Practitioner Testimonial from Forres October 2008

My time with NLP Highland was well spent. Re-inforcing my knowledge of the topic and increasing both my understanding and skills.  Working in small groups was powerful, and I enjoyed meeting and getting to know everyone.  Patricia Clarihew, Complementary Therapist, Elgin

Some of the Practitioner Testimonials from Forres October 2007

I came to the world of NLP thinking that I needed to improve my communication skills and indeed I think my audiences now benefit from my training. I have learned how language sets limits on us and experiences and how to use language to achieve desired outcomes.What I did not expect was the changes the process has made to me as an individual. NLP has encouraged me to consider my personal as well as professional relationships and as helped me acknowledge my shortfalls, more importantly it has given me the insight and confidence to change, where change is required. Jim Phinn, Aberdeen, Offshore Maintenance Technician

It’s been along journey – over a year in my case – since I started on the NLP Diploma course last September.As I originally intended only to do the three month diploma course, it is a testament to Rosie’s powers of persuasion as well as her ability to make NLP come alive for me that here I am over 12 months later as an qualified NLP Practitioner! That’s not to say the road has been easy – on at least one occasion, I have been required to a long hard look at myself and think carefully about what I wanted from the course and what I wanted to give the world as a response to my learning.  Rosie has at times been a hard task-mistress!  However, she has always been fair and genuinely cares about the people she works with as well as being deeply passionate about her subject.In the end I would say this to you if you are thinking of taking either practitioner or the diploma course – do it!   Euan Bayliss, Conicavel, Moray - Learning and Development Advisor in Inverness

My NLP Practitioner Course has been huge part of my year and it has taken me through many stages of personal development.The biggest hurdle for me was actually doing the course and once I’d begun and discovered it wasn’t as I’d imagined, I enjoyed it.  About half way through I had a minor epiphany and things began to click into place.It is quite amazing how over the space of 9 months, so few hours have had such a big impact for me.I find I use basic NLP with my children on an everyday basis.Perhaps the biggest thing to come out of my practitioner is to go to college to get my degree.  The self discovery that I was preventing myself from doing I wanted, for the wrong reasons.I feel extremely pleased with myself and proud of getting this far.   Kristin Rietsch, Elgin, Mum of 2 very small boys and student on a BA in Business Management

Note from Rosie O’Hara(Kristin not only managed to be there through child-minding issues, illness and car breakdowns, she also put in extra hours and catch up hours for those she missed  - she also responded very well to being trained by her mother who is very proud that after 12 years of Kristin avoiding NLP she volunteered to take a course and chose to train with Rosie O’Hara – it says a great deal about how NLP has enabled our relationship as mother and daughter and vice versa)

and last, but not least: 

My name is Lesley and I am a mum and wife first and foremost, proud of my family and their life choices so far.  I qualified as a teacher in 1976 and started to teach Geography in a local secondary school, with only a short break to have my family.  I became sidetracked into working in a unit with pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties and developed a greater awareness of the importance of a different and more holistic approach in meeting their needs.  On returning to mainstream education I seized the opportunity to move into the role of a Guidance teacher, with my specific role being to support pupils’ social, curricular and vocational education.  Every day is different and brings its own challenges, an aspect of the job that I find most stimulating.    

My interests have always been wide ranging and mostly active, recently including learning to play golf, kick-boxing and walking (I can recommend the 64-mile St Cuthbert’s Way).  I also enjoy learning new skills and gaining new perspectives so when I discovered an introductory course in NLP being delivered locally, I was intrigued.  I immediately recognised the appropriateness of many of the NLP Presuppositions to the classroom situation and have tried to apply them consistently in my approach to working with young people.  My classroom has no fixed seating plan and I frequently rearrange the layout; I use accelerated learning techniques, including Brain Gym, regularly; my language is cleaner and more enabling; my interview technique involves much more rapport and effective questioning to enable the pupils to come up with their own solutions to problems and situations; and I have more resilience and strategies to use in different situations- as much with colleagues as with pupils!  As a 5ft 1inch quietly spoken, older member of the teaching staff, I could quite easily be overlooked-- literally! but not with my NLP training enabling me to access good and resourceful states.  I have been asked more than once “How do you manage to stay so calm?” 

The Practitioner course has been a shared journey and I have met and enjoyed working with lovely people with all sorts of different backgrounds.  I have changed as a person, with greater confidence and assurance in myself and what I can contribute to others.  There have been tears and laughter in the group but also a great sense of moving forward together.  I am proud of having completed the course and being an NLP Practitioner…… but what and where will my next step be?   NLP has given me the resources to be able to answer that question, and I know that it will be somewhere exciting and stimulating.  Lesley Paterson, Guidance Teacher, Elgin

Quote from new Practitioner Course participant in January

My first taste of NLP was a little like my eating of fish, I quite liked it once I tried it.   Kristin Rietsch, Elgin

Comments from Practitioners from 2006

"I re-acquainted myself with the joys of working together with a group of people, trainer, coaches and students, all wanting to go in the same positive and empowering direction while making life as pleasant and caring as possible.  The effects of what I learned stayed with me for some months, albeit in the dark recesses of my mind, waiting for time to re-emerge into the light.

Regarding personal changes, some deep-seated personal issues arose and were addressed.  Rosie, I can`t thank you enough for your help.  with your compassion and skills, you showed, in a  profound way, what NLP can do for people.  That was a revelation."   Laraine Selbie, Educational Consultant, Aberdeen

"I`ve been in Retail Management for the past 28 years and I wish I knew then what I know now about NLP.  NLP skills and techniques can be used from the minute you get out of bed, to the minute you go back to bed ... oh and maybe after that as well!"   Ian Taggart, Ullapool

"I had been interested in NLP – as a psychodynamic counsellor I work with feelings much of the time. This has a good success rate and I enjoy the work but there are many people who are unable to ‘tap into’ their feelings. For many reasons they choose not to or are unable to do this. For these people there are lots of types of therapy and self help. But for me NLP stood out as a possible way to achieve results without having to plough through painful stuff and go over old ground.

I have taken many counselling courses and CPD courses over the years as well as some holistic training and therefore I was hoping and expecting to learn more about myself during NLP training.  I therefore cannot exaggerate enough the impact this initial week in Forres had on me. It might sound dramatic and ‘American’ but for me it was a life-changing week.

Initially I felt out of my depth as I was unprepared in that I had done very little reading on the background.

The small number on the course along with the premises made the course feel quite intense and I knew I would learn far more here than on a short course in London where the numbers are huge.  I chose to do the course with NLP Highland than in Glasgow because I just like that part of the country and I felt drawn to do the course there. As time has gone by it feels like going on a bit of a retreat from life – if a rather challenging retreat.

My first big challenge was to think in terms of VAK and not go straight for the feelings.  Although I understood the logic in the order, when it came to an exercise I couldn’t get it out right.  I was feeling incapable and negative. The second day of the course I cried for most of the afternoon. What I have learned from N LP has taught me that then I was running such negative programmes that I couldn’t see a way out. I didn’t have enough self belief that I could do this. Also a part of me didn’t really want to let go of the ability that I had worked at so hard and for so long i.e. to get ‘into’ someone’s feelings."   June Rattray, Kilmacolm

Quote from Nairn Practitioner Course 2005

"NLP Highland have organised and run the Practitioner Certificate this year and I was fortunate, before committing to the full course, to attend the Saturday morning practice sessions that are free. There was plenty of time to find out that this course was for me. Since attending the course I have used the techniques in my personal life and in my working life to improve my communication and interaction with others. The course has helped friends and loved one’s to resolve longstanding issues. The techniques are fun to learn and at times stretched my understanding of human relations. Indeed after 20 years of courses related to social work it was refreshing to practice and mix on a course that was so different from the normal run of the mill things from my ‘ordinary’ life.

Before coming to this course I had been looking for change in my own life and this came at a time when I was motivated to commit to it. Not only did it help to bring changes to my own life as I look around and listen to the friends I made on the course it is clear that others have used this to benefit themselves to.

I would recommend that as you use your curiosity you consider the benefits a course like this can bring to your life in all sorts of unexpected ways."   Alan Richards