The Basis Of Coaching: NLP & MER
My Experience
I have been dedicated to the study of personal growth and psychology for over three decades. For 20 years, I have served as a certified Life Coach, and I completed my Master NLP Practitioner training and expanded my expertise into MER (Mental and Emotional Release) and Hypnosis. I am also professionally trained in Strategic Intervention Coaching, a method founded by Tony Robbins and Cloe Madanes. In 2018 I joined Robbins Research International as one of Tony Robbins top coaches, and coached his Business & Leadership clients.
I am a certified trainer of NLP with a specialized focus on Youth Development. These programs are expertly designed to empower teachers, coaches, and parents with the tools necessary to bring out the absolute best in our next generation, equipping them with the life and leadership skills to become their strongest, most radiant selves.
Fascinated with Transformation
I became obsessed with NLP after attending a Tony Robbins event and watching him transform a boy who had stuttered for over 10 years and had little success with therapy. In 30 minutes, the boy had overcome his debilitating limitation, and had a completely new outlook on life. During this intervention, I noticed the language Tony used was a bit “strange” but I couldn’t put my figure on why. The order and questions were brilliant as well. I began researching NLP and discovered his secrets.
What does NLP do?
NLP is the study of the connection between our neurological processes (“neuro”), our language (“linguistic”), and the behavioral patterns we learn through experience (“programming”). By understanding this connection, we can consciously change these patterns to achieve specific, positive goals. NLP is also known as a collection of tools to overcome anxiety, depression, bad habits, eating disorders, negative thinking, and learning disorders.
What is NLP?
NLP or Neuro Linguistic Programming is a collection of tools and techniques that are used to create significant and lasting changes in people in a short period of time. NLP is typically used within coaching sessions as questions, exercises, and visualizations that can completely change the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves.
Where does NLP come from?
Most of the transformative tools Tony Robbins uses are rooted in NLP. The practice began in the 1970’s when John Grinder and Richard Bandler studied world-class therapists who were achieving remarkably quick results. Grinder & Bandler studied videos, transcripts, and live sessions to determine what was making the difference in people in quick and lasting ways. By modeling their language and techniques, they developed a collection of tools called NLP. Today, NLP practitioners continue to refine and expand these tools to address modern challenges with simple, effective and lasting changes.
How can NLP help me or my child?
In my sessions, I primarily use NLP to build deep rapport and trust, creating a safe space where girls feel comfortable opening up about what is really happening in their lives, and what they are holding close to their heart.
We use these techniques to:
- Gain Clarity: Helping girls identify what thoughts and beliefs are getting in their way of feeling empowered. We also work on self discovery to identify what they truly want and set concise goals to reach those outcomes.
- Shift Emotional States: We move past overwhelm, self-sabotage, and lack of motivation by anchoring empowering states like self-confidence, play/joy, courage, optimism and mindfulness.
- Overcome Limitations: NLP is incredible for resolving limiting beliefs, internal conflicts, and bad habits: It can even be used to change the brain’s response to junk food or help manage the anxiety associated with school and social expectations.
What is MER?
MER stands for Mental Emotional Release Therapy. It’s also known as Timeline Therapy. It was developed out of an NLP technique and put into a specific process by Tad James (one of Tony Robbins close NLP friends in the early days). Dr. Matt James (Tad’s son), has refined it further and included more coaching as part of the process, and re-named it MER. If you’re a Tony Robbins fan, if you’ve been to Unleash the Power Within, or experienced Tony’s Dickens Process, you’ve experienced this technique already.
The Beauty of MER
What’s also really great about MER is I don’t need to know what your issues, conflicts or traumas are. I have you think about them briefly, but we almost never have to talk about them. At the end of an MER session, clients will often see key moments in their past as important milestones for learning and growth, rather than blockages or emotionally draining events.
What can it do?
I find using MER extremely effective in my breakthrough sessions because it clears negative emotions or emotional baggage and allows us to get to the root of issues quickly and easily. What’s most powerful about MER is that we don’t have to dig into the problem and relive it over and over to work through it (like traditional therapy).
MER creates an incredible shift in a person in just one session. Clients often leave a Breakthrough Session in a bit of a cloud – feeling like life is perfect. Over the following few days, family and friends will wonder what’s different about you. As situations emerge that where once stressful, your reaction will solidify the profound effect that has taken place.
How do I experience MER?
MER is typically used in Breakthrough sessions that are 3-4 hours long. Most breakthrough sessions focus on one specific area of life i.e. health, relationship, school/career, etc. In some cases, a follow up session a few days later is required to make sure all the negative emotions are cleared, and any limitations or bad habits are gone. Some people continue with NLP & Coaching and never need MER again, some choose to do a breakthrough in each category on a monthly basis based on the success of their first session.