Sunday 13 December 2009

Sunday 18 October 2009

Nick Kemp on "What is NLP?"

NLP or Neuro Linguistic Programming can be described in the following way
Neuro:The way our brains and nervous system work.
Linguistic: The way we communicate, both to others (verbally and non-verbally) and ourselves (out loud and inside our heads).
Programming: A methodical and systematic way of coding our skills and knowledge, and replicating the skills of others.

By being able to communicate to our brains and nervous system in a methodical way, we can replicate the skills of others, and improve the behaviours we already produce in this world.
NLP is based on the proposition that all behaviour has a structure and that the structure can be modelled, learned and changed. NLP is, therefore, the study of patterns in behaviour and what can be calculated from them or as a colleague once said "It's about how you do, what you do."

Nick Kemp's involvement in NLP
I first trained in NLP in the 1990s with Richard Bandler the co creator of NLP. I used many of my NLP insights in corporate work with clients which I offer through Nick Kemp Training (www.nickkemptraining.com) In 2000 I also first started to use my insights from studying the art of language to create the Human Alchemy series of CDs, which are now available on all Amazon sites as well as my own products store online.
In 2004 I began running certificated NLP training courses for the public and in 2005 I set up www.nlpmp3.com as a free online resource for those interested in NLP. On this site I interviewed who I consider to be the very best trainers in NLP, including Richard Bandler, Doug O Brien, Steve Andreas and John LaValle among others. I also made sure that these trainer interviews are from different schools of NLP so that the public are able to hear a genuine variety of viewpoints from an independent perspective.

After writing many articles on NLP, in 2006 I was asked by the BBC to appear weekly on the radio to discuss the use of NLP in curing phobias. This resulted in 26 consecutive weeks of successfully working with numerous phobics and this work inspired me to create my own "Provocative Change Works" approach which was demonstrated in my "Provocative Change Works for Phobias" DVD set. In 2007 I was invited and accepted the position of being on the accreditation and advisory Board of ANLP.

See more at www.nickkemp.com

Friday 16 October 2009

Nick Kemp on Binge Drinking



WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT NICK KEMP

"You are totally disarming and beyond formalisation.
There is ease and naturalness about you and you make people relax really quickly.
You got the power man!"

Frank Farrelly, Creator of Provocative Therapy on Nick Kemp, (June 16th 2006)

"Do you know Nick Kemp? - (he is) exceptionally bright, and I have immensely enjoyed communicating...The kind of exchanges that I have been having... are the kind of activities that I think can really advance the field."

Steve Andreas, NLP Author, Trainer, Developer

"Nick Kemp is what a trainer should be."

Doug O Brien - Master Trainer & Hypnotherapist

"I have known Nick Kemp for a number of years as both personal friend and mentor... no one has done more to promote Frank Farrelly and his highly effective treatment modality of "Provocative Therapy" than Nick Kemp. In 2004 when both myself and Nick met Frank Farrelly for the first time, the only readily available material was the classic 1973 book, "Provocative Therapy." Since that meeting, Nick and Frank have become firm friends and there is no doubt the rest of us have benefitted enormously from this unique relationship. Now with numerous audio and DVD training products produced and promoted by Nick Kemp, Frank Farrelly's work is more readily accessible than ever before.
With this is mind, I had the very great pleasure of attending Nick's first "Provocative Change Works" course in Leeds. Having extensively studied Provocative Therapy and seen Frank work one-to-one sessions live with clients on several occasions, I was astonished at the level of expertise demonstrated on the stage. I have no doubt that with his modelling skills, Nick Kemp has managed to "get" the PT model in its entirety. Watching Nick interact with his clients left me in no doubt that he is the very embodiment of Frank's humour, wit, skill and flexibility. I suspect that anyone familiar with Frank Farrelly's style of working will get that spine tingling sense of familiarity when watching Nick work and that the mantle of Frank's ground breaking work has truely found its lineage, and his experience and dedication to detail makes him one of the best trainers and change work therapists in the UK today."

Andrew T Austin
Clinical Hypnotherapist, Neurolinguist & Author of "The Rainbow Machine"

"Had to say I saw the 3 minute wonder on channel 4 tonight called 'My Amersham' which you did the music for, and thought it was wonderful, incredibly hypnotic, and was especially impressed with the music, I was stuck to my seat. I googled your name and wanted to send a note of appreciation."

Jonathan Green

"Nick Kemp has modeled two different simple processes which are part of his Provocative Change Works™ set of tools for working with anxiety and other strong emotions that I have found enormously useful in working with clients. He has also modeled the different patterns in Frank Farrelly's Provocative Therapy so that they are easy to learn. In addition, he is everything you might wish for in a colleague - available, creative, eager to discuss ideas and learn as well as teach."

Steve Andreas

"Nick Kemp, what a guy, I mean he's really something else. He helps people get rid of phobias that they've had for 34 years. Well the BBC heard about him and they went and saw what he was doing and... 'We want you on, you know, every week' and stuff like that and said 'Why don't we do a couple and so he did'. This is BBC radio and so he did it. People called in and stuff like this you know. So then they got so excited because the calls... the switchboards just lit up like a Christmas tree you know. So any rate this one gal... he would do this help her get rid of her phobia 'Are you sure you want to get rid of this phobia now'? She was terrified of birds, any kind of birds. Anywhere near her. Any kind of bird for 34 years. And her husband said 'That's all true too'. Everything. She had to go round them etc. He got her. He did the therapy and then walked her outside and they followed her with cameras and stuff like that and they showed the studio audience... and she was feeding the pigeons. And her husband said 'This is surreal, it's unbelievable'. This can't be true, but there it is.

The BBC wanted him every single day for the rest of his life but he said 'No, no, no, once a week is ok'. On his website and on mine he talks about (a) having heard about Frank Farrelly (b) Frank Farrelly's still alive and doing workshops and Frank Farrelly is coming to England and where? Finally he finds out down in Bournemouth which is on the south coast and on both those two websites he talks about his experiences of coming to a workshop and he's a big NLPer and has worked with Richard Bandler. So he thinks "I'm going to follow this guy and see what he does". If you're interested in NLP and provocative therapy you want to read his stuff on the internet. What a guy. What a guy. And he's got a heart of 144 carat gold!"

Frank Farrelly about Nick Kemp


"Our day with Nick Kemp was a turning point. The solutions are obvious as we look back on them! But on the day Nick found us confused and stressed and left us clear and focussed. We changed the company name to reflect the range of products we now have and this has immediately helped to communicate to existing and new customers so much better. Nick's direction has meant these changes are felt within the organisation as well. The ideas came from ourselves with his guidance – and this means we have so much more ownership of the process. The follow-up from Nick has also been welcome – checking, tweaking and confirming the original plan as it rolls out. The focus and clarity Nick brought to us has meant increased sales activity as well as a more efficient work pattern to deal with this. From struggling to striding!"

Mal Williamson - Director Engage Now - Nov 2008

"We wanted to help our staff consider that there is more than one response to a given situation, and help them explore a range of possibilities in terms of reactions. Alongside that is the awareness of the power and effect of language to help increase rapport, not only with colleagues, but with our customers.
Feedback from Nick's work was impressive, in the highly regulated world of insurance we do have to operate to a script when talking to customers to meet FSA requirements; however we are now looking at the specific words we use.
Additionally our staff are more aware of their 'state' as a major factor in improving our ability to perform tasks, and how to seek to control this."

Sue Lewis - Operations Manager,
Towergate Partnership Ltd

"As head of a busy community drug service, the most significant element I witnessed in his training for my team that has proved to be important in our work with addicted clients has been without a doubt the powerful insight he provided that profound change is not only possible and desirable - but that it is not a time bound process. We are used to assuming that our work will be slow and painstaking - Nick reminded us of the human potential for swift and dramatic change."

Sian James
Head of Community Drug Treatment Services

"I've been in the retail business for eight years and have had a lot of success until this year, when retail hit a low point. After a major upsizing last year, sales weren't covering overheads and the business couldnt've survived. I brought in the services of Nick Kemp for advise on areas that we could change to get customers back through the doors again.
After a friendly, informal chat over breakfast outside of my shop, Nick suggested loads of things to attract more customers into the shop, like simply adding more colour to the window! This alone increased customer traffic dramatically.
After seeing Nick and implementing just a few of his ideas, within ONE week, the business completely turned around! And to think, i've only implemented about 10% of the ideas so far! Now, it's a case of finding out just how much money the shop can make! Fun times!
If you are looking for a way to increase sales and efficiency in your business, I can whole-heartedly recommend Nick Kemp as a Business Consultant."

Julie Lingard
Aqua Couture (Designer Boutique), Leeds

"Nick is fantastic to have around in various areas. I have worked with Nick on my business skills and training for my staff. If you were looking to find that extra few percent to beat the competition...then here you are."

Ross Allenby - Entrepreneur, Oct 2008

"If you train with Nick then quite simply you will be able to DO this stuff. This is absolutely KEY. It's no good learning from someone who's just spent a bunch of money to obtain a 'title'... Nick is a LIVING DEMONSTRATION of what USING these technologies can do. I'm not just talking about business either - Sure Nick runs a thriving training company...sure he maintains a product 'empire' of some of the best audio/video material out there...sure he secured his own radio series with the BBC...sure he continues to pack out his clinic with people who want a lasting solution to their problems. But it's more than that. Nick is a lovely guy. He's generous, intelligent, mischievous and damn funny. Hear me on this - I meet hundreds of people every year who think it's appropriate to try and maintain a fake "veneer" of 'success' - until they reveal to me secretly that they're barely making rent... Nick Kemp is a man who has done what should be done if you're going to spend money and time to learn this stuff...HE'S USED IT! And you know what's cool? He'll show you how to use it too. Whatever he recommends next - I'd do it!"

James Lavers

"Having worked with Nick Kemp on various projects over several years I am fully aware of the unique skills he possesses, and he was my first port of call when I set about building a telesales team. From the outset his thinking process and training methodology were far superior to any I have encountered in my 14 years of sales. He has the ability to break everything down to a simplistic level. We successfully took 18 people with no experience or discernable skills and within a three day period produced sales staff that have and still are achieving target on a daily basis. Nicks ability to communicate on all levels was truly tested and yet he succeeded. We continue to train new staff with Nick's bespoke training package, whilst continually assessing and updating existing staff's skills. As a company we have never missed a sales target, this has been achieved through consistent input from Nick Kemp. He adds strength to our company and is viewed as a team member by all the staff. I see Nick as part of our continued growth and success and am convinced that without his original input and ideas we would not be where we are today."

Andrew Horner Glister, MD

Wednesday 26 August 2009

About Nick Kemp

Nick Kemp has been involved in the field of personal change for thirty years, having studied many forms of communication and personal development, including Hypnosis, Provocative Therapy and Neuro Linguistics, before creating his own Provocative Change Works(tm) approach that he uses in his private practice. His highly acclaimed Human Alchemy (tm) series of CDs attracted international attention and he created the first ever commercial multi sound DTS hypnosis CD. In early 2001 Nick Kemp’s Human Alchemy CDs had already became regarded by many as some of the finest hypnosis products available, and were described by Anglo American Books in the following way -
“We are sent many CDs and audiotapes from therapists for review, but it is truly unusual to come across a product that is as effective and professional as this offering from Nick Kemp. As well as being a useful tool it should be of great interest to those who wish to use the more complex language techniques inherited from Milton Erickson's great work.”
In 2004 Nick Kemp met Frank Farrelly, (creator of Provocative Therapy and influence on the creators of NLP) and began an intensive training to become an approved Provocative Therapy Trainer. He subsequently founded The Association for Provocative Therapy (or AFPT) and released the “Provocative Change Works for Phobias” DVD set which has commentary from Frank Farrelly himself. In 2006 Nick Kemp was a guest for 26 consecutive weeks on BBC Radio curing phobics live on the air using his Provocative Change Works approach. This has been described by Frank Farrelly to a professional colleague in the following way
“You’ll find his work on phobias using PT mixed with NLP and Hypnosis quite a blend and Enlightening!”
Frank Farrelly
In 2008 Nick Kemp was invited to present at the IASH Conference in San Francisco to a “standing room only” audience and he has since also presented his work in New York. In 2009 and 2010 he will be running a series of new trainings in the UK, Europe and USA. His Provocative Change Works approach and creation of the Provocative Icon System (tm) has attracted the attention of many international trainers including Steve Andreas who made the following comment
“Do you know Nick Kemp? – (he is) exceptionally bright, and I have immensely enjoyed communicating...The kind of exchanges that I have been having... are the kind of activities that I think can really advance the field.”
Steve Andreas
NLP Developer, Writer

For Nick Kemp’s official site see www.nickkemp.com
For Nick Kemp’s trainings see www.nickkemptraining.com

Friday 21 August 2009

Wednesday 11 March 2009

The Blog has moved

and is now HERE - www.nickkemp.com

Tuesday 10 February 2009

NLP, Paranoia v real skill development


When I first began exploring NLP in the 1990s I was taught "The Map is not the territory" and this made perfect sense to me. Years later I began to realise that although this is one of the basic presuppositions of NLP, there were indeed many battles in the commercial business area of NLP over perceived "territory" It always surprised me that field which claimed to promote excellence and building rapport should in many instances be so adverserial with a strong "Us or them factor" where during initial meetings with other NLPers the first question is

"Who did you train with"

Once such NLPers become more well known in their own right, their original trainers (mostly who would not even recognise them or remember their names) would proudly proclaim

"He's one of ours!"

As David Crosby once sang

"paranoia strikes deep. into your heart it will creep. it happens when you're always afraid. step out of line and the man comes to take you away. stop, hey, what's that sound? everybody look what's going down. its time we stop, hey, what's that sound? everybody look what's going down. stop, hey, what's that sound? everybody look what's going down."

A professional colleague of mine also made this observation about paranoia among NLPers, comenting that during one training he frequently kept hearing the phrase persona non grata, as a description to individuals who had "fallen from grace" and been cast out of "the circle of trust" (See Meet the Parents for full reference) IMO this kind of attitude and paranoia does little to advance good debate and promote new insights. The internut is full of quite ludicrous comments and postings about whose NLP is best and who trained with whom, totally disregarding the benefits of at times agreeing to disagree!

There are fortunately some "green shoots of optimism)with some independent thinkers who are focussed on advancing new ideas and processes. Most such folks do not have celebrity status and tend to be more maverick at a time when NLP appears to increasingly come under scrutiny from the public at large. I have never considered myself to be part of any club that would have me as a member and am truly grateful to those colleagues who have encouraged my own work and writings.

Such skilled individuals care title about celebrity endorsements and other such nonsense and are more concerned in how they can best use their skills to genuinely help others.

www.nickkemp.com

Monday 9 February 2009

Investing in quality


I have noticed as I have got older my tastes have become more expensive. As a collector of guitars, a truly excellent instrument would usually be at least 2k+ and even 2nd hand this could be three times this amount! Many such instruments are hand built and there is a waiting list for delivery, but there is a massive difference in the sound and playability as these are both investments and musician's tools as opposed to "guitar shaped objects"

When I first started creating the Human Alchemy series of CDs eight years ago, I ensured that the recording and the productionwer of the highest standards and that the CDs were pressed in a CD factory, which meant runs of at least 500 at any one time.

In creating the www.nickkemp.com I also made sure that I used the best web designers and professional photos in all instances. Although NLP purports the pursuit of excellence, in many instances this does not translate with many NLP sites and products very poorly designed. Similarly some trainers don't even use a PA when running groups and sometimes venues are chosen for price rather than comfort and to provide a good learning environment! One company that owned a bed and breakfast actually described the venue as "an international training centre!"

Price also does not guarantee quality and just as there are very expensive guitars poorly made, there can be very expensive NLP trainings and products that are poorly presented or poorly produced. To quote the old adage "Let the buyer beware" and in these economic times its worth really checking any purchases out and lookng beyond the sales pitch...

Thursday 5 February 2009

NLP Book Review on "Get the Life you Want"


This is the link for a review by Steve Andreas on Richard Bandler's "Get the Life you Want" NLP book.
I think it raises some interesting points about NLP, take a look for yourself!

click here

NLP is an excellent set of tools, but in recent times I have personally found that many "non NLP professionals" have been amazed at the manner in which it has been portrayed, often with very little attention to precise language and often in a very confusing way. Steve Andreas certainly in my view provokes some useful discussion in this article which I would recommend anyone interested in NLP to read.

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Diversity of clients in private practice


In running a private practice I see a huge diversity of different clients. As I have mentioned previously there is a whole world f difference working in this way than in NLP and similar workshops where any demo subjects have bought into the approach, by having paid to be on the event.
I have seen all manner of people from celebrities, to millionaires, international sports stars and people of all ages from 10 - 70. Its a fascinating line of work and its great to have a job that is of real benefit to other people, often whom arrive with real problems.

www.nickkemp.com

Tuesday 3 February 2009

Gerard Kemp Passes


Gerard Kemp, who died on January 6 aged 79, was a dogged and energetic Daily Telegraph reporter sent to some of the most dramatic troublespots during the Seventies.

Tall and burly, with the genial manner suggestive of a police sergeant, Gerry Kemp was ever ready to respond to a late night phone call by racing to an explosion in London or flying to the latest foreign crisis. He covered the sectarian strife in Northern Ireland and reported from Australia, Mexico and Nairobi. But his most dramatic dispatches concerned the explosion of violence in Jordan as King Hussein moved to crush Palestinian militants in September 1970.

On arriving in Amman, Kemp reported the blowing up of three hijacked airliners on the ground at the former RAF base of Dawson's field, minutes after the hostages on board had been evacuated. He was confined in the InterContinental Hotel for almost a week as it was engulfed in the battle raging between Jordanian troops, Syrian commandos and Palestinians. The water was cut off and Jordanian troops, manning a heavy machine gun on the roof, periodically came down to demand beer, while guests tried to cheer themselves up by calling out: "Waiter, there's a bullet in my soup."

Kemp stayed to report on King Hussein's ultimate triumph and the nervous re-emergence of civilians as order was slowly restored.

The son of a graphic artist, Gerard Kemp was born at Wolverhampton on February 27 1929 and went to St Chad's College, before joining the Army for national service. He started as a proofreader at the Walsall Times for £3 a week. On learning of a job going on the Daily Herald he did not inform his parents until he got it because they disapproved of the paper.

Moving to the Daily Mail, he started to interview showbusiness figures, though his encounter with Elizabeth Taylor in Rome, when she was making Cleopatra, came to an immediate close after he asked her to compare her various husbands. As a member of the paper's "Newsnight" team he demonstrated a sure talent for investigative work before leaving to become chief reporter on The Sunday Telegraph's "Close-Up" team, digging out material on illegal immigration, Mafia involvement in British casino gambling and the losing battle to restrict imports of pornography after Denmark lifted its ban.

Kemp was in Belfast on Bloody Sunday, covered the growing Loyalist reaction, and sat in on an IRA "court martial" at which two youths faced being kneecapped for robbing a shop. As civil unrest spread in England he had what he called "the Trot slot", reporting on extreme left-wing elements working to disrupt trades unions, constituency associations and other elements of "the capitalist society".

His ability to react to sudden events was demonstrated when he was the one reporter allowed down to the platform of the Moorgate Tube crash in 1975 which killed 43 people. "It was like a scene in a wartime film," he wrote in his pooled dispatch: "a horrible mess of mangled limbs and twisted iron, as rescuers worked in extreme temperatures to cut the passengers free."

Among his notable foreign stories was the trial in 1976 of the British Army Para-turned-mercenary Costas Georgiou, known as "Colonel Callan", executed for war crimes in Angola. He also covered an Organisation of African Unity summit in Kampala. On arriving at the airport he overheard security men praising Buick cars because they could fit three men in a boot. His big story there came when General Gowon of Nigeria was told that he had been ousted in a coup.

As the British economy slowed, the Telegraph started to grumble about his large Telexing costs and expenses, and he moved on to the Sunday Express, where he worked for another 10 years but without feeling that he received the same reporting opportunities.

Gerry Kemp loved black pudding, William Hazlitt and amateur musical productions. His two marriages, the first of which produced two sons and daughter, ended in divorce. He retained his sense of humour during his last years, which were spent in a wheelchair after a fall.

Daily Telegraph obiturary

He will be missed by many, including this son

Monday 2 February 2009

Jerry Schatzberg and Bob Dylan


Jerry Schatzberg took some of the greatest all time Bob Dylan photos from the mid 1960s including the famous Blonde on Blonde album cover. He recently ran an exhibition in London showing his work, when he met with Dylan during the Highway 61 sessions.

I first started listening to Dylan in the mid 1970s and even saw him live during this period

www.nickkemp.com

Sunday 1 February 2009

Snowed off


A day indoors, due to weather considerations

So, an opportunity to write, play guitar and generally have a catch up day, wile staying in the warm


www.nickkemp.com

NLP and developing genuine skills


When I first came across NLP in the 1990s I attended an event that had literally hundreds of attendees. There was a fair amount of "whooping", but fortunately also some good teaching, so we left with a basic awareness of NLP. We were not IMO 'practitioners" as indicated on our certificates, but certainly had some useful skills.

People attend NLP events for a variety of reasons and sometimes they can fall into the trap of believing that a few weeks training will equip them to leave the day job and set up a lucrative private practice. This rarely manifests for a number of reasons including the fact that in most instances the practitioner does not have the business skills to attract clients as well as not having the skills to properly work with client conditions.

One UK NLP training company claimed to have trained 50,000 practitioners and yet few individuals earn a sustainable income from NLP. Those who do make it beyond the "happy clappy" NLP online forums, establish their own reputations by creating new products and materials rather than attempting a karaoke version of imitating the trainer they first trained with! Many such skilled individuals take what they have learned from their original trainings and added their own insights to produce something truly useful for others.

I noticed that in recent years some people have begun to talk about "qualifying in NLP" and "graduating in NLP" as if NLP were an academic subject, which of course it is not! The NLP set of tools was created by the co creators modelling some of the best therapists who were around in the 1970s. Those who in my experience earn a reasonable living from using NLP skills tend to apply these skills in a specific niche. Unfortunately NLP has no real regulation and from the public's perception it can be regarded as a bit "new age" especially with some of the crazy comments online. The NLP skill set can produce some excellent results in learning and dealing with therapeutic issues, when practitioners learned their craft and put in the "fly time" to develop their own discrimination and professional skills.

www.nickkemp.com

Thursday 29 January 2009

John Martyn passes

John Martyn passed today. He will be greatly missed by many and was a major music influence for me. I saw him live just a few months ago and he was fantastic!

I first saw him in the 1970s and here is a clip from that era


Wednesday 28 January 2009

Watch C4 Tomorrow at 7.55pm

Tomorrow at 7.55pm "My Amersham" is being shown on C4.

I supplied the music for this excellent film short

Tuesday 27 January 2009

NLP, moving pictures and marketing


In NLP we often talk about the impact of moving pictures and how these are quite different to still pictures. It occured to me a while ago that it would make sense for me to add video clips on my private practice website to illustrate some of the many conditions I have treated.

A bunch of them can be found here

http://www.nickkemp.com/videos.php?video=id10

Monday 26 January 2009

Eliciting client information


One of the biggest mistakes made by NLP Practitioners and therapists is to engage in client sessions, without first eliciting appropriate information. In NLP we call this "mindreading" and of course this kind of oversight usually results in not producing a useful outcome for the client.

As well as talking to all clients prior to any agreed sessions, I also request the completion of a full set of client notes. This ensures that I obtain proper and appropriate information that allow me to determine "how the client is creating and maintaining" the problem. Key questions to ask any clients are

"What do you want?"

"How will you know when you have it?"

Sunday 25 January 2009

Obsessions and “mindreading” in group communications


A few years ago I wrote an article for an online NLP newsletter titled “Into the Internut”. I felt compelled to write about my own experiences after experiencing online cyber stalking. In the article I pointed out how often people would frequently fall into the habit of “mindreading” in their communications, where a person is certain that they actually know what the other person thinks!
This kind of behavior produces all manner of miscommunications and altercations between individuals. The controversial article written in 2004 referenced a number of NLP newsgroups and received a huge response from individuals complaining that I was in some way making fun of this particular group of people and that I should certainly be reprimanded for having such (and even worse, voicing such) views! Many other individuals thought the article very funny and I received a number of e-mails congratulating me on writing about this subject. I also confess that I was (and will continue to engage in) making fun of this type of nonsense which is not only embarrassing but also creates a dreadful impression of the field of NLP as a whole.

Many people who know me from running NLP workshops don’t realize that I have a history of running international events as far back in time as 1982 and have taught many different forms of personal development which resulted in creating the Human Alchemy series of CDs and later The Art of Good Fortune workshops. As well as my public events I have for years run private invitation only events for more advanced students I work with. This experience has made me very aware of group dynamics and those individuals who prize status and “belonging to a club” above all other issues.

In 2004 I began to realize that becoming more in the public spotlight attracts all manner of attention, some productive, some less so. I had heard of celebrity stalking (and I would in no way describe myself as, nor would want to be “a celebrity) but didn’t yet fully realize how obsessed some people could be with other people’s behaviour. On one NLP newsgroup I actually had a couple of individuals enthusiastically post up to 200 negative posts each month, totally certain that I had a series of online alias’s and fully determined to reveal any and all supposed imagined wrongdoings. One of the main characters (such people are always anonymous, so “characters” is an appropriate term in this context) had a series of previous fixations with Scientology and Christianity and the other character chose to name himself after a popular brand of clothing! Both were convinced that if number of individuals used the same internet connection, all such communications must of course be one single person. Of course there is little point in even discussing such matters when people are so totally convinced of their own beliefs…

I later found out that such obsessive behavior is common for those people whose whole lives literally revolve around “a virtual cyber existence”. With the advent of the internet age this can and often is a 24 hour a day preoccupation. Interestingly I have seen clients in private practice who also exhibit exact such behaviours with many becoming quite paranoid in their imaginings about what they believe others “are doing” which fills their every waking moment.
Many posters online will obsess about what “they imagine” is taking place on newsgroups and forums and will frequently polarise into a “pack like mentality” where any challenging of the status quo or party line is met with a great deal of aggression and negativity. On one NLP forum hysterically the owner of the site added a “thumbs up, thumbs down” facility so in the great Roman tradition the pack could make their views plain without reverting to any actual discussion.

Such behaviour is also wonderfully described by my good friend Andrew T Austin as “whooping” The same Austin also coined the immortal term to describe this group as “happy clappers” Many such people then become “seminar junkies” spending as much time as possible (financially and time wise) in attending endless self improvement workshops to the extent that their whole world becomes centred on interacting with people who reinforce the group mindset. These individuals often become disconnected from everyday living and quite “Walter Mitty” like in their interactions with others, often hugely exaggerating their experiences in life in an attempt to impress others.

Such people desperately want to belong to any club that will have them as a member and yearn for an imagined improved status in life. The rise of Facebook and other such social networking sites is another indication of people wanting to “belong” to a group of some sort. Another example of “wanting to belong” is the obsession with qualifications and there are even examples of such people fabricating qualifications where they hugely exaggerate their own skill level and experience in life, to almost comical effect. I sat in a workshop once where such an example was of a trainer making ever more exaggerated claims to the audience including claiming to have trained an entire Olympic team of athletes!

This kind of behaviour also often results in claiming and/or owning other people’s experiences, and claiming other people’s experiences to the extent of actually telling other people’s life stories claiming them as their own! This kind of behaviour produces a kind of urban folk law that that then forms the basis of a group belief that forms the basis for entry to “the club” that would admit them as a member. These groups are especially prevalent on the World Wide Web and it’s not uncommon for individuals to spend hundreds of hours defending the group’s beliefs in a manner often reminiscent of the “Emperor’s New Clothes” story, where every action is spun to have some greater meaning and where personality worship eclipses personal discrimination. Such obsessions are commonplace in cults where the leader can literally do no wrong in the eyes of followers!

There are fortunately some excellent NLP Trainers and Practitioners and I count myself very lucky to know and co train with many of them. These individuals all have a good sense of humour, an interest in continued learning and development and a real creative ability. Many quietly go about their business running smaller numbered skills based trainings.

Just a few Sunday thoughts...

www.nickkemp.com

Friday 23 January 2009

A great quote


I especially like this quote

"There comes a time in every man's life when he must roll up his sleeves, raise the black flag, and commence cutting throats."

H. L. Mencken

Thursday 22 January 2009

Barristers, NLP and use of language


I am in the middle of watching the BBC series "Barristers" which is proving quite fascinating as it demonstrates how use of language, tonality and strategic thinking are crucial in communication. Next week I am discussing running a series of trainings for a very established legal concern working with fee earners. I have always been interested in the legal arena and how well constructed arguments can be made.

I have noticed that although many people may have "attended NLP trainings", few people then actually really embrace and integrate the linguistic skills fully to be able to demonstrate a true capability in this area. I am frequently amazed by the amount of generalisations made in online interactions and how often individuals can begin a discussion without really checking for such "genera LIES ations"

I am similarly surprised by how some NLPers and even trainers don't really pay attention to their use of modal operators in communications and in recent times was on the receiving end of a series of e-mails from an individual who kept suggesting that I "need to do..." which in this instance was especially well received!
Skilled communicators have a true grasp of how to use these linguistic elements and are constantly developing these skills.

www.nickkemp.com

Wednesday 21 January 2009

Excellence in NLP Online?


NLP has often been described as modelling excellence. This may be true for some areas of life but certainly on the internet there is IMO scant evidence for this suggestion...

Most websites for Practitioners and training concerns are dreadfully designed with poor or no photos, links that don't work and are frequently little more than a series of adverts all displaying exact same testimonials proclaiming them to be "Master of XYZ!" Common mistakes include not using a professional designer and not checking the final copy before the site is launched.

In a recent business training for NLP, I showed the delegates a series of NLP websites that were well placed on Google to see what trhey thought. They were very surprised at the poor content and design elements, which were often very unclear and misleading. Worse still were many of the online forums which in many instances become little more than a mutual congradulation facility!

In designing www.nickkemp.com I employed a professional photographer and web designer to ensure that the site is easy to navigate and easy to find on the net. Running a website, like any business is an ongoing activity which requires a real investment in both time and money.

Sunday 18 January 2009

Best Album of all time?



I first bought Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks on vinyl back in 1974 when it was released and and 24 years later I still consider it one of the all time great musical releases.

Each song tells a great story and as with many great albums including Neil Young's Tonight's the Night (also from a similar period) it seems that a tortured artist often produces his or her best work.

www.nickkemp.com

Saturday 17 January 2009

And the 14th day was a day of rest!


After running trainings and seeing clients non stop for 14 days, today is a day of rest! January 2009 has started with a bang and although I'm not running the standard NLP trainings, I have far more going on and for me far more interesting projects which will take me all over the globe.

I am also refining and focussing on tuning up the Provocative Change Works approach material. A recent day's training on working in therapy was very useful in helping me clarify the key elements of this approach and throughout 2009 I will be teaching this to the public for the first time.

However this weekend is work free (apart from blogging) and time to try out a new VHT and Egnater power and pre amp combination in the studio. These are literally the best units for getting great guitar sounds and rare as hell to obtain!

www.nickkemp.com

Wednesday 14 January 2009

Inspirations


Today I have the great fortune to have a guitar lesson with one of the world's greatest guitar players, Martin Simpson. Even better I got to listen to some demos of his new CD, which are absolutely amazing.
I have noticed that many of the best trainers I have come across are also musicians and can't help but wonder if this is a pattern...

www.nickkemp.com

Sunday 11 January 2009

Business applications day with NLP


Today was interesting as I discovered that I was running an entire day's NLP in business training with 5 minutes notice! Fortunately I have extensive material from working in the corporate sector, so I could easily sequence a day's material to suit the group.

This was a very good group who had already completed NLP Practitioner and NLP Master Practitioner trainings. We explored identifying and creating expectational sets, the power of marketing on the internet and the use of language in sales.

www.nickkemp.com

Friday 9 January 2009

How to choose an NLP Practitioner or Hypnotherapist


I often get asked for advice on how to best choose an NLP Practitioner or Hypnotherapist.

This article discusses the various aspects of this and this article is simply a personal view based on my observations and feedback from seeing hundreds of clients each year in my private practice.

Many clients come to me having previously seen other practitioners and therapists without "success", and come to me saying that, in their opinion, I am their "last hope", which whilst flattering is not necessarily a useful, or indeed accurate, belief for the client to hold!

Although the non-main stream or "allied" professions are becoming more regulated in recent (and coming) years, there is still the frustrating experience of those who judge the entire profession by their contact with those less than able practitioners. This then means that some members of the public have a non representative experience which reflects on and impacts upon all subsequent professionals in that particular field. Reassuringly, this is the same for all professions everywhere, not just NLP Practitioners and Hypnotherapists, so we are not alone in this! In the best interests of everyone, it is important to be able to demonstrate an ability to practice effectively and in a manner which is in line with appropriate professional and public expectations.

I'll start this article by discussing qualifications and experience. For those reading this that want a simple check list on what to look out for when choosing a practitioner or hypnotherapist, skip to "A check list for deciding who to see"

Qualification and Experience
Anyone can call themselves a Hypnotherapist or NLP Practitioner and there are no agreed uniform standards for training. In the world of NLP there are numerous diverse schools of training, many of which can be very territorial in their views as to what constitutes "proper professional training" This means that NLP Practitioners come in all shapes and sizes!

An "NLP Practitioner" can have received as little as just seven days training which, in my opinion, although this can be a useful introduction to NLP, such a short training certainly does not equip such an individual to begin working with paying clients. It's also useful to remind ourselves that certifications in NLP are only really recognized by the body or school that provides the certifications. Many NLP trainers may have an excellent understanding of NLP skills, but have never actually run a private practice and applied NLP in this situation and therefore simply are not in my opinion equipped to train other individuals to work in this way.

Some NLP trainings may also have very large groups and any "certification" is essentially a record of attendance and little else. Some NLP training schools will literally allow students to write any testimonial that they want or provide an exact word for word testimonial for each and every student that pays to attend a course. Certifications also can become relabeled as "qualifications" which can also be misleading for the public and some NLP practitioners enthusiastically list endless certifications to impress potential clients

The rest of this article can be found at

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

Wednesday 7 January 2009

Pre NLP, Frank Farrelly in 1972


I spent a large part of today looking at archive material from Frank Farrelly, including the original written manuscript of "Provocative Therapy" Among the material is a newspaper article from 1972, showing just how far ahead of his time Frank was and why the creators of NLP had him firmly on their radar!

www.nickkemp.com

Tuesday 6 January 2009

Cold, cold, cold...

The weather reminded me of this Loudon song


Monday 5 January 2009

Business applications with NLP


Next weekend I am running a day on the use of NLP in buiness. I have noticed that in the last 5 years many people taking NLP courses can have wholly unrealistic beliefs (often encouraged by the trainers) that they can attend an NLP training to then subsequently pack in the day job to become "an NLPer!"

The reality is that few people who train in NLP earn a good living from it and a lot of the time is that they have not developed "good business sense". Last year I met someone who had quit the corporate sector to attend endless NLP courses which a view to becomng a life coach and within 5 minutes it was clear to me that this person was seriously deluded and had not paid attantion to basic business considerations. Worse still they had dreadful rapport building skills and often came over as quite aggressive in their communications.

In the era of the credit crunch there has never been a more important time to clearly flag up the reasons for customers to come to your business as opposed to your competitors. Here are some basic questions to consider

What do you have to offer customers that is going to get you on their radar?

What makes you stand out from the competition?

How many different ways can people hear about your business?

Many NLPers (and of course others)often forget to ask these and other basic questions!

However the NLP skill set has much to offer business, when properly applied. Any sales or marketing person would benefit greatly from developing a greater awareness of language and state control and my own experience of running trainings for businesses is that this element is often missing...

www.nickkemptraining.com

Sunday 4 January 2009

Old NLP Tapes


This weekend I started a process of backing up old NLP cassette tapes onto hard drives in the studio. Some of these date back to the late 1970s and the quality is at best variable...

One particular set of live tapes from one the household names in NLP has so much tape hiss that I am amazed that it was ever released as a commercial product. I always wondered that is NLP was the study of excellence, why so many websites and products were of such terible quality, when with a little bit of care, they could be so much better!

Interestingly IMO the most useful material is not old RB stuff, but rather from other trainers from the Santa Cruz ensemble and of course it will be much easier to listen to on an ipod that on cassette!

www.nickkemp.com

Saturday 3 January 2009

Busiest month to date


I just checked my diary nd Jan 2009 is now offcially the busiest month ever, with record requests for private sessions. Its good to see that all the hard work in building delivery systems so people can hear about my practice is working so well. This Sunday I will discussing some of my approaches for building a successful business at the one day Business Applications event in Leeds UK

Some people are surprised that I don't see any people for stopping smoking or for weight loss issues, instead working mostly with psychological issues.

www.nickkemp.com

Thursday 1 January 2009

Its 2009, so far, so good!


Blimey, 2008 passed in a flash and now its 2009, supposedly the year of the credit crunch. My prediction that NLP courses will be on the wane is proving to be correct as people hold on more to their money.
Its going to be a very different year with lots of new net based projects and new collaborations with really skilled individuals whom I have wanted to work with for a number of years. One of these will be the "Stories from the Outside Inn" project with Doug O Brien which will launch in a few months time!

www.nickkemp.com