The second module had us learning about change techniques whilst remembering that ‘everything up til now still counts’ and wondering about how our unconscious minds must have been paying attention because plenty of the language patterns and rapport skills learned in days one to four were ‘just happening’, and it felt even easier this time round to work with my course mates -  I was far less conscious about ‘getting things wrong’ and instead more curious about what results I might get.

 

Day five focused on change techniques, allowing us to identify where we might start when facing a challenge, and how to further gain rapport with others by understanding how they might experience the world through their senses. I always thought I was more kinaesthetic in my preference for how I experience the world – through submodalities I’ve learned that I can ‘get more pictures’ if I let them arise as a result of what I’m feeling. I was amazed that at lunchtime, following a belief change exercise, one of my  course mates ate a sandwich filled with mozzarella and tomato – having not been able to entertain any relationship with a tomato for years – quite remarkable. My own experience of belief change saw me totally unflustered about the forthcoming arrow-break on the final module, much laughter with my delightful course mate Kieran, who himself will be facing a Neal wearing a navy blue school uniform with a stretchy tie as he approaches his own arrow-break.  A fine image which I may even ‘borrow’ when the time for the arrow break arrives.

 

Some work regarding perceptual positions had us looking at situations from another’s point of view. Sounds innocent enough but another technique that proved very powerful when actually experienced. As of now I may even spare my husband every tiny girly detail about my shopping expeditions, “he said, then she said” conversations, nail varnish, handbags, hair and kitten thoughts (not that I have kitten thoughts, just stereotyping), which I hope he would agree would be an outstanding bonus, and worth being an NLP-widower over the past month. If you’re a girl, you’ll understand. Actually, if you’re a boy, you’ll probably understand too. But differently.

 

Day Six had us experience Ben’s storytelling – I won’t spoil the surprises in case you’re planning on doing the Practitioner training, but hearing the stories he shared, as well as thinking about our own stories, got me thinking again about how we adore stories as children, and whether we truly lose that wonder as we get older? The stories I’ve heard from my course mates this week have stayed with me all week – with key words or phrases haunting me when I least expect them, triggered by anything or nothing – I’m not really sure. That got me thinking about some of my favourite childhood tales and how well they could house metaphors – think Peter Pan’s never growing up and encouragement that “you can fly”, Pinocchio’s desire to be free of strings and joints and become a real boy, with Jiminy Cricket – “always let your conscience be your guide” and Monsters Inc.’s Sully (alright, some of my favourite adulthood tales too) who signified everything that the scary night time monster in the closet shouldn’t be –things aren’t always what they seem. If you’ve ever wished upon a star, maybe you’ll know what I mean.

 

I digress.  

 

Day Seven. Stories for entertainment and learning, metaphors for making meaning personal, phobias made not so phobic, new behaviour generators for, well, generating new, more resourceful behaviours. Possible in the world? Possible for me. It’s becoming  harder now to think of the days separately, all the learning feels part of the same overall experience.

 

A week later

 

My learning feels more subtle this module – that’s not to say that my previous excitement has gone away, more that it’s less a sprint now and more a gentle jog. It’s still the best training I’ve ever had. The environment is safe, encouraging, fun. The manual is brilliant – has everything you need to revisit topics or go through them at your own pace. My course mates are better than I could have hoped for and lots of fun. The water’s still lovely, just more comfortable now that I’m used to it rather than the invigoration which takes your breath away when you plunge straight in on a hot day.