What is NLP? A plain-language explanation

NLP is a short-term method of therapy and mental coaching that uses structured protocols to work with the subconscious mind. Its purpose is twofold: on one hand, to neutralize emotional blocks and limiting beliefs; on the other, to equip people with practical tools for personal excellence, better communication and breakthrough goals.

The method rests on the understanding that the way the brain and senses work (Neuro), the language and manner in which we express ourselves (Linguistic), and the patterns through which we act (Programming) together create our experience of life – and can all be changed.

• The goal – deep, breakthrough change
  Creating lasting change in thought patterns and in the subconscious. The process releases blocks, fears and emotional baggage while marshaling inner resources for healing, personal growth and the achievement of goals.
• How it works – the process and the tools
  The process combines structured protocols with guided imagery to create direct communication with the subconscious. Through the precise use of language structures, we change the internal "coding" of an experience and allow the brain to adopt new, empowering patterns quickly.
• The personal gain – control, confidence and results
  Better control over emotions and thoughts, stronger self-confidence, and practical tools for improving interpersonal communication, your relationship and decision-making at important crossroads in life.

This guide also offers a deeper explanation of the method and how it works. You can keep reading now – or sign up below and try the intro lesson for yourself:

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Robert Dilts, a founder of the second generation of NLP: what is NLP?

To understand how NLP helps people reach their goals, we first need to see what happens before they turn to it: what happens to someone who tries to commit to a change and work for it, yet does not succeed

Here are a few examples:

• A single woman who wants a good relationship signs up for dating sites and goes on endless dates, but somehow always ends up alone.
• A man who badly wants to meet women, but every time there is a chance to connect with one, he folds, starts to sweat and freezes.
• A parent who tries to communicate pleasantly with their children, but somehow always ends up yelling and lashing out at them, dragged into power struggles.

Why do so many attempts fail?

Let's continue with the same examples:

• Because no matter how many dates the woman who wants a relationship goes on, and no matter how many men she meets, if as a girl, for example (in other cases the reasons may differ), every married woman she knew was miserable, and so she promised herself she would stay alone forever – a promise she has long since forgotten, and yet keeps.
• Because it makes no difference how many parties the man who freezes goes to, or how many chances to meet someone he gets, if deep inside hides the belief that women prefer muscular, tall, sturdy and handsome men – and he does not see himself as one.
• And it certainly makes no difference how much patience the parent who wants good communication with their children summons, if domineering behavior was their way of surviving a traumatic childhood – and every small argument with the kids automatically throws them back into the past.
• Of course, these are only examples, and the details vary from person to person, but the principle is the same: despite our wish for change, we have inner blocks that affect our ability to actually carry it out. You can picture it as a wagon pulled by two horses: the first horse represents our desire for change, and the second our inner blocks, which resist it. The problem is that each horse pulls the wagon in a different direction – so the wagon goes nowhere, and the horses grow very tired…

How do these blocks get in the way of change?

The blocks that stand in the way of change can show up in three different ways:

And so it happens that these very blocks run our lives unconsciously, letting events from our past that are buried deep in the subconscious dictate our present and keep us from working toward a better future.

So does the subconscious actually run our lives?

The subconscious has an enormous power over our lives, and many times it really does feel as if it is running them. But the good news we want you to leave with is this: with the right training, using the tools of NLP, we can take control of our lives back.

With these methods we can communicate with the subconscious, discover what is getting in the way, at the deepest level, of getting what we want, loosen the grip of those blocks on our lives and change the inner story – and from there keep growing as people, move toward our goals, and live better, fuller lives.

And the cherry on top: because the method works at such a deep level, the changes it makes possible are fast, powerful and long-lasting.

How does NLP help us overcome the blocks and make changes?

NLP is a method that gives us techniques and tools for communicating with our subconscious, so that we can discover precisely what is hiding there and holding us back.

When we practice the method, we can discover:

• A limiting belief we adopted, which holds us back and keeps us stuck in life.
• A traumatic memory we repressed, which still leaves its mark and affects us today.
• A mistaken interpretation we gave to childhood events, which now, as adults, disrupts our lives.
• A behavior pattern we developed to protect ourselves and which, without our noticing, has over time narrowed our ability to spread our wings and fly to new places.
• A hidden contract we made with ourselves in the past, because we thought it would spare us pain and disappointment…
• And so on and so forth – with the tools of NLP, the subconscious becomes accessible to us and lets us uncover the root of things.

But that is not all. The method's remarkable tools let us not only discover those blocks and draw them out of the subconscious, but also reprogram the way we think and behave, enlisting our subconscious in the change we want to make – and it truly does not matter which area of life we are talking about.

To illustrate how NLP techniques help bring about these changes, here are a few common NLP techniques, tied back to the real-life examples we gave earlier:

– The "reframing" technique – its essence is changing the angle of view and creating new interpretations of a particular event or worldview. For example, for that same single woman who keeps facing relationships that end, reframing the situation lets her see an ending as an opportunity for a fresh start, or the end of a relationship as a lesson for what comes next.

– The "anchoring" technique – it lets us create a kind of "inner button" that instantly connects us to our inner strengths and generates a sense of capability and empowerment in challenging situations. Creating an anchor for a resource such as "calm" or "serenity," for example, can help that same parent who easily lashes out at their children to change their response in real time and spare themselves painful feelings of frustration and self-disappointment.

– The "Swish" technique – at its core is the use of imagination as a tool for fast, effective change, by creating a representation (usually visual) of the current state we want to change and replacing it with a positive, desired one. For that same man who wants to meet women but struggles in the moment, the Swish technique can help him deal with the fear that causes the freeze, and bring calm, confidence and faith into those situations.

This is not just another disappointing attempt at change that goes nowhere. The change that happens through NLP methods is powerful because it does not settle for surface-level solutions.

Earlier we spoke of a wagon with two horses, each pulling toward a different destination and so preventing any progress. NLP methods, in effect, know how to hand the reins of the journey back to the master of the wagon and synchronize the horses, so that they pull the wagon to the very place the master wants to go – without delays and without resistance.

That is the power of the training, and it is what lets those of us who study NLP make changes far more easily and quickly, without wasting unnecessary energy and time – and even make them last for years.

A live, experiential lesson to get to know NLP

For nearly thirty years, Daphna and Amir Retter have held the "Wonders of NLP" lesson every month. When the method first arrived in Israel in the early 1990s, few knew what it was. But its impact on the founders was so powerful that it created a great vision: to bring the good news to everyone.

That is how Retter College was born. Ever since, the Retters have crisscrossed the country, meeting tens of thousands of curious Israelis along the way who wanted to find out whether the rumors were true and the method really delivers. Many who attended the lesson were impressed, and went on to study and deepen their knowledge of NLP as a path to a better life. And now, this could be the start of a journey for you, too.

In 2020, Retter College made the lesson available on Zoom as a gift to anyone with online access. Shortly afterward the college proved a pioneer once again, launching a first-of-its-kind program for studying on Zoom, alongside studies at its branches across the country.

So now the lesson is available to you, free of charge and with no commitment, from the comfort of your couch at home.

Daphna Retter in a comprehensive lecture on NLP

The meaning of the words behind the letters of NLP

NLP stands for Neuro-Linguistic Programming. The common Hebrew term for it, "nituv leshoni fiziologi," was coined by Daphna Retter to make the field accessible to a Hebrew-speaking audience. Let's see how the letters (and, above all, the words behind them) help us understand the method.

The link between the brain and the senses (Neuro – N, neural/physiological)

The neurological dimension of NLP focuses on how the brain takes in, processes and translates information from all the senses. Each person gathers data through the senses (sight, hearing, touch (kinesthetic), taste and smell) and, according to their unique perception, translates experiences differently. NLP studies these distinctive ways of processing, from intake, through processing, to the action at the end. A basic presupposition of NLP states that "the map is not the territory": from the very same event, each person chooses which data to emphasize, gives it a different meaning, and acts according to their own translation of the information.

Language as a processing tool (Linguistic – L)

In the linguistic dimension, NLP examines people's verbal expressions in order to understand their neurological thought processes – their brain activity. For example, choosing the words "I feel that…" as opposed to "I see that…" can reflect different data-processing styles. According to NLP, such differences hint at differences in neurological processing style and point to individual thought processes. NLP has built a meta-model that reveals the deep layers hiding beneath the spoken words.

Programming (routing) as a tool for change (Programming – P)

In the programming dimension, NLP uses the findings of the neurological (N) and linguistic (L) analyses to create therapeutic programs (P) aimed at change and growth. The purpose of the program is to define goals and plan strategies for achieving them in a number of stages.

To sum it up:

NLP has tools that work on three levels – the neurological, the linguistic and the programming side – in order to deliver results!

Why is NLP so effective as a therapeutic tool? (in our view)

A unique therapeutic approach: active partnership for fast results

Unlike traditional therapeutic approaches, in which the client may be passive, NLP offers an active, empowering therapeutic process. In this method we regard the person as a full partner in the process. The facilitator (the therapist) does not "fix" the person, but gives them access to the resources and strengths that already exist within. That is why, in the NLP community, we often speak of a "facilitator" and a "client" – to stress that the power to change is in your hands, and our role is to light the way. At the same time, the effect of the process is deep and healing, which is why the method is known and recognized as an especially effective short-term therapy.

There are two main reasons for this:

• In the hands of a skilled facilitator, NLP knows how to use its tools to "program the brain," overcome subconscious blocks and so achieve change that is both fast and stable over time.
• In NLP, the goal is defined up front in a very distinctive way, which makes it possible to move toward it in a focused and rapid manner.

How did it all begin? Experiments in modeling excellence!

Neuro-Linguistic Programming emerged in the 1960s as a revolutionary approach to understanding and influencing human behavior, communication and personal development. The creation of NLP can be attributed to the joint efforts of researchers Dr. John Grinder, a linguist, and Richard Bandler, a mathematician and Gestalt therapist. Their journey began with a shared curiosity about the patterns behind communication and successful therapy.

Grinder and Bandler conducted in-depth studies of three psychotherapists who excelled in their fields: Fritz Perls, founder of Gestalt therapy; Virginia Satir, a family therapist; and Dr. Milton Erickson, a world-renowned hypnotherapist.

They carefully studied and analyzed recordings of these therapists at work, seeking to understand what made them so exceptional in their fields. This analysis led to the identification of specific patterns of language, thought and behavior that can be applied universally to become excellent at communication and therapy.

Following this research, Grinder and Bandler formulated the presuppositions of NLP, which form the core of the method and offer a new, even revolutionary perspective on how language and behavior can be structured to bring about change. As the method developed, it drew attention not only from the therapeutic community but also from education, business, personal development and personal coaching.

The media played a significant role in popularizing the method, as Grinder and Bandler's work was covered in various publications and programs. Today NLP is recognized for its unique approach to communication, personal development and therapy, and it continues to influence a wide range of fields, from psychotherapy to business leadership. Its influence can be seen in many techniques and strategies used across different sectors. At its core, the history of the method is a testament to the power of collaboration, observation and the desire to understand the complexity of human behavior.

At Retter College we embrace the principles of NLP and weave them into our curriculum, empowering our students with excellent communication tools and effective personal coaching. This approach is in line with our commitment to providing practical, real-world education that prepares our students for success in their personal and professional lives.

And in Israel? Three decades of documented success in the field

NLP officially arrived in Israel in 1994, when Daphna and Amir Retter founded Retter College – the first institution in the country to offer a comprehensive track of NLP studies and practitioner training. To date, the college has trained more than 6,000 graduates and practitioners who work successfully in the field, both as an independent career and as a tool for personal empowerment.

Training the next generation of NLP practitioners in Israel
Retter College is the "cradle" of most NLP teachers in Israel (NLP Trainers). Graduates of the college go on to teach and lead the field both within the college itself and at the external branches of many universities and colleges across the country.

How do you choose the right place to study or be treated?
As the field of NLP grows and enjoys unprecedented demand, choosing a well-established institution becomes ever more important. Whether you are looking for a professional therapist or considering studying the field yourself, our professional recommendation is to examine the institution's clinical track record, its academic depth, and the international certifications it grants.

We are here to serve you in every way we can.
If you have not yet experienced the power of NLP up close, we invite you to join an intro lesson and discover for yourself the tools that will change your life.