Product reviews for Magic of NLP Demystified (Second Edition)

In this book the author guides you along the fundamental principles of NLP in an easy to digest, sometimes amusing way. Why demystified? Because according to the author the well-organized presentation of the meta-model as you find it here makes it more accessible. Enriched by to-the-point examples, illustrations, comic strips the author makes some more difficult concepts clear, lively and easy to understand. A summary at the end of each chapter increases didactic value of the book.
The book starts by explaining how people make their model of the world or create “maps” to make sense of the different experiences they are exposed to. As stress narrows one's field of perception, recognizing this process and identifying the preferred representational system is of major importance to create a working relationship and to successful -˜pacing' and -˜leading' and effectively guiding people to alternatives.
Chapter 2 further describes the 4 communication categories -” visuals, tonals, kinos and digitals - in a rather caricatural but amusing way, with some useful ideas as how “a digital person like a visual is dissociated from his feelings (p.63) and the digital system can be seen “as a means of coping through dissociation with feelings that may not be pleasant (p.64).
The processes used in creating our model of reality, are also used in the creation of our linguistic representations of an experience -” the meta model or digital representational system -” language. This process is extensively described in chapter 3 and outlined and illustrated to help the reader integrate this rather complex information. 3 Main categories -” Gathering information, expanding limits and changing meanings -” combine 9 linguistic distinctions. Nominalis-ations f.i. are defined as changing a DS (deep structure) “process” into a SS (superficial structure) event, or changing the verb that is active into a noun that is static or unchanging. Denominalisations in the medical model brings hypertension f.i. back to -˜hypertensioning' and shows how altering language we can change processes of health and disease. (p.96). Special attention is deserved for the separate section on “The Hall Extensions to the Meta Model”, where his emphasis is on neuro-linguistics and neuro-semantics of the Meta Model and of how language is incorporated in everything we do and everything we are (p119-120). Further citation of him emphasizes the fact that “representations will become somatised and govern our neurology and ideas and concepts become embodied in us.” (120)
The visual model shows how movements of eyes are correlated with certain types of information retrieval behaviours: eye accessing cues or EAC model and pays further attention to body posture and minimal cues. Learning to observe these is interesting for all health care workers, and after conscious training become part of your skills: “as you -˜tune' yourself to the people around you, you may find the process of mapping people becomes an automatic part of your own communicative behaviour. Done in this way, almost unconsciously, it can be a tremendously useful means of both gathering important information and gaining rapport.”(156). A concrete schema offers structured guidelines to identify the accessing cues, and after training owning this skill, working automatically in your contacts.
On top of being a good introduction to NLP I recommend this book for all who need to improve communication skills. Professionals working with hypnosis find useful information to become aware of mapping or schema's people construct in life and the processes of mapping. Readers learn about different linguistic patterns, meaning, how to question them and how to change them. By reading the book you develop skills to observe, becoming aware of what you can observe and how. All these is helpful for better fine-tuning the work in hypnosis, the pacing-leading process, the use of language, observing and matching your work with your individual client.