The Origins Of Neuro Linguistic Programming

by John Grinder, Frank Pucelik

The Origins of NLP brings together the recollections and thoughts of some of the main protagonists from the very early days of NLP. In 1971 Richard Bandler and Frank Pucelik were students at Kresege College at the University of California Santa Cruz. They had a strong mutual interest in Gestalt Therapy, Frank because of his traumatic time in Vietnam and because he had been working with some disaffected and drug-addicted kids, and Richard because he had been working with Science and Behavior Books on transcribing and editing Fritz Perls’ seminal work, The Gestalt Approach and Eyewitness to Therapy. They started a local Gestalt group and ran 2-3 sessions a week collaborating and experimenting with the language of therapy. They started achieving some brilliant results but were having problems transferring their skills to others and so Richard invited one of their college professors, John Grinder, to observe what they were doing in order that he would, hopefully, be able to deconstruct what they were doing that was so effective. John was a professor of Linguistics and was instantly impressed with the work that they were doing. He was able to add more structure and in due course the three of them formalised what is now known as the Meta Model. NLP, or Meta as it was known then, was born.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Linguistics

341 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2012

Reviews

[Roni Matar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that tells you the back story many of the NLP originals telling their side of the story. It is missing the Bandler flavour, and Grinder jumps in to comment here and there. It was great knowing the Pucelik perspective who was there beforw Grinder and left for several reasons. A good read for the NLP enthusiast.

[Christine Vanbasten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great background information on a the beginnings of a great model for strategies of excellence

[Loïc Dion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining as much as helpful because, I believe, this book lets you gain insight in the NLP attitude whereas most NLP books will teach you only models and techniques. The NLP attitude is the one thing that gets things done!

[Hal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I chose to read this book because of my interest in NLP. Somehow I thought I might learn something about the fascinating subject. The book was a real disappointment but I slogged on through the end. The book consists of articles compiled by John Grinder one of the principle originators of NLP. The book evolves into nothing I found interesting or informative as the articles are like a reminiscence and battles between those that had different takes and agendas. The conditions under which NLP got it start at UC-Santa Cruz was kind of a throw back to a time of wild happenings on campus in that era but really nothing I found that gave me anything to take from the book about insights to NLP and what it became.