NLP and Hypnotherapy - Treatment for Phobias
In twenty five years Dr Robert Lefever has treated over five thousand people suffering from depression and any form of compulsive behaviour (principally problems with alcohol, drugs and food). His personal and professional understanding of these difficulties give him the ability to provide practical help and constructive care for all who are affected. His use of NLP is particularly helpful for situations where people find themselves stuck in a rut. Please contact him on info@drrobertlefever.co.uk or on 07540 281 820 to discuss help for yourself or for someone close to you.
Neuro-linguistic Programming studies the way in which the brain actually works, instead of the way in which we assume – or have been told – that it works. For example the brain can learn extremely quickly (think of the single exposure that can lead to a lasting phobia) and therefore it should be able to un-learn, or learn something new, equally quickly. Yet we tend to believe, through our educational system, that the process of learning is difficult and that it takes years, rather than minutes or hours (think of the time it takes for school ‘failures’ to learn a new computer game or learn how to roll a perfect joint). When the brain is well motivated and clear of preoccupations, it learns quickly and securely.
Through observing eye movements (up, across or down; left or right), we can observe whether someone is using vision or hearing or feeling as a prime function and whether that process is being remembered or created.
Through observing the words that are used, we can assess the richness or poverty of someone’s internal world.
Therapeutically this knowledge can be applied to helping people to escape from ingrained habits of thinking and perceiving. They become free to create a new world for themselves, conceptually and in reality. They become able to access a deep structure of beliefs and attitudes so that they can expand their repertoire of useful thoughts, feelings and behaviours and become happier and more creative in life.
Hypnotherapy can be used as a natural extension of NLP by getting people to look deeper into their perceptions and think about thinking. Ericksonian hypnotherapy, which is often used at the same time as NLP, is ‘artfully vague’ and focuses on ‘loss of multiplicity of brain function’ in order to help people to be rid of phobias or compulsive behaviours.