NLP Trainer

How to Choose a Good NLP Trainer?

My journey to the field of NLP training took many years of learning from the school of hard knocks. I was a banker for 13 years, then migrated into the IT and HR industries.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, I was heading towards my passion and purpose. Many people who knew me from my past, felt I was a rolling stone. Well, if I had Mick Jagger by my side, I would have loved to have that title but I didn’t.

This path led me to understand how large corporates worked, from a people and strategy perspective. I was hired, lost my job (in the Global Financial Crisis) and realised with great pain, that life was full of challenges.

The only way up was to build resilience by facing challenges. So I unconsciously found an NLP course through my friend John, who mentioned it to me one night as we were walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

I never looked back. Googling for NLP training I saw the path to becoming an NLP Practitioner then an NLP Trainer. So here are some points to look out for, when searching for the right NLP Trainer (for you):

1. Industry Experience
NLP as a body of knowledge on its own accounts for little. When applied to a specific context whether it be corporate, medical, media or engineering, it is then transformed into magic.

My expertise as a corporate NLP Trainer was fundamental to my success in securing corporate contracts, as I had credibility in the field. So pick an NLP Trainer who has expertise in a field that you revere.

2. Certification
Decide on what your end goal is. Would you like to train NLP someday, become an NLP Practitioner or do an NLP course for self-development? If it is the former then choose an internationally certified NLP Trainer. This way, your accreditation is recognised worldwide.

In my case, I decided to attend four major schools of NLP including with the two co-founders, Richard Bandler and John Grinder. I wanted to learn from the people who had created the field, plus others like Robert Dilts who carried the NLP flag with integrity.

3. Blended Learning
Ever since Covid, I see the world of NLP training differently. The resilient NLP Trainer has re-modelled their formats, to include blended learning. Some part of an NLP Practitioner must be online, have components of pre-study in audio and book formats plus face-to-face, to pull it all together.

There is value in different types of learning, as we process in a variety of ways through the five senses. Being NLP Trainers, we of all people need to utilise a myriad of styles to engage the learner as much as possible.

4. Like-ability
In everything I do, I want to have fun. If the personality of someone I am signing up with grates me, I would walk the other way. I would suggest you do the same.

Allow your intuition to decide for you. You must feel comfortable with the NLP Trainer – their style, their voice, their look, their stories. The NLP Practitioner is conducted over 10 days so it would be a good idea to feel comfortable with your NLP Trainer from the start.

5. Longevity
NLP is a science that assimilates within a person over time. It is not a theoretical body of knowledge. Learners often don’t feel the change they have been through until they realise they are responding differently to a situation.

So like a Doctor, your NLP Trainer will be part of your life in a significant way. The NLP course is only the beginning. I am still in touch with the NLP Practitioners I trained in 2002!

We have all become one big happy family, extending our reach to include people from around the world who share the same values.

6. Multi-cultural
With the globe becoming a melting pot of cultures, I feel it is important that the NLP Trainer you choose has a bird’s eye view to the world. Having lived in 3 countries in my lifetime and travelled the world extensively with work, I am able to traverse all boundaries and understand the mindset of learners.

My posture and attitude in life is to see everyone as a human being first. This common denominator allows me to leave judgement and labels behind. This is important for learners as it provides the freedom, safety and comfort to embrace a new technology with open arms.

So, get out there and make your choice. Remember, it’s a long-term relationship you are building so it’s important to buy right!

Sylvia Fernandes is the Founder & CEO of VIA Frontiers. She is a Master Trainer of NLP who is specialised in corporate applications. She started her business in Sydney in 2002 and has been operating in the Asia Pacific Region ever since. She is currently based in Singapore. She is also the author of Bye Bye Black Cat -- Turn Your Luck Around and Realise Opportunities. Visit VIA Frontiers for more information.