Hi everybody.

I’m a few confused about all the NLP certifications.

My goal is to have my own consultancy company one day, and one of the fields that I want to manage is coaching. Obviously I have to attend seminars, courses, obtain certifications, etc, so I need to know WHAT certifications I need.

Actually I know that the SNLP has the follow certifications:

- NLP Practitioner
- NLP Master Practitioner
- NLP Advanced Master Practitioner (I learn about it today)
- NLP Coach
- NLP Trainer
- NLP Master Trainer

Do I forget something?

No doubts about the prac. & master prac. But, what is it the “Advanced Master Practitioner”? A “new level”? What is the difference between an Advanced Master Practitioner and a “simply” Master Practitioner Trainer in knowledge terms?

Another question: NLP Coach and NLP Trainer certification… what is the difference? I understand that a NLP Coach probably can teach and apply his knowledge only in the coaching (business coach, life coach, sport coach…), while a NLP Trainer can do that in other fields (therapy?). But, does the NLP Coach certification give me something DIFFERENT than the Trainer Certification? Are they redundant or not?

The Advanced Master Practitioner certification is a level above Master Practitioner and it's really only for people who want to move beyond what they need to do and go on to master the most advanced skills from the most advanced trainers/developers, both consciously and unconsciously, and in a fun way.

Only a few people in the world have ever achieved that level. There's an Advanced Master Practitioner program in London next month and I think that's actually the first time there's been one in Europe (or at least it's the first time in Europe for many years).

I'm hosting that event. You can see some of the material that will be taught here on my website. If you want to know more details, you can call me on +44 207 107 9790.

By the way, the Society of NLP also offers at least a couple of other advanced certifications - the Advanced Therapeutic Specialist and the Advanced Conversational Specialist, for example, were both designed by Gabe Guerrero and he teaches those with Richard Bandler's personal support and licensed through the Society.

Some would say there are also levels above Master Trainer, such as Master Trainer Elite, Meta Master Trainer and so on.

So there are all sorts of options for anyone to explore. I would say that it's less important which certificates you collect and most important what you learn and how much you enjoy learning it. Have a look through the site and especially the reviews section - see which trainers stand out for you. And feel free to get in touch if I can help.

Basic certifications approved by Richard Bandler and his SNLP are:

Practitioner of NLP
Master Practitioner of NLP
Trainer of NLP

Several other certifications and training programs have been developed but the three above are the standard ones and the three ones you need to start teaching NLP.

There is no training to become Master Trainer of NLP. (not approved by Richard Bandler)

There are of course interesting programs such as:

Business Practitioner of NLP
Business Master Practitioner of NLP
Educational Practitioner of NLP or is it Practitioner in education (something like that)
Advanced Master Practitioner of NLP
Advanced NLP Therapeutic Specialist (I developed and teach this one)
NLP Coach
Conversational Change Speiclaist (also developed and taught by me)

And I am sure there are a few others out there. None of them is requiered though to begin teaching.... and yet these are good programs that offer additional material and the development of new skills.

I can't speak for other institues or trainers but every program named differently at mine is because it is different material. The overlap between some of them is minimal.

So when you ask the difference between advanced master practitioner and master practitioner in knowledge terms... the answer is a BIG difference, since most of the things to be covered in the advanced master practitioner are there because regularly are not covered at the master practitioner level. Why do I say regularly? Because sometimes we have included some of it at a master practitioner program but that is because we developed most of that material.

Additional Note (not intended or addressed at all to you Leonardo):

And yes for anyone (yes you who complained about something like this to JL!) thinking "Developed? Didn't you learned it from Bandler?" The answer is NO we developed most of it although often inspired or based on his previous work. So also for anyone else in that frame of mind, Richard Bandler does not do some of the things we'll teach there because he simply doesn't know them.
I am the first one often defending Richard and the first one claiming he is a freakin genius but he has not developed everything there is... and my work or Eric's or Ron's is absolutely not learned entirely from him. Oh and I am certain Owen has developed some things as well. I've seen him do magnificent work and he is passionate about it plus he has studied some other things so... him too

I am glad I got that out of my system! hahaha

Thanks for the answers. I’m in the REALLY beginning of my NLP course (I’m not a practitioner yet!) so I need to know what are the fundamentals of the NLP and what are the things that I can consider in a second time.

I think that a certification could be important professionally, when you use NLP in your work, and I feel that the most important thing is to enjoy and learn a lot about NLP… the certification is only the “cherry in the cake” as we used to say in Italy… it is not indispensable but it’s fine when you find it.

Basically there is NLP Practitioner & NLP Master Practitioner.

But there is also now :-

AMP (Amdvanced Master Pract.) or H.C.W.F.M.C.O.T.G.P (How Can We Fleece More Cash Out These Gullible People).

Yeh after Master somebody had to come out with Advanced Master, Super Advanced Master, Supreme Ninja NLP Practitioner, etc. Truth is you don't need all that nonsense after Master level, to go further you learn it & improve yourself over time, you don't stop learning after Master you keep updating your skills but to pay thousands after Master level for another secret mystic level is just silly!

What are you basing that on Peter?
I take it you already know everything Gabe et al are teaching then?

Whilst I agree it would be nonsensical to just collect titles, I hadn't realised you were only allowed to learn & improve by yourself after master prac level.

But then I am quite silly sometimes.

Dragon05 wrote:

Basically there is NLP Practitioner & NLP Master Practitioner.

But there is also now :-

AMP (Amdvanced Master Pract.) or H.C.W.F.M.C.O.T.G.P (How Can We Fleece More Cash Out These Gullible People).

Yeh after Master somebody had to come out with Advanced Master, Super Advanced Master, Supreme Ninja NLP Practitioner, etc. Truth is you don't need all that nonsense after Master level, to go further you learn it & improve yourself over time, you don't stop learning after Master you keep updating your skills but to pay thousands after Master level for another secret mystic level is just silly!

As Peter has just proven there is only an equivalent to around 160 to 240 hours needed and worth of practitioner and master practitioner training. He proved it by using his refined rapport, reframing and advanced language patterns skills to build a nice argument to validate his views.

That simply shows how much some people don't know and don't care to learn about.

Hey Peter, was this reply a thesis on the deep understanding of how the map IS the territory by saying "the truth is"?

Simply say you don't believe in such programs, perhaps even build an argument to validate such a conclusion so some people may agree with you. The way you did it you simply made our case stronger on how much more need for training there is for some people.

You are funny.

I don’t know if this will help Leonardo, but personally the only times I’m asked about certification it is to renew something like insurance or as a quick and easy way to prove the existing level of training I've undertaken to someone in the “NLP world” eg to attend another specific course. I don’t recall a client ever asking me – they are far more interested in what my work can do for them rather then the fact I have a nice bit of paper (I don’t always mention “NLP” to them, just use it.)


Leonardo you ask a sensible question and I will echo Chris’ comment above that

“I would say that it's less important which certificates you collect and most important what you learn and how much you enjoy learning it.”

My first full time job was in the hospitality industry and I was on occasion left speechless by the “complaints” that some guests made – one of the more memorable ones being “the tomato soup tasted too tomatoee.” I swear some would go knowingly into a vegetarian restaurant and expect to order stake rather than pick to eat somewhere else! (Anyone who has dealt with the public will probably be familiar with the occasional customer who appears to be trying it on and getting attention by kicking up a fuss)

I soon learnt that when asked to give a recommendation that matching the dish to what the customer wanted and expected produced far happier guests – no use recommending a filling dish to someone who actually isn’t that hungry or a chewy toffee dessert for someone who obviously has badly fitting dentures! (We had some characters who visited!)

There is a point to my reminiscing - to me, training courses are exactly the same, it’s about finding the one that matches with where you are at the moment and what you want to get out of it. There are so many different criteria that may be important to you when choosing (and they have been discussed on the site on numerous occasions, I’m sure if you do a search you’ll find one or two threads on the subject ) From my observations the “happiest guests” (or delegates) are often the ones where either by design or accident have got that match right for them and has had that (and potentially more) delivered. There are so many different choices out there that thankfully not every course or every trainer is going to be suitable for everybody or their situation.

What ever course you decide to do Leonardo I hope that both your's and Peter's (as I know he has posted elsewhere on the site to ask about an introductory course) exceed your expectations and you have lots of fun.

Jen

Dragon05 wrote:

Yeh after Master somebody had to come out with Advanced Master, Super Advanced Master, Supreme Ninja NLP Practitioner, etc. Truth is you don't need all that nonsense after Master level

hehe - of course, Peter. How silly of me. I thought people could keep on learning more but now I realise that two courses is enough and nobody can teach you any more after that.

Or... maybe you can continue to learn. Some people learn a bit, practice it, learn a bit more, practice that. Doing more courses just to get more titles is idiotic - but doing more courses to learn about things that really interest you and will lead you to get better results doing the things you want to be doing... that's when continuing to learn is worthwhile and, in my experience, great value.

Thanks for your advices Jenny.

Well, I don’t want to give you the impression that I’m looking to achieve only a “piece of paper” or the cheapest Prac. course in the market. I would not be satisfied If I would obtain a certification without learning anything. I only want to give good value to the time and money I will spend. So, I’m looking for a good teaching and, if it’s possible, obtaining a regular certification.

On the other side, as you said, I’m looking for a certification in order to be able to attend advanced courses in the future that requires it. I know that if I want to attend the trainers course with dr. Bandler I have to be a Master Prac. So, before or after, I have to obtain a certification to achieve this goal. But when I’ll be ready to attend the trainers course, I’ll be ready for my experience and my knowledge, not only for a “piece of paper”. That “piece of paper” is only a NECESSARY requirement.

Actually I’m reading a lot of books, watching a lot of videos and I’m happy to learn something new every day… and that’s one of the things that I want for the rest of my life: improve myself, and be better that the day before each day of my life.