Is NLP Just a Fad?
By Joe Donahue
I spent some time in an internship as a Masters level psychologist. I have worked with the 'clinically trained' for 25 years. I am a clinical mental health counselor so . . . given those alleged pedigrees . . . .let me tell you what I observed. First, psychiatry the noblest foundation of the 'soft sciences' has a base in Freudian psychobabble. Get a book on Freud, look, listen and think visually about his metaphors on clinical casework. It makes great reading, like any science fiction but the practitioners of the 'art' take it literally, not all but too many to believe!
The 'game' of therapy has been, not to modify or plan an outcome that is a significant improvement of the client but diagnosis and continued 'work', to talk about the diagnosis, to compare cases and share 'washing of the hands' like Pontius Pilot with other therapists. I sat through many of these sessions where the continued reinforcement was 'sickness'. Part of my masters and another 40 or so credits beyond looked at research and theories of Psychology. A large amount of theory, a little bit, by comparison of research proving this or that worked. Compared to the auto industry the outcomes presented after researching effectiveness
of counseling theories would land an auto maker in jail. Right now, the state of psychology is battling Freudian theories vs. non Freudian. Cognitive Psych seems to be winning...for now at least but the general field of theories are loaded with cultural political psychobabble.
The label usually is indicated " he's a paranoid schizophrenic!' with a knowing shrug . . . what the hell....he's not going to get better anyway but I'll keep him coming until the contract sessions run out....then get the 'old' insurance extension.....maybe even re-label him with some contributing conditions and ...we got ourselves a new case!!
NLP is a threat not because it might be true. It's a threat because some...believe it can work and actually try the damn stuff and test, calibrate to see if you can get a better result. Ask any long term client ( some for years ) what new stuff they have done and how any of it has affected their performance. NLP considers performance a key. What good is the therapy or help if it doesn't work" easy...in NLP you try something different , just as RB says...anything get off your ass and discard some of what you did and do something else. Why, because my work does count, does have results whether WE succeed to the outcome or not. In the other 'soft sciences' if it doesn't work the client is 'resistant', 'in denial', 'psychotic', yadda yadda yadda. It's their fault not mine.
I do not deny biological realities and the need for meds but now in too many cases the meds come first...then the therapy begins " We have to stabilize this patient!" How about this one . . ." I won't counsel you if you come drugged or boozed up!" " Now that you are stabilized and clear
I am going to give you a dose of XXXXX which has some minor side effects, ( be careful not to drive ) by the way " don't worry if your lip twitches up to your eyebrow. . . we have another med for that and then of course the original med will be reduced in effect so I have to give this . . . yadda yadda yadda.
NLP is about improving our lives, expanding our sensory abilities and beliefs...psychotherapy is about being sick! Of course NLP is a threat, you fall of the edge if you use it, you will go blind, even if it works it is a placebo so it doesn't count, it will make your inner problem pop out somewhere else as a giant pimple. I took the courses, have the shingles, walked the walk, held my hand underneath my chin and said ahah, ahem, until the light went out. NLP is intuition and that is a threat to psychology/psychiatry. Can you imagine . . . an unconscious that can learn and is learning all the time. We use it, they label it.
Joseph J. Donahue M.Ed.