What Is Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)?
Introduction: Rewiring the Stories We Tell Ourselves
Recent research offers a more grounded estimate. A 2020 study published in Nature Communications by researchers at Queen’s University used functional MRI scans to track shifts in brain activity, or what they referred to as “thought worms” and measured the amount of distinct thoughts. Their findings suggest that the average person experiences approximately 6,200 individual thoughts per day (Tseng & Poppenk, 2020). This reinforces just how frequently our internal dialogue shifts, and highlights the importance of tools like mindfulness, NLP, and energy leadership coaching to help manage the noise and bring greater intention to our parenting and personal choices.
What Is NLP?
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a method for understanding and reprogramming the internal language we use to make sense of our experiences. Originally developed in the 1970s, NLP draws from psychology, linguistics, and behavioral therapy to help individuals reshape beliefs, habits, and emotional reactions.
According to Mohana More, a certified NLP practitioner and transformational coach featured on The Art of Parenting Podcast, NLP is “a way of observing how language, behavior, and internal patterns influence our outcomes. It teaches people how to consciously shift that internal wiring.”
How NLP Supports Parents Emotionally and Mentally
Parenthood often activates deep-rooted beliefs, about perfection, performance, success, or failure. Many of these beliefs are unconscious and inherited from past experiences, family conditioning, or cultural norms.
“If you’ve always believed that resting equals laziness, NLP helps you understand where that belief came from and gives you tools to reframe it into something that empowers you,” Mohana shares in the podcast.
Techniques Used in NLP Coaching
Mohana works with clients, especially moms and professionals—to guide them through NLP-based transformations. Common techniques include:
Anchoring: Linking a physical gesture (like placing your hand on your heart) with a calming emotional state.
Reframing: Changing how you interpret an experience, such as shifting “I lost control” to “I learned something about my limits.”
Submodalities: Adjusting the tone, color, or visual elements of an internal thought to reduce its emotional charge.
“When we work with NLP, we’re not just talking about change. We’re rewriting the experience of those thoughts in the body,” says Mohana.
Just Another Trend?
Neuro-Linguistic Programming is more than a self-help buzzword. It’s a structured approach to changing how we think, feel, and parent. When used with energy coaching or self-awareness tools like the Energy Leadership Index (ELI), NLP can bring calm to the chaos and presence to your parenting journey.
Featured: Mohana More, Certified NLP Coach & Energy Leadership Practitioner
As heard on The Art of Parenting Podcast by MissPoppins