For those of you trained in Traditional Hypnosis, Ericksonian Hypnotherapy and/or Neuro-Linguistic Programming a recent article in the Washington Post will be of interest. Dr. Erickson points out the importance of recognizing the importance of Subtle Non-verbal Behavioral Cues or what NLP refers to as Behavioral Manifestations of Internal Response.

In the Washington Post article, How Brain's 'Mirrors' Aid Our Social Understanding, the reporter writes that one of the most intriguing theories to emerge in recent years about how our brains perform is that we have neurons that essentially act as mirrors to other people. We are attuned to social cues and the behavior of others. Such signals tell us what is ahead and give us time to prepare. They tell us about many things that are never explicitly articulated in everyday life. Much of the time, in fact, we do not appreciate how skilled we are at reading social situations.

To Read the Article Click Here

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Most NLP Practitioners trust the empirical evidence that what they are doing works, but the following article collects some of the research data currently available to support their experience. Some NLP techniques are simply "modeled" on techniques used and researched in other fields (Ericksonian Hypnosis and Classical Conditioning being the two main examples) and in these fields NLP is an accelerated methodology for learning these techniques, rather than the originator of them. In other cases research from the field of Psychology supports the theoretical basis of NLP techniques, which have not been fully researched as yet (a key example being the phenomenon called "Submodalities" in NLP). Finally some specific research on NLP's own developed techniques does exist.

The NLP Model Of Sensory System Use And The NLP Spelling Strategy. One of the most important claims made by NLP is that people think in specific sensory languages, and these types of thought can be accessed by changing the direction the subject's eyes look to.

This proposition is well described in:

Neuro-Linguistic Programming: Volume 1 by Dilts, R., Grinder, J., Bandler, R. and DeLozier, J. Meta, Cupertino, 1980

The following experiment supports this notion, and it's application to memorising the spelling of words. F. Loiselle at the University of Moncton in New Brunswick, Canada (1985) selected 44 average spellers, as determined by their pretest on memorizing nonsense words. Instructions in the experiment, where the 44 were required to memorize another set of nonsense words, were given on a computer screen. The 44 were divided into four subgroups for the experiment.

Group One were told to visualize each word in the test, while looking up to the left.
Group Two were told to visualize each word while looking down to the right.
Group Three were told to visualize each word (no reference to eye position).
Group Four were simply told to study the word in order to learn it.

The results on testing immediately after were that Group One (who did actually look up left more than the others, but took the same amount of time) increased their success in spelling by 25%, Group Two worsened their spelling by 15%, Group Three increased their success by 10%, and Group Four scored the same as previously. This strongly suggests that looking up left (Visual Recall in NLP terms) enhances spelling, and is twice as effective as simply teaching students to picture the words. Furthermore, looking down right (Kinesthetic in NLP terms) damages the ability to visualize the words. Interestingly, in a final test some time later (testing retention), the scores of Group One remained constant, while the scores of the control group, Group Four, plummeted a further 15%, a drop which was consistent with standard learning studies. The resultant difference in memory of the words for these two groups was 61%.

Thomas Malloy at the University of Utah Department of Psychology completed a study with three groups of spellers, again pre-tested to find average spellers. One group were taught the NLP spelling strategy of looking up and to the left, one group were taught a strategy of sounding out by phonetics and auditory rules, and one were given no new information. In this study the tests involved actual words. Again, the visual recall spellers improved 25%, and had near 100% retention one week later. The group taught the auditory strategies improved 15% but this score dropped 5% in the following week. The control group showed no improvement.

These studies support the NLP Spelling Strategy specifically, and the NLP notion of Eye Accessing Cues, Sensory system use, and Strategies in general. They are reported in: Dilts, R. and Epstein, T., Dynamic Learning, Meta, Capitola, California,1995

The NLP Model of Sensory Representational System Use The claim that which sensory system you talk in makes a difference to your results with specific clients was tested by Michael Yapko. He had 30 graduate students in counseling, and had them listen to three separate taped trance inductions. Each induction used language from one of the main sensory systems (visual, auditory and kinesthetic). Subjects were assessed before to identify their preference for words from these sensory systems. After each induction, their depth of trance was measured by electromyography and by asking them how relaxed they felt. On both measures, subjects achieved greater relaxation when their preferred sensory system was used.

Yapko. M., "The Effects of Matching Primary Representational System Predicates on Hypnotic Relaxation." in the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 23, p169-175, 1981

The NLP Model Of Association-Dissociation And The NLP Phobia/Trauma Process Several small scale studies support the success of the NLP Phobia cure, which is based on the NLP model of Dissociation. In each this case the treatment, which takes about 10 minutes, is the standard one taught on NLP Practitioner courses.

Denholtz M.S., and Mann, E.T., "An automated audiovisual treatment of phobias administered by non-professionals" in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry (6, p 111-115), 1975. The first report of the use of the technique, suggesting it may have some merits.

Allen, K., "An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Neuro Linguistic Programming Procedures in treating Snake Phobias" (in Dissertation Abstracts International 43, 861B), 1982. This study of 36 undergraduate students with
snake phobias found the NLP process behaviorally as successful as far longer Systemic Desensitization regimes, and more convincing subjectively to the participants. Einspruch, E. "Neurolinguistic Programming in the Treatment of Phobias" in Psychotherapy in Private Practice, 6(1): 91-100, 1988 In this study from the University of Miami Phobia Trauma Clinic, 31 phobic clients were seen in group therapy, and 17 in individual therapy. The subjects were given
questionnaires before and after therapy, and these suggest that the technique is successful for symptoms of both anxiety and depression in clients with phobias.

Koziey, P., and McLeod, G., "Visual kinesthetic Dissociation in Treatment of Victims of Rape" in Professional Psychology; Research and Practice, 18(3); 276-282,1987 The study, from the University of Alberta, showed the reduction of anxiety in teenage rape victims, and recommends the use of the process in cases of trauma.

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The Noonday Demon is reviewd in the New York Times by Joyce Carol Oates. Her review is titled "Im Not Ok, You're Not Ok.

If illness is a foreign country, mental illness is a yet more foreign country, one with a special stigma. No one takes pride in visiting this country with its imprecise, ever shifting borders and murky language; its frequent mimicry, as in nightmare parody, of ''normal'' behavior; its myriad terrifying symptoms that seem, to the healthy, simply ''all in the head.'' Our common-sense culture can generously accommodate physically ill individuals, but the mentally ill can be suspected of exaggerating, even of imagining, their own problems. Their minds, or brains, must have ''caused'' their ailments, since we have only the testimony of the afflicted to bear witness to what is ''ill'' in their lives.

To read the entire review: Click Here

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The Sources of Power: how people make decisions, by Gary Klein (MIT Press) describes studies done on rapid decision- making in high stakes (high stress) situations by firemen, military commanders and others who had to make critical decisions very quickly. The results will not surprise those familiar with NLP; they corroborate and support the importance of pattern recognition, and making a future scenario, and reviewing it for problems when making decisions.

There are many aspects to making good decisions, and when you have lots of time to think of all the possible alternatives, decision-making is a bit different. Steve Andeas was interviewed about decision-making recently by the Whitman Institute, and you can click below to read it. Very readable.

To Read an edited transcript of the interview: Click Here

Email Steve Andreas: andreas@qwest.net

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It's normal to occasionally feel sad, happy, anxious, confused, forgetful or fearful, but when a person's emotions, thoughts or behavior disrupt their lives, they may be suffering from mental illness. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 450 million people worldwide are affected by mental, neurological or behavioral problems at any given time.

However, determining that someone has a mental illness, and which one, is one of the challenges mental health professional face. One effort to catalogue these afflictions is the "psychiatrists' bible", the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - the latest edition fills nearly one thousand pages and lists over 400 disorders.... and counting.

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There is an e-mail hyping the benefits of 3% peroxide circulating on the internet. I found a well-written article about this topic on the following link:

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/h/hydrogen-peroxide.htm

Read it carefully, and make up your own mind.

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"Nature does not hurry - yet everything is accomplished"

Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher

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FDA Notifies Consumers that Tomatoes in Restaurants Linked to Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the results of an investigation by state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigators, which found consuming tomatoes in restaurants as the cause of illnesses in the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak. To date, 21 states have reported 183 cases of illnesses to the CDC.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses.

Based on information currently available from the CDC, the investigation shows a peak in cases of illness in late September. This suggests that the outbreak is not ongoing. The agency believes that the tomatoes that caused the illnesses have at this point been consumed, destroyed or thrown out because they are perishable. Therefore, FDA does not believe a consumer warning about tomatoes on store shelves is warranted at this time.

FDA has initiated a traceback of these tomatoes and continues its close collaboration with the CDC and state and local authorities to identify the source of contamination on tomatoes in this outbreak. In particular, FDA is working closely with the states of Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, since groups of illnesses were specifically reported in these states.

Investigations of foodborne illness usually begin at the local health department level. A variety of scientific and technological methods to trace the source of reported illnesses are used. Modern technologies, such as PulseNet (the network of public health laboratories that performs "DNA fingerprinting"), have greatly improved the speed and precision of these types of investigations.

In light of recent outbreaks, FDA continues to emphasize consumer advice to reduce the risk of foodborne illness, including Salmonella-related illness, from fresh produce:

Buying Tips for Fresh Produce

· Purchase produce that is not bruised or damaged.
· When selecting fresh cut produce - such as a half a watermelon or bagged mixed salad greens - choose only those items that are refrigerated or surrounded by ice.

· Bag fresh fruits and vegetables separately from meat, poultry and seafood products when packing them to take home from the market.

Storage Tips for Fresh Produce

· Certain perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (like strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms) can be best maintained by storing in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40° F or below. If you're not sure whether an item should be refrigerated to maintain quality, ask your grocer.

· All produce that is purchased pre-cut or peeled should be refrigerated within two hours to maintain both quality and safety.

· Keep your refrigerator set at 40° F or below. Use a refrigerator thermometer to check!

Preparation Tips for Fresh Produce

· Many pre-cut, bagged produce items like lettuce are pre-washed. If so, it will be stated on the packaging. This pre-washed, bagged produce can be used without further washing.

· As an extra measure of caution, you can wash the produce again just before you use it. Precut or prewashed produce in open bags should be washed before using.

· Begin with clean hands. Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after preparing fresh produce.

· Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing and/or eating. Produce that looks rotten should be discarded.

· All unpackaged fruits and vegetables, as well as those packaged and not marked pre-washed, should be thoroughly washed before eating. This includes produce grown conventionally or organically at home, or produce that is purchased from a grocery store or farmer's market. Wash fruits and vegetables under running water just before eating, cutting or cooking.

· Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, it is still important to wash it first.
· Washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent or using commercial produce washes is not recommended.
· Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
· Drying produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel may further reduce bacteria that may be present.

Separate for Safety

Keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from other foods, such as raw meat, poultry or seafood - and from kitchen utensils used for those products.

In addition, be sure to:

· Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meat, poultry and seafood products and the preparation of produce that will not be cooked.

· For added protection, kitchen sanitizers can be used on cutting boards and counter tops periodically. Try a solution of one teaspoon of chlorine bleach to one quart of water.

· If you use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher after use.

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