Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP): An Introduction course in Amsterdam

NLP is a personal development method that helps you recognise and adjust patterns in communication and behaviour. In this classroom introductory course from Learnit you learn to build rapport, formulate goals clearly, apply anchoring and gain insight into your own model of the world. No prior knowledge required.

No, no prior knowledge is required for the NLP introduction course. The course is an accessible introduction for anyone interested in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Whether you work in coaching, education or business, or want to use NLP for your personal development: you can join without any prior training. The classroom course is also set up in such a way that you can get actively involved from day one.

During the NLP introductory course you cover five core topics: insight into your own model of the world, communicating according to NLP, building rapport, setting and achieving goals, and anchoring. You learn how your brain responds to signals and how to communicate more effectively with yourself and others. The course alternates theory with practical exercises, so that you experience directly what new behaviour delivers.

The NLP introduction course is taught in a classroom setting, spread over. You take the course in a small group, which leaves room for personal guidance and exercises in which you directly experience techniques such as building rapport and anchoring. The classroom set-up fits the interactive working method well, alternating between theory, reflection and practical experimentation with behaviour.

NLP is applied worldwide in coaching, education, business and various forms of therapy. During the introductory course you learn techniques such as building rapport, anchoring and formulating goals. The results are concrete: greater self-confidence, more effective communication, better emotional management, less worrying and more creative thinking. You practise with behaviour and techniques straight away, so that you can immediately translate what you have learned to your working and private life.

An NLP introductory course and an NLP Practitioner programme differ in depth, duration and purpose. Learnit's introductory course You become acquainted with the core principles of NLP: your own model of the world, building rapport, formulating goals, communication patterns and anchoring. You experience the method and can apply basic techniques directly in your communication and personal development. An NLP Practitioner programme usually takes 12 to 20 days, spread over several months, and leads to an internationally recognised certificate with which you can use NLP professionally, for example in coaching. Choose the introduction if you want to explore whether NLP suits you, or if you want to learn the techniques for your own use. A Practitioner programme makes more sense if you want to apply NLP professionally.

NLP suits you if you like learning by doing: experiencing, experimenting with behaviour, reflecting and only then linking it to theory. In the introduction at Learnit (classroom), you move continually between exercise and analysis. If you prefer a purely cognitive approach with models and case studies, a classic communication or conversation techniques course will suit you better. What sets NLP apart is that it works with inner patterns, building rapport and anchoring. Techniques you apply directly to yourself. Torn between NLP and coaching? Coaching focuses on one specific goal with guidance; NLP gives you tools you will keep using independently. If you want a taste before considering a Practitioner programme, this introduction is the logical step.

A fair question. NLP is not a scientifically validated therapy and is viewed critically by academic psychologists; effect studies produce mixed results. What NLP does offer are practical communication and behavioural techniques that are widely applied in coaching, sales and management. The introductory course at Learnit focuses on concrete practice in building rapport, formulating goals and becoming aware of your own thinking patterns. Not on therapeutic claims. You learn techniques such as anchoring and exploring your 'model of the world'. If you are expecting a scientifically substantiated method such as cognitive behavioural therapy or evidence-based coaching, NLP is less suitable. If you see it as a toolbox of communication techniques that you critically test in practice yourself, you can get value out of it.