Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a behavioural model and a set of explicit skills and techniques founded by John Grinder and Richard Bandler in 1975. It can be defined as the study of the structure of subjective experience. NLP studies the patterns or “programming” created by the interaction among the brain (neuro), language (linguistic), and the body that produce both effective and ineffective behaviour.

NLP developed from a study of the work of three well-known psychotherapists, namely Milton Erickson (who was responsible for developing Clinical Hypnotherapy), Fritz Perls (the founder of Gestalt Therapy), and Virginia Satir (developer of Conjoint Family Therapy). NLP has a number of ideas and techniques which can be used by hypnotherapists.