NLP Book - The Rainbow Machine by Andrew T. Austin

Clients, friends and colleagues often ask me what NLP books I would recommend.  

This month I read The Rainbow Machine - Tales from a Neurolinguist's Journal by Andrew T. Austin.  It's an excellent read and I wholly recommend it to anybody interested in NLP. I particularly enjoyed the anecdotal style of the book with lots of stories and accounts of Andrew Austin's experience.  During his work in general and psychiatric nursing he used NLP in wide and diverse ways.  He describes situations in which, following the failure of conventional psychology and psychiatric care, he helped patients to achieve dramatic transformations.

The book is witty and amusing. And most chapters are only a couple of pages long, which means it's easy to dip in and out. Like many good NLP books it teaches through the unconscious - I've found myself using versions of Andrew's techniques without even thinking about it.

If, after reading Andrew Austin's book, you want to learn more about his NLP style you can meet him at the online NLP Study Group, read his articles on 23nlppeople.com  or join the West Sussex Hypnosis and NLP Study Group.

Posted by Andy Lucas - Spring to Mind NLP Brighton.

An Evening with Richard Bandler - Event in London

I've just discovered from the excellent NLP Connections website that there is to be another Evening with Richard Bandler (co-creator of NLP) event in London next month (October 2008).

If you have read any of Richard Bandler's books or seen his fantastic DVDs you will already know what a great opportunity it is to see him live.  The event is designed to have wide appeal, whether you are new to NLP or experienced, and whether you have trained with Richard Bandler before or not.  There is a lot more information about the event on the NLP Connections website where there is also a ticket sales page.

Master NLP trainer Kate Benson went to last year's event and made the following comment: "The advantage of a 3 hour session is that us mere mortals can track what he is doing whereas on a 7 day we get lost about Wednesday!"  Another words this is a great chance to discover Richard Bandler's latest ideas and developments of NLP. The event details are as follows:

Thursday 9th October, 6pm - 9pm

Ibis Hotel, Earls Court, London

£80 

(no VAT if you book through NLP Connections)

Meanwhile there is plenty more information about Richard Bandler on the Society of NLP website.

Enjoy!!!

Posted by:  Andy Lucas - Spring to Mind NLP Brighton

NLP and weight loss

Many people seek hypnotherapy and NLP to help with weight loss and weight control.  One of my clients used to have a craving for sugary food.  I gave her a series of hypnotherapy and NLP sessions to help her with weight control including a session specifically on sugary food. The article below was written by my client on her blog The Curvy Goddess  following the session.

Hypnotherapy: My bad relationship with sugar is finally over

WARNING: I do not recommend reading the post below if you are eating.

Last Thursday I was miserable.

Despite now comfortably using a gym and going to exercise classes, I still wasn't losing any weight.

And I was at battle with myself, constantly…

I wanted sweet things, cake, chocolate and ice-cream. But I also wanted to lose weight and the two of them are just not compatible, especially as once I had one cup cake or Twix or ben and jerrys, I just wanted more.

Abstaining from sweet stuff was hard.

As soon as I stopped eating it, all I could do was think about it. And then it was on my mind all of the time, I need that Twix with my cup of tea, I've been to the gym so I can go to starbucks and get a cup cake - I deserve it.

I was exhausted by needing, wanting and having sugar. I was fed up of feeling that way, all the time.

…

And then a miracle happened.

I went to hypnotherapy.

Rambled all of the above, in uber fast Rachel-talking speed to the poor hypnotherapist, barely having time to breathe between words.

I wanted sugar out of my life for good.

Somewhere in my intentions to fix my diet and health - I screwed up. A normal relationship with sugar is not something I can have anymore.

So the hypnotherapist did his thing. He used NLP and hypnosis. I was asked to talk about a food I disliked and a choc/cake/ice-cream that I liked.

I thought of steak & kidney puddings (dislike) and of twixes (liked - in the past sense, because I don't anymore).

Fortunately for me I have a rather traumatic memory of a steak & kidney pudding as a child. This was no ordinary steak & kidney pud, it came from my Dad's army ration pack and there was probably dog in it rather than steak. It was revolting. The texture of the bits of kidney in that pie did and still do make me shudder. It was like slugs.

And that’s it. Sugar addiction all gone. I don't waste time obsessing about sweet stuff any more, it doesn't pop into my head constantly. There are times when I notice the absence of my addiction and in those moments when I try to think of one of my former sweet favourites, I see them in my head looking all perfect and then a giant, ugly slimy grey slug on them. And there is no f**king way I'm going to eat sluggy sweets ever again.

I haven't eaten any sweet things for seven days now, normally that would have taken an enormous amount of will power. But this last week has been a breeze. Eating healthily now is so easy, spending time making healthy food doesn't seem the chore it did before when my energy levels were riddled with extreme highs and lows.

I really, really love this.

I hope it lasts.

If you have any questions about NLP and hypnotherapy for weight control you will find some useful information on my weight control & hypnotherapy webpage or for general information about NLP check out my NLP Brighton webpage.