in helping crisis survivors.

Addressing Traumatic Memories

What strategies can assist individuals in managing traumatic memories? Trauma can strike unexpectedly, as illustrated by a personal family account.

> My brother John was aboard a bus traversing the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel when smoke and ash engulfed America's longest underwater tunnel. The bus halted, prompting John to exit and sprint toward Brooklyn, fearing a potential flood. Amidst his panic, he heard someone calling his name.

He was astonished to find his 18-year-old neighbor, paralyzed with fear and unable to reach her parents. John took her hand, guiding her to safety at a nearby fire station. This incident occurred on September 11, the day of the World Trade Center attacks.

Such scenarios highlight the effectiveness of NLP techniques. Frank Bourke treated several survivors of the 9/11 tragedy using a therapeutic approach called the Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories (RTM). He also applies RTM to assist U.S. veterans grappling with PTSD. Those suffering from PTSD often endure flashbacks and nightmares, a situation that Frank Pucelik (one of NLP's originators) addresses with Ukrainian soldiers experiencing similar symptoms.

In March 2024, CNN's Jake Tapper interviewed Bourke about RTM, which was described as an emerging, drug-free therapy for PTSD.

The NLP Movie-Rewind pattern serves as a foundational element for RTM. To illustrate its application, I will recount a benign experience from Vietnam. While it was not traumatic, it exemplifies the pattern.

> Eric, a fellow soldier, resented my rapid promotion to a rank equivalent to sergeant within 15 months, while it took him eight years. One day, after drinking, Eric confronted my friends and me, saying, “You think you are so smart — I can tear your throat out with my bare hands.”

Although we defused the situation, I still vividly recall his angry, red face as he spoke. Despite my calm demeanor, I felt fear.

The movie-rewind pattern enabled me to reflect on this experience without re-experiencing the fear. Here's a summary of the process, with essential details outlined by Michael Hall:

1. Begin by observing a black-and-white film of your painful experience in a theater, guided by a coach.
2. Next, float back to the control booth where you watch yourself watching the film. From this vantage point, you can edit the film with your coach’s help, eliminating any strong negative emotions.

When I employed this pattern, Eric transformed into a harmless cartoon figure. I was detached from the fear, calmly observing the unfolding events.

In a 2010 paper, Richard Gray elucidated how the NLP Movie-Rewind pattern addresses PTSD. While RTM is grounded in this pattern, it has since evolved. Gray discusses RTM further in the book NLP in Clinical Settings (2022), edited by de Rijk, Gray, and Bourke.

In April 2024, the Forces in Mind Trust awarded King’s College London a grant to investigate “the viability of NLP-based therapies for PTSD.”

The psychology community emphasizes the necessity for testing NLP and providing evidence. However, mentioning NLP in research proposals can be detrimental to their acceptance. Without funding, how can one validate NLP and persuade agencies to acknowledge it as a legitimate treatment?

How did RTM circumvent these obstacles? The researchers initially refrained from mentioning NLP in some of their research papers and grant applications. Their persistence and success in applying RTM to veterans and individuals in active conflict zones established it as a credible trauma treatment.

Next, I will examine the social dynamics within both the NLP and psychological communities.

Dynamics Between NLP and Psychology Communities

NLP researchers are indeed conducting scientific inquiries, yet some self-proclaimed practitioners indulge in pseudo-scientific practices, tarnishing the field's reputation. Critics often make unfounded claims about NLP, using inflammatory language like “charlatanry” in their evaluations.

Given this context, it is unsurprising that the psychology community remains skeptical and resistant to NLP. Is this skepticism warranted? Both communities face their own challenges.

Dormandy and Grimley provided a nuanced perspective on this issue in their paper, “Gatekeeping in Science: Lessons from Psychology and NLP (2024).” Here are some key points from their analysis.

The NLP Community’s Perspective on Science

Based on their attitudes towards scientific inquiry, the authors categorize the NLP community into three distinct groups.

Science-Minded NLP Practitioners. This group actively engages in research or promotes NLP studies. Notable areas of published research include RTM and Phil Parker’s Lighting Process, which has shown success in alleviating chronic fatigue in young cancer survivors.

Science-minded NLP practitioners are addressing the concerns highlighted in the 1988 NRC report regarding the lack of research interest among NLP practitioners. They are not only interested but are also developing protocols for NLP research design.

Ascientific NLP Practitioners. These practitioners effectively utilize NLP with their clients but are uninterested in engaging in scientific research or publishing scholarly articles. Many have contributed significantly to the field, reflecting the earlier conclusions of the 1988 NRC report. However, the landscape has evolved to include more science-minded NLP practitioners.

NLP Pseudoscientists. This group engages in pseudo-scientific practices or makes exaggerated claims about NLP. They are not represented within the NLP Leadership Summit or the NLP Global Body, contributing to a form of gatekeeping within the NLP community.

Dormandy and Grimley conclude:

> The pseudoscience label applies to NLP pseudoscientists, but not to ascientific NLP practitioners or their science-minded counterparts.

The Psychology Community’s View on NLP

Is it possible to determine if someone is lying merely by observing their eye movements? According to Wiseman et al., NLP posits that certain eye movements reliably indicate deceit. However, Wiseman's tests demonstrated no correlation between eye movement and lying.

I concur with Wiseman's findings. However, NLP does not claim that eye movements can be used to identify dishonesty. Wiseman responded to NLP practitioners who produced YouTube videos making such assertions, but he did not identify these videos. He also referenced Richard Gray's paper, which did not endorse the idea that eye movements are reliable indicators of lying. I explore Wiseman's research further in my article “How Do We Deal With Deception?”

Many people accept Wiseman's assertion as factual. According to Google Scholar, 129 works cite his paper, including Greif's earlier mentioned article. Rob Yeung's recent piece, “Why Should You Be Wary About NLP?” also references Wiseman's findings, further damaging NLP's reputation.

Dormandy and Grimley analyzed Wiseman's work and related topics, concluding:

> Psychology thus misrepresents NLP by inaccurately exemplifying it with claims it does not endorse and misinterpreting its concepts and theoretical framework.

Misrepresentation of NLP is a significant issue. However, NLP-based therapies, such as RTM, alongside our growing understanding of them, can help mitigate the effects of such misrepresentation.

Reflecting on Greif’s article “Pseudoscience and Charlatanry in Coaching (2022),” I encourage readers to contrast it with my own piece, “Exploring Why Neuro-Semantics Works, from Models to Meta-Coaching” (NLP Acuity, 2016).

The Future of NLP Holds Promise

Wikipedia and individuals involved in reviewing research grant applications are among the psychological gatekeepers who label NLP as a pseudo-science. Self-proclaimed experts and critics perpetuate this notion.

Many detractors focus on a few early NLP models or what they misidentify as NLP-related models, ignoring the advancements made since NLP's inception. This progress has enabled Bobby Bodenhamer to assist individuals dealing with stuttering and blocking.

The Theta Research Institute offers a cash prize to researchers and individuals demonstrating applied research leading to the resolution of stuttering and speech anxiety. In 2022, it awarded the J.R. Lunan Fluency Freedom Award to Dr. Bobby Bodenhamer in recognition of his decades of work employing NLP and other non-invasive techniques to help individuals who stutter.

> This award acknowledges his contributions towards understanding stuttering as a cognitive issue rather than a physical one, often resembling a mini panic attack.

I align with Dormandy and Grimley’s optimistic outlook on NLP:

> Despite the burdens imposed by NLP pseudoscientists, there is substantial reason—bolstered by promising preliminary studies—to consider NLP as a proto-science with considerable potential for facilitating behavioral change.

This suggests an acknowledgment that while NLP requires further theoretical and empirical research, its promise makes such inquiries worthwhile.

I wonder if anyone could add Dormandy and Grimley's well-rounded article to the NLP Wikipedia page. One of Wikipedia's guidelines states:

> ...content must be written objectively and without bias, merely presenting the facts and notable viewpoints of others.

I hope this holds true.

Acknowledgements Thanks to Claire Kurs for her insightful editorial feedback and to my brother John for sharing his 9/11 experience with me. I also appreciate Michael Hall's comments on an earlier draft and Lisa de Rijk's assistance regarding RTM. Lastly, I extend my gratitude to the NLP Leadership Summit’s Media Response Committee for their insights on RTM: Ueli R. Frischknecht, Shelle Rose Charvet, Rachel Hott, and Mohamed Tarek.

Links to my Medium articles, including those covering satire, psychology, exercise, and health, can be found in this active mind map.

I previously discussed my experiences with Lifespring in the following article.

The Dark Side of the Human Potential Movement

Personal response to “The Good Cult” medium.com