2009, just a step away and time for new plans

As 2008 is fast coming to a close I'm focussing on 2009 which is full of exciting new possibilities, including a host of overseas Provocative Change Works workshops. I currently have no plans to run standard NLP trainings and am instead focussing on presenting my own work which I use to really good effect in private practice.

My background in NLP has been very useful in exploring Frank Farrelly and Milton Erickson's approaches and I realised when I attended the IASH convention, just how far I have moved from the straight ahead NLP approach!

I just added a section on my central site on how to choose a practitioner which I am quite pleased with!

See http://www.nickkemp.com/how-to-choose-an-nlp-practitioner-or-hypnotherapist.php

Online updates

Most people fail to realise that maintaining websites and blogs is an ongoing activity and can take up a fair amount of time. I run 10 sites and each of them requires a great deal of maintainance, which means a lot of copy writing!
The central site www.nickkemp.com which details all my private work and the sister site www.nickkemptraining.com has my training schedule for the UK, USA and Europe. These have the most updates, but the Provocative Therapy sites including http://www.associationforprovocativetherapy.com also require ongoing updates to keep them current.
The www.nlpmp3.com site has regular updates of products and interviews and attracts a great deal of traffic. This site is a resource for NLP and associated fields and is deliberately non territorial, so people can get a rounded view of different trainer takes. Today I'll be writing another 2000 words for my main site and updating blogs

Clear out

Today is a clear out day and I am quite frankly amazed by the amount of old NLP material I have accumulated over te years and literally scores of old manuals from events dating back to the 1990s

Perhaps a mass burning will be planned later tonight?

LOL

NLP Research and Recognition Project

When I was in San Francisco at the IASH conference I heard a lot more about the NLP Research and Recognition project that IMO is a genuine attempt to promote NLP on a professional basis across the globe!

Check the NLP Research and Recognition site out here

http://nlprandr.org/

Obsession and Mindreading

Today I have begun writing an article on obsession and mindreading in the context of group and individual behaviours. I am using examples from my own experience which I have not commented on to date as well as other examples.

Many of these examples come from within the world of NLP, which may come as somewhat of a surprise to new NLPers and certainly to "happy clappers" Its interesting to explore some of the obsessive patterns and the personality worship than occurs in these situations

A great DVD - Stranger then Fiction

I absolutely loved this movie and fully recommend it

Bye bye 2008, hello to 2009

2008 has been an extremely busy year and I have had the opportunity to spend tme with some truly great trainers, including my good friend Frank Farrelly and Doug O Brien. I have also had regular contact with Andrew T Austin and Steve Andreas, both hugely talented individuals who bring genuine inovation at a time when many standards in NLP have descended into territorial nonsense and quite ludicrous mindreading (I am constantly amused by the nonsense and fabrications in newsgroups online, which are IMO a dreadful advert for NLP!)

One of the great benefits of hosting other trainers and running www.nlpmp3.com is that I get to mix with trainers of all types and views as well as running a busy private practice and numerous corporate trainings. I am also fortunate to have both Anglo American Books and Crownhouse Publishing promoting my products internationally and CDs still sell really well across all Amazon and other online sites.

In 2009 I am running more public events than ever and many are overseas. One of the highlights will be co training with Frank Farrelly as well as running a series of events in the USA and Europe. There will also be new audio and video products released in Europe and the USA as well as new online projects, to be announced early 2009. Thanks to everyone who has bought products online, attended workshops and fedback on many published articles.

Have a Very Cool Yule

Regards

Nick Kemp

Two more client days for 2008

There are just two client days left in 2008 and these are really full on days with barely a break for a cup of tea. This is an extremely busy time of year and already the diary is pretty full for Jan 2009, with client sessions starting on Jan 5th!
When Doug O Brien was over recently he was surprised by how many people I see with anxiety issues and that I don't see smokers at all!
The workshops I am running in 2009 will for the first time unveil some of the approaches I use in private practice, but have not yet taught. Many of these are far more advanced than the straight ahead NLP techniques and form key elements of the Provocative Change Works tool set.

www.nickkemp.com

Most Memorable moments in 2008

Here are some memorable events for 2009!

Best workshop experience - Steve Andreas at IASH SF USA

Funniest moment - Frank Farrelly talking about seeing 24 TV series in the PT workshop

Best case of change history - "The amnesia of Paul Fresh Brain M..."

Best book - "Not quite what I was planning"

Best concert - Nick Cave in Manchester

Most exciting new project - Stories from the Outside Inn with Doug O Brien

Provocative Approaches and misconceptions

When I first encountered Frank Farrelly, I was aware that both Bandler and Grinder the creators of NLP, had studied him, but IMO only got a part of what he does. Similarly many NLPers are also too bound up in techniques to appreciate and understand the different facets of Provocative Therapy, to the extent that some think its just about humour and others think its about simply being rude! Even a longstanding associate of Richard Bandler commented that it was about being rude, totally missing the essence of this approach!

Provocative Therapy requires the therapist to respond only to what they see and hear in front of themselves at that exact moment. Many NLPers struggle with this as they work in a very predictive manner which requires extensive mind reading! There are also no certifications in Provocative Therapy, which means people can't proclaim themselves as Master X or Advanced Therapy Y, or other such quite daft titles, which frequently betray any real skill development...

Since May 2008, I have literally spent hundreds of hours talking to and watching Frank Farrelly in action. Many of these have been in a one to one situation and I am constantly amazed by the multi layered approach he has created and crucially how powerful this is when working with clients. There is more to becoming a Provocative Therapist than simply reading the original book and sitting in a room with scores of other delegates. I set up the Association for Provocative Therapy -

www.associationforprovocativetherapy.com

to ensure that there are proper standards of training and that all approved AFPT members have an appropriate level of skills. In 2009 we are running a series of workshops that will begin to teach this approach to a professional standard and in the spirit of PT demonstrated by Frank himself. In May 2009 I will be co training with Frank in the UK in the first of a series of events, before running my own Provocative Change Works events in the USA and Europe.

Working in the corporate sector

Prior to discovering NLP, I spent many years working in the corporate sector in sales and marketing. These days I still run a variety of trainings for business, including copy writing, sales techniques and developing language skills.

Many clients book me on a retainer basis and 2009 is already looking like a record year for new client enquiries. My personal experience is that there are few really good NLP business trainings (just as there are few good NLP education trainings) and that the best trainings for these sectors are bespoke trainings created to order.

Another cool new project for 2009

In 2009 I will be rolling out a new project I am working on with Doug O Brien called "Tales from the Outside Inn"

There will also be a workshop in the UK in Nov and we already have people booking

See http://www.shopcreator.com/mall/productpage.cfm/?store=HumanAlchemy2&productid=SFTOI

Wow, what a great training!

We just completed the Sleight of Mouth weekend with Doug O Brien and he did a really good job, making the material very easy to integrate and giving some excellent food for thought! Doug has a very relaxed style of training, but has great awareness of language at a time when in NLP trainings this aspect is often not well taught...

Snowtime

Today all initial plans have been "snowed off" until further notice! Hopefully by this afternoon weather will improve so I can collect Doug O Brien in preparation for the SOM weekend!

I really like the changes of seasons in the UK although many complain about its being "too hot" or "too cold" This morning will be a good opportunity to get into the studio and do some recording for a new project that is due to launch in 2009

The Best and Worst in 2008

2008 is fast coming to a close and for a number of reasons has been pretty memorable.
It was great to add Steve Andreas to a circle of people I have great NLP discussions with, to attend the IASH conference and to meet a bunch of folks that are focussed on using NLP and other skills to help others. Co presenting with Frank Farrelly in the UK and being in his company was another highlight, alongside building the new NLPmp3 site as well as developing a series of new projects that will be released in 2009, alongside a host of new workshops in the USA, Europe and UK.

Some of the nuttiest momements include some online interactions where *amnesia took hold* alongside a host of other behaviours, including a supposed coach who wanted to charge 10,000 a quarter for clients, admitting that he had NO EXPERIENCE of one to one coaching! Little wonder some of the public are wary about NLPers! Worse still now some NLPers actually believe that after a weeks "advanced training" they are experienced clinicians or "therapists"

On a brighter and more productive note, the longstanding education project is currently being beta tested and I already have a great new DVD being edited which has myself and Frank Farrelly discussing therapeutic expectations with clients. This will appear in early 2009, prior to the first UK event.

After event downtime

I just finished 4 days of NLP training in the UK and today is some most welcome downtime! Over the years I have realised the value of ensuring that there are sufficient "spaces on the page" to maintain some level of well being.
Next year I will be focussing on running more advanced skills based niche trainings in the UK, Europe and USA, rather than standard NLP certificated Prac and Master Prac trainings. This week Doug O Brien arrives from the USA and we are planning to do some more recording during his visit

Everyone wants a bargain?

As an experiment on www.nlpmp3.com I e-mailed the newsletter subscribers with a 33% discount on a well known download. Within 48 hours the site has taken the same amount that would normally be the case for a whole month!

Seems that people are tuned into wanting bargains at present...

Les Paul

Les Paul not only created the electric guitar, BUT also audio multi tracking. I check in on him whenever I visit NY and at 93 he is still playing!

Working at the sharp end with NLP, Hypnosis and Provocative Therapy

I have seen literally hundreds of people attend NLP, Hypnosis and Provocative Therapy events over the years and it occurs to me just how big the difference is in these environments and working in private practice. Seminar attendees are of course quite different to private clients who mostly don't care if a practitioner or therapist is using NLP, Hypnosis or a new form of tree hugging, they just want to be well or "normal" as they often indicate...

Many clients will make contact when they are literally at boiling point with "the problem" and this is especially true for issues such as panic attacks, OCD, jealousy and anger issues. Some NLPers and hynotherapy students can get a real shock when they discovery that the theory that they learned in the classroom or workshop simply does not translate into these real life situations as "the techniques" often don't resolve the issue. There are lots of reasons for this, but often the practitioner is relying too heavily on techniques to the extent that they don't get full and detailed
information from the client. Many don't obtain sets of notes prior to a session and fail to record the session so the client can listen back to the interaction.

In an age of quick fixes and accelerated "qualifications" the best "qualification" is extensive practice with a wide range of client conditions from all backgrounds. For this reason I make a point of seeing a number of clients pro bono each month so I see people from a range of demographics. This means that when I teach in my own events I ensure that any teaching is based in what works with real clients! Next year I have a full agenda of workshops all over the world and private practice has never been busier!

My Amersham to be shown on C4 in Jan

My Amersham is a winner in the film short competition and will be shown in Jan 2009 on C4!

A Great event for 2009

Two Days of Therapeutic Change with Andrew Austin and Nick Kemp
April 4 & 5th 2009
The Queens Hotel Leeds UK

Here is an opportunity to train with two highly successful therapistsand trainers who will for the first time be teach how they work with clients

Andrew T Austin
has a clinical background of neurology and neurosciences and will be
covering many of the psycho-neurological aspects of
change work so often overlooked by NLPers, therapists and change
workers in the personal development field.
He firmly believes that an understanding of even the most basic
neurological principals can help accelerate the handwork process and
assist the change worker to develop a greater ability in designing specific interventions for individual clients.

Some of the areas covered:
The structure and nature of the limbic system and the neurological
relationship between memory, kinaesthetic drivers and many of the NLP meta-programs.
The function and relationship between the two hemispheres of the brain.
The neurological basis behind depression and anxiety and how to use
neurological principals to create rapid change in these limiting
conditions.

In addition to this, Andrew will be sharing his latest developments in his work with Integral Eye Movement Therapy including how to sequence in an intervention into the most effective portion of the problem strategy and kinaesthetic metaphors of identity.

Nick Kemp
has been involved in the field of personal change for over 25 years
having studied numerous approaches to change work including hypnosis, neuro linguistic programming, Provocative Therapy and now his own Provocative Change Works (tm) approach.

Nick has appeared extensively on BBC Radio discussing his work with
phobics and demonstrating phobia cures live on the air.
His "Provocative Change Works" approach to Phobias was showcased in
the acclaimed 2 DVD set that was released in 2007, with narration and commentary by Frank Farrelly the creator of Provocative Therapy.

Nick will introduce his Provocative Change Works approach which was
inspired by extensive training with Frank Farrelly creator of
Provocative Therapy and the work of Milton Erickson. He describes this approach as follows

"Provocative Changes Works is the process I use to provoke useful
change in clients, allowing the client to easily move from an
unhelpful stuck state, to a greater state of personal freedom. This
process can work both conversationally and through relaxation, using
humour and the pointing out of many of the absurdities and
contradictions in society's stereotypical views on life. Provocative
Change Works focuses on the here and now with each client, rather than on past events. This is often done in an irreverent and good humoured manner, to produce accelerated change for the client. Crucially Provocative Change Works demonstrates that the client's ability to discover that this change is not time based, but by changing how we pay attention and what it is that we pay attention to, in any given moment."

This accelerated approach to therapy includes many exercises created
by Nick to cure many different types of client conditions in his
successful private practice. In 2007 Steve Andreas published some of
the Provocative Change Works exercises in his USA newsletter and Nick was subsequently invited as a guest to the international IASH
Conference in San Francisco. As well as presenting his own approach to therapy, Nick is also one of the very few Frank Farrelly approved
Provocative Therapy trainers and will be teaching many of the
strategies and approaches used in classic Provocative Therapy as well as his own work, most of which will be taught for the first time at this event. Details of Nick's other UK, USA and European trainings can be found at www.nickkemptraining.com and his other ongoing projects,published articles and blog can be found at www.nickkemp.com

Please note this event is by application only to nlp@hotmail.co.uk
Tel 01274 622994

For free interviews with Nick Kemp and Andrew T Austin go to www.nlpmp3.com

The busiest time of the year?

This is proving to be an amazingly busy time for both client one to one sessions and trainings. Its only 5 weeks to X Mas and there will be virtually no time off for R and R. I suspect that the credit crunch (so called) is one of the reasons for such a crank up in private activity and as usual clients are travelling to see me from all over the UK!

Most of the clients I see have already seen many other people without success and many of the "analytical approaches" simply don't address the emotional element causing the problem. The volume of clients has literally doubled in recent weeks to the extent that its tough to catch up on online work. I suspect that this trend will continue into 2009.

Events and projects for 2009

2009 is looking like one heck of a year with a 3 day event planned co hosting with Frank Farrelly the creator of Provocative Therapy, a weekend on Therapeutic Excellence with Andrew T Austin, two events in NY USA and European events planned in he second half of the year!

There will also be a series of DVDs and CDs which will be released and some real surprises including a number of invitation only events. I'll also be adding more interviews and products to www.nlpmp3.com and the new www.hypnosisproducts.co.uk sites.

A great online resource for NLPers and others

Recently I was introduced to http://www.archive.org/web/web.php which is an excellent resource for seeking out old versions of websites. Its fascinating to uncover how sites have evolved, been altered and in some cases where site owners have attempted to cover their tracks for rather embarassing mistakes!

The Funniest thing I heard all year!

A friend of mine just e-mailed me this link about Peter Mandelson and "associates..."

http://britanniaradio.blogspot.com/2008/11/notably-limited-personality-mike.html

Its the first chance I have had to catch up on e-mails as I've been engrossed in running the first part of an NLP Master Prac for the last four days. However although its hysterically funny, even funnier is that the implicated party actually believes that ALL the responsees to the blog are myself! BTW I always thought Mandelson and "his associates" were a tad shifty...


LOL

"You know paranoia strikes deep, into your heart it will creep..."

David Crosby

The never ending tour, almost over for 2008

Today is the last day of the first block of the 2008 NLP Master Prac with just another 6 days of training left in this year in Leeds UK.
Next year I am focussing much more of specific skills based events rather than "teaching NLP" These will be both in the UK as well as Europe and the USA, presenting a lot of new material that I have not yet taught. Take a look at www.nickkemptraining.com for an updated schedule

Co presenting with Frank Farrelly

It was a real delight to co present with Frank Farrelly and here is a clip from the event

Sometimes I'm embarassed to read some NLP trainer communications

I set up NLPmp3.com to bring together some of the best minds in NLP across all schools of NLP and to create 'an intelligent resource" for NLP. Some people attend NLP trainings for amusement and never really take to develop the skills, so their interest is more casual and that's fine. Others are more interested in developing abilities and apply what they have learned to great effect. Then we have the seminar junkies and "NLP Happy Clappers" many of whom spend hours online discussing the merits of NLP as they imagine them to be usually following their chosen NLP trainer with almost fan like adoration. This kind of behaviour can almost produce cult like behaviour and quite ludicrous comments which display a lack of real insight into the structure of language and beliefs, that should be taught in an NLP workshop.

There are some excellent NLPers and NLP trainers, but IMO there are also some truly dreadful ones as well. I received an e-mail about an online thread where on supposed "grandee of NLP" attempted to make a series of negative comments about another longstanding developer of NLP in a quite heavy handed and rather stupid manner. The same individual quotes himself as having almost an academic pedigree in NLP and certainly sees himself above mere NLP Practitioners and Master Practitioners! Its embarassing to see such behaviours which do little to enhance the credibility of what can be a quite excellent set of tools.

The world of NLP has no uniform set of standards and unfortunately some individuals seek to find NLP as a universal solution for all life's ills. The smartest and most skilled NLPers often don't take themselves too seriously and certainly don't exhibit aggressive and rude behaviour. The best NLP trainers develop their own ways of teaching rather than simply copy others and can bring great benefits to others. The worst ones can cause all manner of problems, often overcharging hapless clients and actually believing their own hype...

The Relaxation Clinic and pro bono work

Today I ran the first of a series of relaxation clinics in Leeds. These are one hour free sessions for anyone who wants to learn how to relax more easily and effortlessley. In the first one I taught a couple of well tried and tested techniques that are great for state shifts and the focus on these clinics is rather than "talking about relaxation" to practice and develop skills to notice how to develop better states of well being and ease.

I have also allocated an amount of time each month in my private practice for pro bono work. I often get clients referred by social services, GPs and social workers and many are on very low income. These slots are for such cases

Charging clients, the reasonable and the crazy

One of many questions I get asked is what to charge for NLP and Hypnosis one to one sessions. Unfortunately in recent years some NLPers have totally believed their own hype and today I was amazed to read that an NLP newsgroup owner was trying to bill unwitting clients a thousand pounds for a 3.5 hour hypnotic session. As the old saying goes "There's one born every minute..."

This kind of behaviour really IMO really gives a dreadful name to the field of NLP, almost as bad as when people misrepresent their qualifications and insurance when seeing clients.

The cost to any potential client is of course not just a financial one, it involves a proper duty of care from the practitioner and ensuring that time spent is to good effect. Most skilled practitioners are not what I would call "seminar junkies", but people who learn from a variety of different trainers and fields of work to generate a true level of skill and capability. I could count the very best on just one hand...

Provocative Therapy in Oct 2008

I just got back from the Marlow Provocative Therapy 2 days and we are just about to set up for the Leeds Provocative Therapy weekend with Frank Farrelly. This is an excellent opportunity to learn from a really excellent communicator up close and I contnue to be surprised by how quickly Frank resolves client issues. Many NLPers don't "get PT" as they find they can't fit it into their existing ideas and this creates a great deal of amusement for PTers, including myself!
After this Nov 1/2nd event Frank will be back in May 2009 to run a 3 day workshop with myself!

Creativity in NLP and the lack of?

Like musicians, NLP trainers and Hypnosis trainers come in all shapes and sizes. IMO the best ones bring something new in respect of creativity, rather than simply copying what they have seen and heard previously.

Some NLP practitioners take the skills they learn and then develop their own style and approach, whereas others simply parrot what they have seen in their original tranings. I have seen NLP Practitioners, Master Practitioners, Trainers and "Master Trainers" (remembering that this is an honourary title, rather than a representation of a level of skills attainment!) present some really excellent skills and in other instances some truly dreadful work.
The creators of NLP modelled the best therapists they found at that time and then sought to create and develop NLP.
When I set up www.nlpmp3.com the idea was to bring together people who have done something different with NLP and mostly the interviews IMO represent this element. However that having said, considering the volume of people who have trained in NLP (one London company alone claims 50,000 since the mid 1990s) there are few IMO really creative trainers and practitioners who have taken the core skills and done something new with it! (just a personal view of course)

My recommendations for great material in respect of products mostly come from a decade ago and personally its a long time since I read a really great book from an NLPer, with the exception of my good friend Andy Austin's Rainbow Machine and Steve Andreas's 6 Blind Elephants. Similarly audio and video material is often lacking in creativity and mostly has terrible production quality while remaining extremely expensive for what you actully receive.

Recently I watched some of the old NLP comprehensive DVD footage and was seriously impressed by Bandler's Perceptual Grids DVD, which most people will probably not be aware of. I have mentioned many times my admiration for Dave Dobson's material (although I would not call him an NLPer, but a really creative individual) which never ceases to surprise. When looking for real creativity I keep returning to guys who have been around a while and most of these including Dobson, Farrelly and others are not what I would call "NLPers".

At the IASH SF conference I was truly impressed by a number of individuals I had previously not heard of and especially Richard Gray who has done amazing work in the field of addictions, which is a tough place to work in! The next interview on NLPmp3 is with Alison Hirons who has been using NLP in teaching with great effect.

Busy times...

This has been an extremely busy period even by my standards! After having Frank Farrelly to stay as well as running an NLP Prac, I have also been fully occupied with private clients as well as arranging workshops for 2009 in the USA, UK and Europe!

We also launched the revised www.nlpmp3.com and www.hypnosisproducts.co.uk sites which are attracting lots of attention.

Today I am declaring an official day of rest for myself!

European adventures...

Today I began some discussions about running some of my Provocative Change Works events in Europe in 2009. Its already going to be a fascinating year with a bunch of new recording projects and collaborations.
Actually its quite flattering to have so many requests to present in different parts of the planet and its great to have the opportunity to travel and run workshops with different audiences and cultures.

Another NLP Practitioner completed!

I just got back from completing another NLP Practitioner and this was a pretty good group described by Alison one of the key assistants as "a very friendly bunch!" Over the years I have realised more and more the benefit of working with small groups and focussing on practice of skills rather than discussion of NLP!

The delegates came from across the UK and from a wide range of backgrounds. The benefit of seeing so many clients in private practice is that I have been able to really refine and develop NLP skills to a very different level.

Next year I'll be focussing more on running events which focus more on therapeutic applications and in Apri 2009 will be running a weekend with Andrew T Austin in Leeds

2009 USA Workshop dates

After presenting in San Francisco this year, I am delighted to announce the first 2009 USA dates where I will be presenting my Provocative Change Works approach to client change. I outlined some of these skills at IASH, but there is a lot more that has never been taught in the public domain, until now...

Check http://www.attayn.com/?page_id=50

NLP products, what's worth checking out?

I recently relaunched www.nlpmp3.com as well as www.hypnosisproducts.co.uk to showcase some of the best NLP and Hypnosis products. Considering the numbers of people who have trained in NLP, there are IMO relatively few great products released...
Recommeded books are listed here

http://www.hypnosisproducts.co.uk/hypnosis/recommended-hypnosis-books.html

Many of thee are from a while ago, but I do recommend Andrew T Austin's The Rainbow Machine as a book that stands out from the crowd - see www.23nlpeople.com

Many audio and video products are not that well produced and very expensive relying on purchases from the trainer's fan base. Few produts have crossed over into the mainstream, but the best ones are still well worth checking out

Invitation only day

Today I am running an invitation only workshop on belief change. I keep these invite only events to small groups of 18 folks or less

2009 is looking like one hell of a year

Its only October, but 2009 is already looking like one hell of a year with a bunch of new workshops and products that will be announced in forthcoming weeks. Many of these opportunities come from extensive networking over a period of time and most centre around my own Provocative Change Works approach rather than anything NLP related!

Last week I was lucky enough to have Frank Farrelly stay for a week and also have him record some comments on one of my IASH sessions. Both Frank and Steve Andreas have been fantastic in their encouragement of my own work and increasingly I find that the PCW approach is what works best with private clients, for a wide range of conditions.

Two very different pieces of feedback from the Farrelly evening

The Frank Farrelly evening was IMO quite fascinating, especially as Frank worked with a delegate who is terminally ill, with only a few months to live. Here are two pieces of feedback which are very different and I'll let you decide which person was able to notice more about how Frank's approach works in a very multi layered manner. I recorded the session and as ever I am amazed by how people filter experiences in different ways.


PERSPECTIVE 1 FROM A GP

I thought I would post just to say what a delight Frank's evening was on the 3rd of October. A lady having late phase treatment for breast cancer,with concerns around sexuality,sexual functioning,and the very content of her remaining life had a session with Frank, and it was an absoloutely excellent teaching event.It was immensely generous of the client to be prepared to have this witnessed by everyone there and I salute her,and send her my heartfelt thanks.
As a doctor myself, I have so often come across people with life threatening illness being effectively ostracised,and shut down when they attempt to express themselves, simply because people do not know what to say or how to say it.This happens particulalry around sexual issues, partly because people often find this awkward to discuss, particulalry when it impacts on anyone with any kind of disability or illness. Contemplating sexual desires in another is often not easy, particularly when the individual has limited life expectancy and health issues which affect what they are able to do.Breast cancer and prostate cancer by their very nature impact on sexuality, partly due to the direct nature of surgery and radiotherapy, partly due to the indirect effects of hormonal manipulation.
Using his Provocative Therapy, Frank discussed life expectancy,sexuality,body image,relationships with significant others,financial matters,all in an open and supportive fashion,covering everything in a mere 25-30 minutes-producing the client's final response-"now I feel I have hope." Frank used humour and a remarkable openess which simultaneously suported yet freed the conversation wherever it went and as an example of how to have an effective and productive interaction in such a situation it was absoloutely superb.
So often such an interaction can be merely a grim and ineffective 25minutes of passing the tissue box whilst the client sobs hopelessly, and the therapist feels terrible and powerless to assist.I was delighted to have been present because I personally learnt a lot, but also because for everyone else present, whether friend,relative,partner,parent,child or therapist,whenever we are faced with "difficult" interactions, we now have simple effective tools to use which are immensely powerful , and make such an interaction meaningful, with magnificent resonance for all involved.
Frank manages to make such interactions look deceptively simple-like a conversation between two old friends-speaking as a doctor with 25 years experience-provocative therapy is simply superb.
Superb stuff indeed.

Dr S Elton


PERSPECTIVE 2 FROM ANDY NLP PRACTITIONER

"I'd just like to express my dissapointment in what was a non sequitur of an evening last Friday.

A good friend of mine who coaches in the North West paid for me to come along in expectation that we may learn something about the craft of a master. What in fact took place was completely irrelevant. I simply want to ask "why did you not think of stepping in to at least coax Frank and Sue away from the two hour fusilade of cock stories". Why?"

Andy
NLP Practitioner


The interview with Sue was actually the first half of the evening. In the second half Frank talked about the difference between the theory of seeing clients and the reality of some of the tough clients that are often not helped by trditional approaches.

BTW We offered the evening at just 20 pounds to cover costs and give people the opportunity to ask Frank questions. The first observer did ask about the session and spoke to Sue afterwards.

Human Alchemy music for short film

I just received a DVD of a movie where I gave permission to use one of my Human Alchemy audio tracks. The short film has reached the final of a competition and you can watch it here



I really like it and hope you do too!

Big news on 2 fronts!

Firstly the new NLPmp3 site is now LIVE! This has been a massive undertaking and special thanks to Beju who built the new version.
Secondly later this week I will be announcing the first USA Provocative workshop!

Detailsto follow soon...

3 intensive days and some provocative thoughts

I just finished 3 intensive days of training. Not only have we run the first part of the NLP Prac, but also hosted the Frank Farrelly evening in Leeds which provoked some great feedback. As usual some NLPers didn't "get it" but I am well used to that by now and find it hystercial that many folks try to pigeon hole Frank in NLP terms missing all manner of elements contained in the Provocative approach!
Over the next few days I'll be hanging out with Frank talking about his work, catching a few movies and who knows we may even video some of our discussions!

Breakfast with Frank Farrelly

Today I picked up Frank Farrelly from the airport and had breakfast. During this time we chatted about the planning for this Friday's evening event and the planned Nov 2008 and May 2009 workshops. Even at 77 Frank is still as sharp as ever and full of energy!

The value of practice, practice, practice...

Many people who attend NLP and Hypnosis trainings do so with the idea that a single course or couple of courses will create enough skills to enable them to pack in the day job! The reality is of course very different and one of the real secrets to becoming a skilled practitioner is to practice, practice and practice some more!

When seeing private clients it becomes clear that the theory learned in NLP and Hypnosis trainings does not always translate into private private. Clients really don't care about whether a practitioner uses NLP, Hypnosis or any other approach, they just want to be sorted!

Seeing clients every week creates an opportunity to refine and explore what works best and of course clients can be very different, even when they suggest having the same "problem" IMO most NLP practitioners don't see many paying clients and so don't develop skills in the same way. This is also true for some NLP trainers who don't get the opportunity to refine skills in this way!

Over the years I have found combining Frank Farrelly's and Erickson's approaches to work really well alongside NLP. My own Provocative Change Works approach draws inspiration from these approaches and more info can be found at www.provocativechangeworks.com

Major news coming soon...

I'll be announcing some major workshops news for 2009 in the next week. 2008 has been one hell of a year with the IASH conference in San Francisco, which has produced some excellent networking opportunities and an invitation to return in 2010. the year ahead promises even bigger things!

Frank Farrelly comes town

This evening I chatted to Frank Farrelly to make arrangements for wheh comes to stay with me for a week before his European workshop dates. Next Friday Frank is running an evening event on Provocative Therapy in Leeds and then on Nov 1 - 2 he is running his annual PT event.

Frank was of course a big influence on the creators of NLP and you can find out about Frank'sapprh to therapy at www.associationforprovocativetherapy.com

What makes an NLP Practitioner?

Its a few weeks away from the NLP Practitioner event I am running in Leeds with Tranceforming NLP and I have been pondering on the issue of what makes an NLP Practitioner. Just as "the map is not the territory", the certificate is not the training!

There are no universally agreed standards for NLP and different NLP schools have in many instances fundamentally different ideas about what constitutes being an NLP Practitioner. The Society of NLP details NLP Practitioner requirements as being the following -

A minimum ability to utilize the basic skills, techniques, patterns and concepts of NLP™:

Behavioral integration of the basic presuppositions of NLP:
The ability to change the process by which we experience reality is more often valuable than changing the content of our experience of reality.

The meaning of your communication is the response you get.

All distinctions human beings are able to make concerning our environment and our behavior can be usefully represented through the visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and gustatory senses.

The resources an individual needs to effect a change are already within them.

The map is not the territory.

The positive worth of the individual is held constant, while the value and appropriateness of the internal and/or external behavior is questioned.

There is a positive intention motivating every behavior; and a context in which every behavior has value.

Feedback vs. Failure - All results and behaviors are achievements, whether they are desired results for a given task/context or not.

Rapport Establishment & Maintenance
Verbal & Nonverbal Pacing & Leading
Verbal and Nonverbal Elicitation of Responses
Calibrating through Sensory Experience
Representational Systems (Sensory Predicates and Accessing Cues)
Milton Model, Meta Model
Elicitation of Well-Formed Goals, Direction, and Present State
Overlapping and Translating Representational Systems
Eliciting, Installing & Utilizing Anchors in all sensory systems
Ability To Shift Consciousness
Submodalities (utilizing including Timelines, Belief Change, Swish Patterns, etc.)
Omni Directional Chunking
Accessing and Building Resources
Content & Context Reframing
Creating & Utilizing Metaphors
Strategy Detection, Elicitation, Utilization, And Installation
Demonstration of Flexibility of Behavior and Attitude

This is what all SNLP trainers should be teaching on an NLP Prac course and of course different training styles and different ways of checking (and not checking?) that students hve reached an appropriate level of capability. However none of this IMO fully explains what an an NLP Practioner is as being a practitioner is more than merely rolling out a series of techniques and/or demonstrating an understanding of NLP. Since the 1990s when I first trained in NLP, I have actually only met very few NLPers who have been able to demonstrate a real ability to use their NLP skills in either a one to one or business context in a helpful and useful manner.

The absolute best way to improve NLP skills is to practice, practice and practice some more. NLP "practice groups" can be useful, but there really is no substitute for working with people in individual and/or group situations. Sometimes what is taught in a seminar simply doesn't work in a real client situation and I have learned from seeing literally hundreds of clients that "the manner" of a practitioner is as important as the ability to to integrate and use the skills in the NLP tool kit. These days my interest is in developing new approaches from using my insights gained from NLP Training.

Many NLPers simply attend a series of courses, but don't earn a living from using their NLP skills and don't get an ongoing opportunity to practice their skills which IMO is a key ingredient in becoming an NLP Practitioner. Michael Breen once made the point that all NLers are always practitioners, regardless of grand certifications and I agree fully with this view.

www.nickkemp.com

Creating "the idiot folder"

Periodically I receive all manner of bizarre and rather stupid e-mails. This has led to the marvellous creation of what I call "the idiot folder" in my Outlook programme, where they can all reside away from sight, when I look at daily e-mail activity!

Choosing an NLP Training that's value for money?

Since my introduction to NLP in the 1990s, one of the most commonly asked questions from seminar delegates and on newsgroups, has been about how to choose NLP certificated training. I deliberately confine this article to certificated NLP practitioner and Master Practitioner trainings, rather than general introductions to the field of NLP. I have listed below some of the questions most asked by members of the public in respect to certificated trainings.

Here are some questions worth asking before attending any NLP Training

Q Why attend a certificated NLP training and what should I expect?
A If your primary reason for attending a 7-day seminar or 20-day seminar is that the subsequent learning’s will immediately equip you to become a skilled therapist, my advice is to think again! A good friend once told me that at the start of one NLP Prac seminar the presenters made the point that the NLP Prac certificate was not a psychological qualification to practice medicine and a noticeable sigh echoed from a large section of the audience…NLP trainings attract people from a wide spectrum of society, which is one of the reasons why seminars can be so interesting! My personal experience was that the Practitioner seminar gave me access to a whole range of different tools that helped in all areas of life. It’s also worth talking to people who have already attended the seminar you may be interested in.

Q How do I choose whom to train with?
A If possible, see if you can attend an introductory event by the trainer who will be running the certificated seminar. If this is not possible then video or audio footage will give you some indication of the training style you can expect

Q Can a seven-day NLP practitioner training provide the same quality for delegates as a twenty-day practitioner training?
A In the 1970s, the NLP practitioner trainings had to conform to a 120-hour or 20-day stipulation, to be considered valid by the relevant authorities.

When some trainers insist that an NLP practitioner seminar cannot be taught in less than 20 days, I suggest that what they are stating is that; “they personally do not believe that they can teach an NLP Practitioner seminar in this timeframe”

The quality of the training inevitably depends upon the skill of the trainer and the awareness of the delegate. My own view is that a skilled presenter can deliver an NLP Prac seminar successfully and comprehensively in seven days. However its essential that having completed the intensive training, the delegate then has sufficient “fly time” in practising these newly acquired skills! There are also companies now offering a modular approach to certificated trainings, so delegates can have a greater degree of flexibility in planning their training options. I have never found learning and understanding capability to be solely a time-based phenomenon! Inevitably, there will be excellent and poor quality trainings regardless of the format. Similarly, I have encountered some delegates who have NLP training certificates who in my opinion are devoid of demonstrable skills, while I have also met NLP Practitioners who have great insight and vision when working with others! Some people collect certificates like stamps, while for others even the briefest exposure to the NLP toolbox provides them with the skill and motivation to achieve what they never previously considered possible!

Q Does the size of the seminar directly affect the quality of the training delivered?
A In recent times some certificated trainings have had groups of up to 600 delegates at any one time! With these larger seminars, a great deal depends on not only the skill of the main trainers, but also crucially the quality and experience of the assisting team. Over the years, I have seen seminars with large numbers of delegates run perfectly well, providing the correct organisation is in place. I have also had the misfortune to attend other events where the assistants were not particularly skilled and the organisational side was not properly in place, causing all manner of problems and complaints from seminar delegates!

Q Is a training certificate a certificate determining a skill level or merely an acknowledgement of attending the seminar?
A Different training companies take different views on this! Over the years, I have come across a range of people, who could boast all manner of qualifications, but could not use the tools in live situations with clients. Of course, this presupposes that delegates attending the seminars want to use the skills when working with others! My personal view is that if the certificate presented to the delegate at the end of the training is one suggesting competence to “practice NLP”, then the NLP practitioner should be able to demonstrate what they have learned prior to receiving the award. If the certificate is simply one of attendance, then it should state this, to avoid any misunderstanding.

Q What should I expect to pay for a practitioner or master practitioner certificated training?
A Typically, an NLP Practitioner seminar in the UK can cost anything from £900 and Master Practitioner seminar can anything cost from £1300. Remember to check if the price quoted includes the actual certificate, or this is an additional cost…

Q What are the best places to find out about the availability of current NLP seminars and other FAQs relating to the field of NLP?
A The following places provide a good range of views on NLP and details of seminars available to the public

Other useful considerations
Before you choose a seminar check which trainers will be presenting the event and what proportion of the training, they will personally be involved in delivering.

Consider the location of the training and the additional cost involved in accommodation. For example, extended periods of staying in some cities can prove to be quite expensive. Remember that the suitability of the venue can also make a massive difference to the delegate’s experience of the seminar. If the seminar room is too small or poorly ventilated, this will adversely affect the learning experience.

What additional support does the training company offer, once the seminar has concluded? ie web based interactions, practise group opportunities, regular newsletters, discounts on products.

How well do those promoting the training demonstrate their own awareness of NLP in their communications? I heard of one company that once lost a booking for a number of places on a seminar worth thousands of pounds, simply because the office dealing with the administration consistently failed to respond to enquiries! Also be mindful of standard quotes that are given out on mass with certificates, stating person X is "a genius" (ok maybe I exagerate, but not by much in this era of hyping up expectations in the world of NLP!)

Watch out for training companies that do not openly reveal pricing up front, but instead seek to gather marketing information from enquirers! Some companies really crank up pricing and its worth checking whether "a half day event" actually equates to just 3 hours! I also recently saw someone charge almost 100 pounds for just a few hours practice, so as the saying goes "Let the buyer beware!"

www.nickkemp.com

Michael Franti - cool listening right here

Anxiety in the UK and pretty much elsewhere...

Anxiety seems to be at an all time high with the collapse of many financial institutes, both in the UK and USA. This is reflected in the number of private clients who want to see me, unsurprsingly for anxiety related issues! The diary is now at an all time high in relation to bookings and with clients from a wide range of demographics from age 15 to 65!
Today is the last day in what has proved to be a very long week, where as well as working in private practice I have been working on all 11 sites, including the new Hypnosis site which will fully launch next week!

Real therapeutic, education and health specialists in NLP

I just added 4 new interviews of real NLP specialists to the www.nlpmp3.com site. Many people know how unimpressed I am with those folks who claim to be "therapeutic specialists" with virtually no real experience. Here are some real specialists who have worked at the cutting edge of education, therapy and health using NLP. These are free downloads for those interested in NLP


NLP and Addictions by Richard Gray
Dr. Gray is a regular workshop presenter for the National Association of Social Workers.He has made presentations for the The Dr. Lonnie E. Mitchell National HBCU Substance Abuse Conference at Howard University; Broome County Community College and The University of Binghamton, Binghamton, NY; Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ; the Veterans Resource Center in Brooklyn, NY; The Richmond County Mental Health Association; and the New York Open Center
Here he talks about his work in the field of addictions

NLP in Education and working with ADD by Don Blackerby
In 1981, Don Blackerby established SUCCESS SKILLS, a training and consulting firm in Oklahoma, USA. He established SUCCESS SKILLS in order to allow him to expand Neuro-Linguistic
Programming (NLP) into new applications such as the learning process, peak performance in sports, and helping struggling students. Today, he is recognized as the foremost NLP authority on Learning Disabilities, including Attention Deficit Disorder

NLP and Language by Charles Faulkner
A prolific innovator, Charles has pioneered methods for accelerated language learning,as well as medical and financial decision-making. He is particularly well-known for his work with futures traders and his research on the role of "metaphor" in communication
and behavior. Charles is the author of Metaphors of Identity, Submodalities: An Inside View of Your Mind, Worlds Within a Word, The Essence of Intuition, The Mythic Wheel of Life, Creating Irresistible Influence with NLP, co-author of NLP In Action, and
chief architect and co-author of NLP:The New Technology of Achievement and Success Mastery with NLP.

NLP in Health and the Institute for the Advanced Studies of Health by Tim Hallbom

Tim Hallbom is a trainer, author, and developer in the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).
In 1985 Tim co-founded an NLP Training Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah, which became an internationally recognized organization that offered practical, skill-based training to individuals, businesses and government organizations

Download all of these for FREE at www.nlpmp3.com

Paranoia and NLPers

I had a long conversation to someone today who found himself "banned" from an NLP newsgroup hving been accused of having a too confrontational attitude. As someone who was once banned from such a facility once for asking a few awkward questions of the owner who had a wonderful habit of deleting any posts he personally didn't like, I did have some sympathy with this guy! I pointed out that people who spend their whole lives online and in trainings often have a very limited mindset not unlike those who are attracted to cult like activities. In short they want to "belong to a club" any club that would have them as a member as that group mindset saves them having to think for themselves!

People often talk about "The NLP Community" but I have never found there to be any common agreement on what this actually is and it appears that everyone has their own versions and although "the map is not the territory" it seems that a great deal of emphasis is placed on "territory" rather than collaboration. There also seems to be a great deal of paranoia among many NLPers who "imagine" (visualise?) all manner of behaviours and motivations that are often at best a huge example of mindreading and not a great demonstration of individual discrimination.

David Crosby once sang "You know paranoia strikes deep, into your heart it will creep..." and from today's conversation it certainly appears to me that some NLP folks take themselves way too seriously and would do well to break the connection with whatever computer they are glued to, go outside, get some fresh air and interact with some ordinary folks!

There are some great NLP trainers around and some great practitioners, but the truly skilled ones are in the minority. The best practitioners are always in work and are developing their own approaches and style of working. Most don't have time for paranoia as they are focussed on more creative and rewarding activities!

Just a thought...

LOL

The never ending web work!

Today we updated the www.nickkemp.com site with news from the NLP IASH Conference and a bunch of other updates. My new sit www.hypnosisprducts.co.uk will be fully launched in the next week. In short the job of updating websites is never done, its like a military campaign which is never ending!
It amazes me that many NLPers spend little time updating sites and ensuring that they look great!
Sometimes it fels like I am spending half my life in front of a laptop, but the investment of energy and time in building an online presence is paying off in terms of new clients and trainings.

Video clip from San Francisco workshop now online

I just added a video clip from the 2nd workshop I presented at the IASH San Francisco Conference. This workshop was totally sold out, so for those who didn't make it, here's part of what happened

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8978569913170795878&hl=en

Back in the UK (well in body...)

Its been a crazy few weeks with a lot of travelling and presenting Provocative Change Works and Provocative The rapy for the first time in the USA. We are already in discussions for further events in the USA. Running the IASH events was a great experience and helped me further refine and improve how I teach this material.

2009 is going to be an amazing year with a number of new workshops in the UK and elsewhere. I will be releasing some more Provocative Change Works material in 2009 which I have not taught yet as well as new online developments. Travelling across time zones can be an odd experience, as the body clock starts to adjust!

The Coolest Jazz Gig in Town

Last night I got to see possibly the best jazz players in the world at the village vangard in NY. Joe Lovano, Paul Motian and Bill Frisell played an absolutely storming set. At times I could not believe that there were only 3 people on stage! These guys are the most superb musicians and although Joe is in his 70s, he is an outstanding drummer. In short it was one of those "you had to be there" gigs!

Reflections on the IASH SF Conference

Its a couple of days since the IASH San Francisco Conference and I have had the opportunity to reflect on the event. The conference was over 3 days and there were an amazing number of NLPers who had been in the field for decades. I mention "NLPers" rather than "NLP Trainers" as most folks were focussed on using the skills in specific contexts rather than "teaching" NLP courses...

That having said Steve Andreas gave an absolutely excellent 3 hour slot on Grief and Forgiveness and I can't remember when I have heard such a skilled presentation that was so precise.
I also had the opportunity to interview a stack of great people including Charles Faulkner, Don Blackerby, Richard Gray and Tim Hollbom. I also got to meet Frank Bourke who has over 3 decades of NLP experience and is one of the smartest and funniest people I have come across. Frank is also involved in spearheading the recognition project for NLP.

As well as the formal seminar events there was plenty of opportunity to socialise and one especially memorable evening at a Japanese restaurant still makes mr smile. I didn't really know what to expect from the IASH event and especially how my own presentations would go down and didn't "get" what Steve Andreas meant when he commented "SRO for your your presentation eh?" Later when I aked him I realised that this meant "Standing room only" and that 10 people had to be turned away, including himself!

Many who know me will be aware that I have for some time lamented what I consider to be a descent for NLP more into entertainment that in developing skills. The IASH conference was a refreshing reminder that there are some highly skilled NLPers out there from all schools of NLP and its rare in my experience to see so many people focussed on using these skills in a manner that really helps people on a greater scale. It was also unusual to find so many people who had experience of learning NLP from the 1970s and who had continued to develop their own capabilities in so many specific contexts, including fields of education, health and addictions. I have been invited to the 2010 event and certainly will be keeping that slot in my diary!

Hanging out with Richard Gray, NLP and addictions

Yesterday I did a fantastic interview with Richard Gray who created the Brooklyn Project for addictions. It was fascinating to hear about his extensive work with a host of different kinds of addictions and to meet somebody using the NLP tools at "the sharp end" of helping people.
We talked extensively about addictive patterns and how in many cases traditional approaches have not real dealt effectively with the problem. Richard is one of the many people I have met at IASH in SF who have really impressed me and the interview will appear soon on www.nlpmp3.com

Also check out Richard at http://www.nlpco.com//articles/AddictionsGray.html

Provocative Change Works at IASH

Today was quite a day! At 11am I presented the first ever Provocative Change Works training at the IASH conference. The challenge was to get a really concentrated useful workshop into just 90 minutes. I had been mulling what to include for a few days and reckon I got what I consider to be the key ingredients.
I covered the "What's wrong with that?" exercise as well as the voice tempo exercise, my arm induction and a basic introduction into the key principals of Provocative Change Works.

It was a good group of around 30+ including Steve Andreas and it was great to see people have fun with the exercises and to have so much good feedback! In the afternoon I attended a really interesting talk by Don Blackerby on using NLP in education and tomrrow I'll be interviewing him for www.nlpmp3.com. Tonight its room service and a much needed rest before day two at IASH, when I'll be checking Robert Dilts and Steve Andreas's presentations.

Its Thursday at the IASH NLP SF Conference

After getting up at 5am for a 5.5 hour flight from NY to SF, I am in yet another time zone and getting ready for dinner with Steve Andreas and some other longstanding observers of the world of NLP. As usual the USA hotel accomodation in CA is fantastic, although it eludes my why Amercians can never make a decent cup of tea...

Tomorrow I am giving a presentation on Provocative Change Works and then on Sunday I am giving one on NLP and Provocative Therapy. This is a great opportunity to see some real NLPers who have worked in the field rather than those who talk about NLP endlessley!

More later...

NY advertising

I love NY as a city, but USA TV drives me crazy with seemingly endless adverts. I am amazed that anyone can follow any kind of thread! I have also noticed that the NY cabs now have video screens so people can hear "news" and of course adverts. Fortunately these can be turned off...
Tomorrow is an early start to head for the IASH conference in SF

The best street on the planet

Today I had breakfast at Amy's Bakery on Bleecker Street at Greenwich Village NY, he best breakfast in NY. Opposite her is Matt Umanov Guitars, possibly the best guitar store in NY, where I met and chatted to Steve Earle definately the best alt country artist on the planet. Tonight I see Lou Reed a block away at a small club. Yes Bleecker gets my vote as the best street on the planet!

"Qualifications" in NLP and misrepresentations...

I recently had a discussion with my peer group colleagues talking about certifications in NLP and Hypnosis and how increasingly they are described as "qualifications!" I have always been somewhat outspoken about the whole "certification = qualification" issue which has caused some interesting exchanges...
This kind of behaviour is not uncommon and many NLPers seek to present themselves as "therapists" having only had minimal training with no "fly time" or peer review facilities. I talked at length to Frank Farrelly about this kind of scenario and he was amazed by all the hype. He was also not impressed by people who talked about being Provocative Therapists and using Provocative Therapy after minimal training and exposure to this approach. Its almost like a cub scout collecting badges in order to try to bolster their image!

In many instances NLPers in particular greatly exagerate their own experience and "qualifications" (eh, sorry make that certifications) the result being all manner of titles which sound like academic qualifications which of course is not the case, as many are purely for attendance of an event. I have mentioned this previously in blogs and lamented how an approach which claims to have a linguistic ingredient, fails so spectacularly to pay attention to the mass of generalisation and claims made in this way. Of course NLP certifications are only recognised by the institute that issues them. They are however recognised by insurance companies and of course every practitioner and therapist should have appropriate insurance when seeing paying clients.

There are of course some excellent NLPers, Hypnotherapists and Provocative Therapists out there and I have been fortunate to learn from many of them. Some practitioners have IMO proved to be more skilled than those folks with Master Prac, trainer or even Master Trainer certificates! A great deal of how well a practitioner is able to produce great results is down to their manner and sensory acuity and not how many classrooms they sat in!

2008 is a busy year with a great deal of travelling and presenting in Europe and the USA, with a number of products and new sites in the pipeline. I'm conducting interviews with many specialists at the IASH SF conference who may not have grand titles,but crucially do have years of proven experience that has given them invaluable insights in how to best work with clients. Some of these interviews will appear on www.nlpmp3.com in due course

Addictions and the "hard edge" of working with clients

Clients seem to come in waves and the latest wage is a regular flow of clients with addictions and especially drug addicts! I am also begining to start a project with the Leeds Drugs Unit which I'm looking forward to as this will be groups rather than individual clients. I have arranged to meet Richard Gray at IASH as he created the Brooklyn Project that deals with this kind of problem. With addictions there is off course the literal drug addiction and the behavioural addiction and by changing the latter, the former can also be impacted.

This kind of work is a long way IMO from the standard NLP training exercises taught in workshops and is more the hard edge of working with clients. I have often pointed out how I find a lot of NLP online discussions quite embarassing and especially when some NLPers begin to call themselves therapists! Most wouldn't last 5 minutes with real clients and all the theory in the world just won't cut it!
Interestingly enough the best tools with addictive behaviours are proving to be a combination of Provocative Therapy and Hypnosis, rather than classic NLP. However the awareness of language is very useful in eliciting the client's strategy for creating "the problem" My intention is to add the Richard Gray interview to www.nlpmp3.com for the more serious NLP students to download.

Moving pictures

I just finished adding 23 video clips to my main websites! On www.nickkemp.com I now have 20 clips of me talking to camera about different conditions I treat. On www.associationforprovocativetherapy.com and www.provocativechangeworks.com both have video introductions to the sites.

I am sure that moving pictures is the future of websites and I am constantly amazed at how many NLP sites never get upgraded and have either no pictures or really dreadful pictures on them!

Creating and updating great websites takes time, money and energy, but IMO its worthwhile. Using professional photos and real graphics experts help make a real impact on the net.

Handouts, handouts, handouts!

Today is spend printing all the handouts for the USA presentations at The Institute of Advanced Studies of Health or IASH conference. Its always difficult to determine the number of attendees for each of the two events I am hosting, so we'll start with 50 handouts for each topic and go from there!

The first day is on Provocative Therapy and NLP and will centre around two of the key exercises used to develop PT skills. I intend to first do a demo of the exercise and then we'll form into groups of 3 to run each exercise, before feeding back. There's a fair bit to fit in the time, so today's challenge is to strip everything down into core principals.

he second presentation is on my own Provocative Change Works approach which is quite different to "classic Provocative Therapy" in that I use elements of hypnosis with client interactions. I will be showing how to use the voice temp exercise among other approaches which have worked so well in private practice. I havin recent times also uploaded some 1 - 2 min video clips to www.nickkemp.com talking about my approach to client work.

I'm looking forward to meeting many of the other presenters at the conference and plan to conduct a series of interviews for www.nlpmp3.com to be uploaded on my return to the UK!

Advice please, as long as it fits with my preconceived ideas!

In recent times a newly qualified lamented their perceived lack of ability to "work with NLP" and that they were in a country that apparantly had no interest in NLP. I mentioned to them that in over a decade in my experience few people earn a reasonable living from NLP and that just a single week long course does NOT equip any person to be able to work with paying clients! This same individual had endlessley posted questions that all started with "What should I do with x or y client"

My response was that the key to improving NLP or any other skills is ongoing training, practice and some form of peer review. Reading books and listening to CDs have some value, but to quote an old Clint Eastwood movie "A man's gotta know his limitations" in this instance for the saftey of the client in question.

Some people "fish" for the answers that fit their own preconceptions and don't get that there really is no substitute for experience. I have written exensively about my concerns that NLP is being presented more and more in the public domain as "entertainment" rather than as a set of skills. I don't think the Derren Brown style sensationalism helps and even though Derren slams a lot of NLP (in some cases I agree with him) his own hyped TV programmes could be viewed by many as irresponsible...
The whole thread started by the individual who "fished for an answer" to his "lack of ability to work in NLP" has mysteriously disappeared, possibly raising a subject that could have been considered by some as too controversial for discussion? With proper discussion and freedom of debate and open minds people learn in the best possible ways. I have found after years of study I am still learning and that there is always more to learn from those with unique experience!

Nick Kemp
www.nickkemp.com

Multi media additions to sites and new projects

We just added the welcome video to www.nickkemp.com as well as the first of 22 video clips talking about different client conditions. From an NLP perspective of course it makes great sense to add moving pictures and sound to a site to create a more memorable experience for viewers and now listeners!

This kind of upgrade is very time consuming and as with all web work my stance is to employ the very best talents. Today I will be meeting with some of my creative guys to begin workon a new online project, due for launch in October. This is a non NLP project, but IMO fills a gap in the market. Key considerations as with all online presences is to use great photos, graphics and to ensure that the site looks cool. Of course anyone can point and click a camera, but to take a really excellent picture is another matter entirely!

Most of yesterday was spent writing new copy and today will be no different.In NLP trainings I teach the importance of "state" and when writing great copy getting into a great state is invaluable. I wrote the first 5000 words for the site yesterday and today will be reviewing the text before handing it over to one of the web guys.

Ok, better get back to it as its already 8am, so the working day proper has started!

More on creating impact

Online Impact
We are in the middle of adding a host of new videos to http://www.nickkemp.com talking about different client conditions. This took a day's filming and about the same time editing. From an NLP perspective it makes perfect sense to add "moving pictures" (in focus!) to he site. I have deliberately kept each clip under 2 minutes with just me talking to camera.

False economy of creating poor websites
Some peope believe that by "having a go" at doing their own sites, they are saving money. This is IMO a serious false economy as you never get a second chance to create a first impression! There are some truly dreadful sites on the net and NLPers should in my opinion know better than to cobble together a site that looks like its from the internet circa 1998. Common mistakes are to use out of focus photos and amazingly many NLPers still us black and white photos for their own pictures. Another mistake is to create an almost impossible navigation system where you can't find contact details and get back to the page you just left. A pet hate of mine is when people advertise courses but just have "e-mail for interest" and don't list prices and dates. In otherwords they are blatantly infirmation gathering and in some cases never actually run any courses!

Impact with NLP Workshop environments
Years ago I was amazed by a company that described its workshop location as "an international centre for training" which as a description was 'a bit of a stretch" The venue was in fact the traner's own bed and breakfast loction and non NLP hapless guests would be encouraged to eat breakfast especially quickly on workshop days so the NLP trainers could begin running the workshop in the now breakfast come transformed to training room!
Downgrading venues to theoretically save money is again IMO sending out the wrong signals. Many cheap venues are cheap for a very good reason and often hard to get to and without good local amenities. A well known London company moved all its events from a great hotel to a travel lodge style venue with dreadful acoustics and in a remote part of London, purely I suspect to "save money"

People remember te best and the worst in what they see, hear, feel, touch and taste. This is true in all advertising and marketing and all of us are advertisers and marketers in some form or other. The smartest companies and individuals know how to invest in presenting themselves in the best possible light.

Time, energy, NLP sites and creating impact

This is a very busy month with a full schedule with coaching clients as well as prepartations or the IASH conference, video and audio recording as well as corporate work! 2008 is one of the busiest years in recent times for projects. Time management has become more crucial than ever, especially as there are numerous article and product deadlines to be met! I spend most of the Easter period editing 90,000 words for the forthcoming education project.

Focussing on what's useful

In my own Art of Good Fortune events I have always promoted the idea of focussing on what is useful and that everything is "a trade" in terms of energy. The most successful people I have encountered know how not just how to manage time, but to create time to best effect. With corporate clients the question "What's the first thing that needs to happen?" often creates a new sense of direction and clarity, when previously thinking has been extremely muddled. Often an MD or CEO will be literally bursting with ideas but these are not sequenced in a manner that will produce the best results. This is especially true wuth company online branding and online marketing where there is no clearly defined message. Amazingly many NLP sites don't make good use of the visual medium and hysterically one site which was being promoted with a very expensive ad words campaign, had 70% of the site under construction!

The Internet or Internut?

The internet has transformed the manner in which business takes place as communications can take place instantly in a brand new way. As with all technology there are major benefits as well as downsides. Most workshop bookings are online and http://www.nlpmp3.com/ has a opted in mailing list of literally thousands of people from across the planet. A few years ago I wrote an article titled "Into the Internut" which was based on observations of some of the craziness online which I have spoken about in previous articles. Some of the research for this involved me provoking a few people online by challenging preconceived ideas and years on some folks are still stamping their feet with outrage, which I find very funny!

Unfortunately there are also some really unpleasant and dysfunctional people who frequent newsgroups and an NLP friend of mine was actually stalked online on one newsgroup by an individual with a bi polar condition and when this individual started sending hundreds of messages and harassing him at work, he totally withdrew from Usenet posting.

Creating impact and branding

Oscar Wilde once said:

"There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."

This is especially true in business and in the era of global communication new mediums such as youtube have transformed business opportunities. In recent times a truly excellent movie "Cloverfield" used this medium in a new way to attract media and public attention.

Gather skilled people together

I have always used professional photographs and the best web designers to create the best branding. I am especially pleased with http://www.nickkemp.com/ which has a mass of information for private clients as well as some unique interview transcripts with Richard Bandler co creator of NLP. We are in the process of adding an additional 23 video clips to the site, 20 being on client conditions!

New video clips online from Nick Kemp

We just started adding 23 new video clips to www.nickkemp.com talking about working with specific conditions in private practice. Here's the first one talking about my approach with clients

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5599162758574263291&hl=en

Learning Provocative Therapy, stepping out of my "NLP head!"

Parking the "NLP head"
One of the biggest challenges I had when learning Provocative Therapy, was "parking my NLP head" After years of training with Richard Bandler, this was not an easy task! Here's the story to date about my interactions with Frank the creator of Provocative Therapy.

Nick Kemp & Frank Farrelly - a brief history
I first met Frank Farrelly in May 2004 when I attended a Provocative Therapy four day workshop in the UK. This workshop was the inspiration for the original article I wrote on the Human Alchemy website which detailed this extraordinary approach. As an established NLP trainer I was amazed at the sophistication and speed of this approach that was very unlike anything I had encountered to date!

I subsequently approached Frank with two main requests - The first was to create a series of Provocative Therapy products (to my horror there were no commercial products available anywhere in the world at this point) and secondly to begin hosting him in the UK, so more people could learn about his work.
In May 2005 Frank flew to stay with me for a 10 day period and to record his second book "Me and God" which prior to this time was only available in German (now out of print) I wrote about this fascinating project and the original article can be found on http://www.provocativetherapy.info/ as well as recently being published in the Model Magazine. "Me and God" was subsequently released as a five CD set with Frank narrating the story. This audio set provides an excellent insight into Frank's upbringing and the influences that later led him to produce this powerful therapeutic approach.

Frank comes to Leeds hosted by Tranceforming NLP
Later in 2005 my NLP training company Tranceforming NLP hosted Frank for the first time in the UK and once again I was lucky enough to have him stay with me for a further 10 day period. It was during this period that I also updated Frank’s original Provocative Therapy website with assistance from technical guru Mark Zaretti. However we both realised that there was a real need for a more substantive Provocative Therapy online presence and created http://www.provocativetherapy.info/ as a central resource for Provocative Therapy articles, products, news and events. This remains the most comprehensive Provocative Therapy resource online to date.

The 2005 Provocative Therapy workshop was well received and Frank was delighted that I had produced the very first Provocative Therapy training manual which was a collection of many of the available existing articles as well as some new material I had written from my own observations of using this approach. The audience consisted of a number of well known NLP trainers and practitioners and to my great amusement many of them struggled (as I once did) to put their "NLP heads" to one side and treat what they saw and heard as a wholly different approach.

The 2005 workshop was recorded in audio format as well as being filmed for what was to become the "Provocative Therapy Live in Leeds" 3 DVD, 2 CD set. The 3 DVDs were produced by Paul Wright with a multi viewing option for those watching. These initial PT interviews include the famously outrageous Nancy session which has been much talked about within the Provocative Therapy community. The additional CDs included a selection of some of the chapters from "Me and God" and the original interview I did with Frank in 2005.

In 2006 I began to conduct regular phone calls with Frank which helped to gain an even better insight into Provocative Therapy. I had already decided that Frank would become an annual guest for Tranceforming NLP in the UK and that we would continue to record and release material from these workshops. In a very short time we became very good friends and Frank was genuinely surprised at my work rate, leading him to famously nickname me as "The Can Do Kid"

To me, he's the 'Can-Do Kid'. When he says he can do it, he can. When he says he will do it, he does. Asked when he can do it, he says, "I'll get right on it and call you tomorrow when I’ve finished it." – Yeah, I thought, when pigs fly. Next day, so help me God, he called, saying "OK, I’ve finished it and put it on your website, like you wanted." "Are you shitting me?" I asked suspiciously. He burst out laughing. "No, no, Frank! It's really there, go on line and look. I'll wait." Which he did. And there it was, just like he said he would do it. I thanked him, we chatted for a bit, and I hung up. I went into our living room and told my wife June what had happened, and said, "The more I talk to this guy, the better I like him and the more I trust him. Now I just have to figure out whom to ask to initiate adoption proceedings."

Frank Farrelly, Creator of Provocative Therapy

In March 2006 I was approached to become a regular guest on BBC radio and for the next 26 consecutive weeks I cured a host of different phobias live on the programme, using a combination of Provocative Therapy, NLP and Hypnosis. The addition of Provocative Therapy allowed me to work in a far more accelerated manner and many of these sessions can be found at a href="http://www.nlpmp3.com/"> nlpmp3.com as well as the original and updated 2006 interview I did with Frank. I decided to set up an additional blog style site to detail my observations using this approach on the http://www.provocativechangeworks.com/ website. With the rise of the You Tube Frank phenomena, we also uploaded a four part "History of Provocative Therapy" to the http://www.youtube.com/ site where I ask Frank about the evolution of Provocative Therapy and the resistance he had encountered since 1963 when he first created this therapy.

"There are no certifications in Provocative Therapy!"
During our discussions in early 2006 I talked to Frank about the issue of certifications and how in my opinion the issuing of certificates had become a thorny issue for other change work approaches! Frank was (and always had been) adamant that any certifications should only be for attendance and not for capability. During the 2006 Leeds Provocative Therapy workshop he invited me on stage to discuss this certification issue with hilarious results. During this hour long discussion Frank mentioned that in the past various "Provocative Therapy enthusiasts" worldwide had made various attempts to create Provocative Therapy certifications, which Frank had refused to endorse. This discussion was released on the 6 DVD "A Provocative Approach" DVD set which also included a series of Provocative Therapy interviews covering such issues as social phobia, anger issues, weight loss and business relationships. My own observations have been that Provocative Therapy can be greatly misunderstood and that there are some individuals who purport to use this approach in a manner which is unrecognisable from Frank's original intention and without the requisite skill and awareness of the client.

The 2006 Provocative Therapy UK workshop hosted by Tranceforming NLP was subsequently released in its entirety as a 9 CD set titled "Life is Wet", this being a direct quote from Frank during the event where he commented that people are born and die "wet". Both this CD set and other DVD material are excellent tools for anyone wishing to learn more about the transforming power of this therapy.

Throughout 2006 I began to include a module on Provocative Therapy during the Tranceforming NLP Practitioner and Master Practitioner certificated seminars. On the NLP Practitioner trainings I would demonstrate the power of Provocative Therapy in removing phobias, so that students would begin to observe how both Bandler and Grinder had modelled Frank in the early 1980s.
I showed Frank of these sessions and unexpectedly received a wonderful e-mail from him commenting

"You are totally disarming and beyond formalisation. There is an ease and naturalness about you and you make people relax really quickly. You got the power man!"
Frank Farrelly (June 16th 2006)

Provocative Therapy and removing phobias
I decided to asked Frank if he would provide an introduction for a forthcoming 2 DVD set titled "Provocative Change works for Phobias". Frank not only agreed to film the introduction, but also provided insightful feedback for these two sessions of me working with Matt the needle phobia and Karen the claustrophobic for a release in 2007. These sessions had originally been filmed for archive material from some of my own workshops in the UK.

In recent times Frank suggested that we record our weekly phone calls and I finally figured out a way to do this and get a reasonable enough recording. One of the many great things about talking to Frank is that he is an extraordinary catalyst for developing all manner of insights and realisations. By listening back to our conversations I have increasingly realised that Frank is a one man embodiment of the therapy he created and a perpetual catalyst for provoking change in all of those around him.With Frank's permission I now run Provocative Therapy Trainings and set up this site to provide people with a better insight into this unique revolutionary approach

In Sept I am running 2 presentations at the IASH conference, one on Provocative Therapy and one on Provocative Change Works. I also set up The Association for Provocative Therapy to promote Provocative Therapy worldwide - http://www.associationforprovovativetherapy.com/

Regards Nick Kemp
http://www.nickkemp.com/