What is NLP? It is a tricky question, and one that I have been asked over and over again.
There are questions that are not easy to answer precisely. Since I graduated with a Social Work degree almost 20 years ago, many people have asked me to tell them what the social work actually is. I am a social work practitioner, considered a specialist in the subject – but I still struggle find the shortest and the most precise definition of what the social work is!
Understanding Neuro-Linguistic Programming
I might be luckier with explaining what NLP is. NLP stands for Neuro-Linguistic Programming. What sets NLP apart from other therapy techniques is the speed at which the profound change occurs.
I like to read books. In my library I have about 5000 books. Once upon a time, I read an interesting story that can help us to understand NLP better. The story is about a father from a village who had 17 camels and when he passed away, he left them to his 3 sons.
In his will, the father stated that his oldest son should get half of the 17 camels. His second son (the middle one) should be given a third of 17 camels. And the youngest son should be given one ninth of the 17 camels.
The sons argued that the father’s will was in error because one-half, one-third, and one-ninth do not add up to a whole. As it is not possible to divide 17 by 2, or 17 by 3, or 17 by 9, a dispute quickly arose among the brothers and they started fighting with each other.
Finally, the three sons decided to ask for help from an external source, an older wise man.
The wise man listened patiently to the details about the will. After a while, he brought one camel of his own, added it to the original 17, increasing the total to 18 camels.
Then he started reading the deceased father’s will again.
Half of 18 = 9. So, he gave the eldest son 9 camels.
A third of 18 = 6. So, he gave the middle son 6 camels.
A ninth of 18 = 2. So, he gave the youngest son 2 camels.
As there was one camel left, the wise man took his camel back.
NLP is like the eighteenth camel … It may sound all too magical or maybe too simple.
But it could be that it a new solution is brought into the situation by a wise man, somebody who once the problem is resolved quickly, then disappears as if he had never been there.
Next time you are confronted with a challenging problem or issue in your life, remember the story about the 18th camel. NLP brings innovative solutions, but to see the solution, all parties have to be willing to collaborate.
Author: Nenad Bakaj, MHumServ (RehabCouns), BSocWk, DipAppSci (Comm&HumServ), AMHSW, MAAC, MAASW, JP (Qld).
Nenad Bakaj is a Clinical Social Worker/Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, Rehabilitation Counsellor, Accomplished Martial Artist, NLP Life Coach, and a Bigger Bite out of Life Trainer. In the past 20+ years, like in the story of the 18th camel, he has worked with hundreds of his clients to help them solve their problems and achieve their goals.
To make an appointment with Brisbane Multilingual Counsellor, Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and Life Coach, Nenad Bakaj, try Online Booking. Alternatively, you can call Vision Psychology Brisbane on (07) 3088 5422 or M1 Psychology Loganholme on (07) 3067 9129.