Is It Possible to Create Something More Effective Than NLP? Part 2
Test methods have been developed with special requirements in mind. They are constructive (containing a list of components that can be influenced) and partially educational, serving as rapid diagnostics. For example, while a client assesses their level of agency, personal vulnerability, lifestyle, etc., they gain valuable insights into what they lack and what actions would be beneficial. Common coaching insights include phrases like: “I realized exactly what kind of independence I was missing in my life,” or “Now I know the reasons behind most of my life’s difficulties.”
As the practice of systemic consulting based on life path coaching has evolved (in this form, it’s been over 10 years), special and universal proprietary techniques have been designed. There are now more than thirty such techniques, significantly transforming the work of coaches and psychotherapists.
NLP Professionals in Life Path Coaching: An Unexpected Surprise
Most of the complexities related to a client’s personal vulnerability (comprehensive diagnostics) are addressed using universal and relatively simple techniques, such as: “Transformation of Personal Beliefs (Presuppositions),” “Changing Intention,” “Transforming Ineffective Patterns,” “Overcoming Obstacles Using Three Types of Resources,” and more. Together, these techniques cover the most important logical levels, enabling deep change relatively quickly.
All of these methods are fairly universal for solving many of life’s challenges. For example, “Transforming Ineffective Patterns” is designed to address most symptoms: difficulty with self-control, lack of motivation, procrastination, excuses, laziness, overeating, and so on. It serves as a meta-strategy, a general template for changing more specific patterns. Not only does it fill instrumental gaps at the “abilities” logical level, but it also replaces many other techniques.
It’s important to note that this approach makes the consultant’s work both deeper and easier. The set of techniques is relatively small, so there’s no difficulty in choosing the right one, and they can be learned quickly. Some universal techniques are described not only as algorithms but also as case-based methods (with concrete examples), which improves their assimilation.
Session Structure and Client Change Logic
The logic of building client sessions and changes is based on balancing interests: solving current issues that hinder effective living, and designing a new way of life (daily, mid-term, strategic) to realize and achieve one’s highest potential, followed by an action plan.
The approach also includes a method for determining the balance between coaching and psychotherapy in the consultant’s work for different types of clients.
The basic principle for changing personal vulnerability and major life obstacles follows this pattern: from changing beliefs to transforming key ineffective patterns, ending with a concrete action plan.
Expanded formats are offered for working with secondary gains and ecological checks.
Designing New Life Stages and Achieving Potential
To design new stages of the life path and achieve the highest potential (in personal life, business, creativity, education, development, etc.), special simple techniques are used, built around the “Mental Space of Personality” model, which consists of four axes for describing and changing a person’s life (the “4D” Model). Systematic information gathering about the person and their life is done not by the S.C.O.R.E. model, but by the four axes of mental space. Thanks to all this, the possibilities and style of the specialist’s work become fundamentally different!
It’s important to note that, technologically, a special “win-win” is achieved in the client-consultant relationship. The coach receives invaluable material for modeling the client’s life path, which then becomes a unique asset. This is an emergent type of collaboration with significant experience generated on both sides!
Coaching interactions become clearly defined, understandable, long-term, transparent, and with shared criteria for success (both intermediate and final). Not every consulting model can boast this in reality! Usually, it’s a mystery to the client. In life path coaching, the client’s active participation in developing their “individual route” is a crucial and mandatory part of the process.
This fundamentally changes the relationship between client and consultant, as well as the responsibility and initiative (agency) of both participants. Their partnership becomes of a much higher quality and level. At the same time, the client is usually inspired by what happens during the process.
The client’s awareness of what and why they are being asked to do (both in the short and long term) increases. Even at the first meeting, not only is a systematic diagnosis performed, but a joint work program is developed for both coach and coachee!
During consulting, the client’s entire life is systematically unfolded, and, most importantly, unique, already discovered effective strategies in various contexts are identified. These can be strengthened and purposefully transferred not only to other areas but also to future life stages. This allows the consultant to scan the person’s life success. The opposite is also true: unsuccessful strategies and personal vulnerabilities (their individual profile) can be deeply scanned, and without overcoming them, little will truly change in life.
Thus, modeling and design are constantly used as the main tools in the process! Isn’t this the dream of every NLP specialist?
Consciously and implicitly, the client learns reflection (in its many forms), structured thinking, design, modeling, and most importantly, independence. These meta-competencies are developed in almost every session.
Key Differences: NLP Consulting vs. Life Path Coaching
Overall, the differences between NLP consulting and life path coaching are reflected in the table below:
A thorough analysis and detailed commentary on this table are provided in the “Life Path Coaching (Part Two)” training.
I intentionally wrote this article from the perspective of personal knowledge and my own assessment of what’s happening in NLP, considering my journey in the field and hoping that professionals will find something to reflect on. I believe these lines may inspire my students and colleagues to seek their own answers to the questions raised!
Many graduates, returning to our Center after decades, ask the same question: is there anything interesting, new, or advanced for us (since we’ve already learned everything)? Thank you for asking! I think now you know the answer!
This coming August, I invite everyone interested in the new approach to a 7-day training “Life Path Coaching (Part One)”. It has already been held openly three times, causing a real stir among the audience (both seasoned NLP practitioners and newcomers)! The room and our minds were delightfully packed!
The second part of the training is dedicated to coaches—“handing over the keys” to the secrets of the method and all technologies for their lifelong use. I am currently working on a new book on this topic, and with your support, I hope it won’t be long before it’s published. In total, both parts of the training include about 200 pages of handouts.
In conclusion, I want to express special gratitude to my constant friend and partner Alexander Gerasimov, all members of the Center’s team over the years, students and clients, my teachers Annie Entus, Robert Dilts (his attitude toward NLP is exemplary for me), all international trainers who visited our Center, NLP authors, and everyone who supported and showed interest in my work! Without all of you, I wouldn’t have been able to give myself such a wonderful gift for my own anniversary—to describe my experience and develop my own method!
I leave our dialogue open to all of you, and I’ll end this article with my favorite mottos: “Quality is limitless, so there’s always room for us all to grow!” and “If one person can do it, so can others!”