Richard Bandler

Richard Bandler (born February 24, 1950) is the co-inventor (with John Grinder) of Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). In the early 1970s Bandler was student at U.C. Santa Cruz. He claimed that he could achieve the same results as gestalt therapists by mimicking what they did. He began working with John Grinder who was an associate professor of linguistics at the school. Together, they became aware of patterns in language used by therapists. They observed and then hypothesized models of language based on Virginia Satir, Fritz Perls, and later Milton Erickson. Their proposals were put into the book, The Structure of Magic Volume 1. Less widely known, but equally influential in Bandler's approach, are his modelling of Frank Farrelly, author of 'Provocative Therapy', and bodyworker Moshe Feldenkrais.

Related Topics:
February 24 - 1950 - John Grinder - Neuro-linguistic programming - Virginia Satir - Fritz Perls - Milton Erickson - Frank Farrelly - Moshe Feldenkrais

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Bandler and Grinder began giving lectures together. They believed that by producing models based on effective therapists and breaking them down into parts they would be able to teach these techniques to psychologists and . They produced several more books based on transcripts of their lectures. Those books sold very well, but due to legal problems between Bandler and Grinder many later went out of print.

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In the 1980s Bandler, Grinder and their group of associates encountered difficulties and stopped working together. Many members of their group went out on their own and took NLP in their own directions. The NLP community grew spectacularly during this period; but not necessarily in terms of quality. Many new questionable NLP schools and companies opened up and greatly altered the field. Bandler attempted to use the legal system to gain control of the trademark Neuro-Linguistic Programming in order to create an official NLP community under his control, but failed as NLP was considered a generic term by US law courts. John Grinder did not support the efforts of Richard Bandler.

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Bandler's career and lifestyle has been controversial. A well known Mother Jones magazine article called "The Bandler Method" http://www.american-buddha.com/bandler.method.htm, explores this controversy, including a low point in Bandler's life in the late 1980s, when Bandler was put on trial for the murder of a friend's girlfriend, but was acquitted.

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Bandler has continued to lecture and write books on NLP. His lectures are often filled with humorous stories and provocative language. He very often tells stories about his past that some describe as exaggerated. Many practitioners of NLP claim he does this because he is using NLP techniques known as anchoring, nested loops and other techniques to use the reactions of the audience as an aid to teaching. He is acknowledged by some as being effective at working with a wide range of problems, which has been well demonstrated over the course of his career. Filmed examples of his work with clients demonstrate a multi-layered approach: the DVD set 'The Bandler Effect' shows him working with a variety of issues with follow-ups to determine the effectiveness of his intervention.

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Bandler has been extremely prolific in terms of production of media over recent years, and has proposed some new techniques. In his recent books, videos, and trainings he doesn't teach many of the original NLP techniques, including re-framing which he feels reduces congruence. Bandler believes that many of the newer techniques are more direct and more effective. He has come up with trademarked names for several of his newer approaches such as Design Human Engineering or DHE and Neuro Hypnotic Repatterning. He currently teaches classes with co-trainer John Lavalle and with hypnotist Paul McKenna and Michael Breen. Critics acknowledge that many of his DHE techniques are new, but argue that they are not theoretically different from the original ideas of NLP. Bandler has stated that "I do not do theory" -- he prefers to claim that he does what works.

Related Topics:
Design Human Engineering - DHE - Neuro Hypnotic Repatterning - John Lavalle - Paul McKenna - Michael Breen

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The following advertisement demonstrates a few of the pioneering hypnotic languaging patterns that have brought Bandler both success and controversy in the field of sales and marketing.:

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Personal Enhancement Workshop

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Bandler continues to get many requests from people to work personally with them. There have been so many that Richard designed this program specially for small groups of people so they can experience personal change with him.

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Part of this program requires that you have written a "wish list" of requests and personal goals of yours. Bandler uses these lists as part of the input for his creation of each of these workshops. He also teaches a skill set that so many of his personal clients have needed to make improvements and success in their lives.

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These courses are said to sell out quickly, and there is often a waiting list If you want to attend you you must act quickly. Enrollment is limited to thirty people. A personal session with Dr. Bandler is almost to get. The cost of a personal session with him is about $10,000.

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The Personal Enhancement Workshop gives you three packed days with Richard, whose reputation for personal change is unchallenged. If you stop . . . and think . . . what you would like to change in your life and what would be on your wish list?

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The Personal Enhancement Workshop is held in just a few locations.

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Richard Bandler is often addressed as Dr. Bandler, although he does not have a PhD.

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