//NLP Meta Model


What is the NLP Meta Model?

The meta model comes from the work of Virginia Satir, a highly respected family therapist.  Her approach was one of homing in on the detail of a problem to find out what it was really about.  Satir developed some very specific questioning techniques which are used in nlp today to help a client get to the root cause of a problem. 

 

The basis of the NLP Meta Model

The nlp meta model in use today is based on the principles of deletion, distortion and generalisation (see also NLP Communication) and the way in which people filter the information that reaches them in so many different ways every second.  By unpicking those deletions, generalisations and distortions with some responses to make the individual think more deeply about what they are saying it helps them to realise the real problem and possible solutions.  The examples below will give you an idea of the sort of statement and response used in the nlp meta model.

 

Meta Model Distortions

 

1)  Mind Reading

     Claiming to know someone's internal state. 

     Example: 'You don't like me'

     Response:  'How do you know I don't like you?'

 

2)  Lost Performative

     Value judgements where the person doing the judging is left out.

     Example: 'It's bad to be inconsistent'

     Response:  'Who says it's bad?'

 

3)  Cause-Effect

     Where cause is wrongly put outside the self

     Example: 'You make me sad'

     Response:  'How does what I'm doing cause you to chooe to feel sad?'

 

4)  Complex Equivalence

     Where two experiences are interpreted as being synonymous

     Example:  'She's always yelling at me, she doesn't like me'

     Response:  'Have you ever yelled at someone you liked?'

 

5)  Presuppositions

     There are 3 presuppositions in the following example

     Example:  'If my husband knew how much I suffered he wouldn't do that'

     i. I suffer, ii.  My husband acts in some way, iii.  My husband doesn't know I suffer

     Response: i.  'How do you choose to suffer'  ii.  'How is he acting?'  iii.  'How do you know he doesn't know?'

 

Meta Model Generalisations

 

1)  Universal Quantifiers

     Universal generalisations such as all, never, every, no-one

     Example:  'She never listens to me'

     Response:  'Never?'

 

2)  Modal Operators

     a)  Modal Operators of Necessity: As in should, shouldn't, must, must not, have to, need to, it is necessary

     Example: 'I have to take care of him'

     Response:  ''What would happen if you didn't?'

     b)  Modal Operators of Possibility/Impossibility:  As in can/can't, will/won't, may/may not, possible/impossible

     Example: 'I can't tell him the truth'

     Response:  'What prevents you?'

 

Meta Model Deletions

 

1)  Nominalisations

     Process words which have been frozen in time making them nouns

     Example:  'There is no communication here'

     Response:  'Who's not communicating what to whom?'

 

2)  Unspecified Verbs

     Example:  'He rejected me'

     Response:  'How specifically?'

 

3)  Simple Deletions 

     a)  Simple Deletions:  'I am uncomfortable'

     Response:  'About what?'

     b)  Lack of Referential Index:  Fails to specify a person or thing

     Example:  'They don't listen to me'

     Response:  'Who, specifically doesn't listen to you?'

     c)  Comparative Deletions:  As in good, better, best, worst, more, less, most, least

     Example: 'She's a better person'

     Response:  'Better than whom?'

 

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You may also be interested in the following areas of nlp information:

NLP - an explanation

Learn NLP - how to choose an nlp course

NLP glossary - a guide to nlp terminology