My favorite books on neuro-linguistic programming (NLP)

Why am I passionate about this?

I enjoy helping others get what they desire in life. As a long-time successful businessman, university professor, NLP trainer/coach, public speaker, and author, I have first-hand experience with the personal/professional balancing act required in these times. I believe each of us can achieve the success we desire by developing our authentic selves, mastering internal and external congruence, and taking charge of our lives. For over 30 years, I’ve been a student of personal development methodologies. I continue to transform my own life while assisting others from all walks of life and ages to learn, to address challenges at work and at home, and to get more of what they desire.


I wrote...

Live Your Dreams Let Reality Catch Up: NLP and Common Sense for Coaches, Managers and You

By Roger Ellerton,

Book cover of Live Your Dreams Let Reality Catch Up: NLP and Common Sense for Coaches, Managers and You

What is my book about?

No matter how old you are, your culture, or the beliefs you hold true, you are on a path of personal growth. At times you may experience excitement and joy, while other times you may be confronted by fear, unworthiness, and doubt as you do your best to bring your dreams to life. This book acknowledges your journey and provides insights, tips, and proven processes for you to get the most out of life. You are encouraged to look at yourself, identify the influence that you allow others to have, and to move forward to live your dreams.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of From Coach to Awakener

Roger Ellerton Why did I love this book?

If you are a coach or student of NLP, add this book to your library. Dilts notes that, in the past, coaching has been focused mainly on improving behavior performance through careful observation and feedback. More recently personal, executive, and life coaching has evolved to provide support on a number of different levels. Each level has a different focus and requires a different approach and set of tools. Dilts clearly explains how your coaching style must adapt to each level (environment (caretaker or guide), behaviors (coach), capabilities (teacher), beliefs and values (mentor), identity (sponsor), and spirituality (awakener)), and provides a suggested set of tools and techniques.

By Robert Dilts,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked From Coach to Awakener as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Coaching is the process of helping people and teams to perform at the peak of their abilities. It involves drawing out people's strengths, helping them to bypass personal barriers and limits in order to achieve their personal bests, and facilitating them to function more effectively as members of a team.

Historically, coaching has been focused toward achieving improvement with respect to a specific behavioral performance. This involves promoting the development of that person's behavioral competence through careful observation and feedback.

In recent years, the notion of coaching has taken on a more generalized and expanded meaning. Personal coaching, executive coaching…


Book cover of NLP at Work: The Difference that Makes the Difference

Roger Ellerton Why did I love this book?

Knight provides a clear and useful introduction to NLP and how it can effectively be used in a work environment. The person next to you may experience an event or the world around them quite differently from you. Hence you need to adjust your communication for them to buy into your ideas. Discover how to create an environment of safety so the other person will truly hear your message and assist you in discovering what is important to them. Other topics include: being more resourceful, improving your negotiation skills, giving and receiving feedback, and high-performance coaching.

By Sue Knight,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked NLP at Work as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'This book may help you to understand life more clearly' Paul Smith, fashion designer

Welcome to THE book on NLP. The essence of NLP is the ability to study and reproduce excellence in yourself and to support others to do the same. NLP AT WORK helps you do that by developing an attitude of curiosity, naivety and learning - and giving you the ability to improvise with skill in real-time.

Neuro Linguistic Programming is how you make sense of your world and, most importantly, how you make it what you want it to be:

* Neuro: the way you filter…


Book cover of Words That Change Minds: The 14 Patterns for Mastering the Language of Influence

Roger Ellerton Why did I love this book?

We do not necessarily experience the world around us the same as our friends, family members, or others we meet in our daily lives. Charvet presents 14 significant language/behaviours that distinguish how we react to our experiences that may be different from those with whom we wish to have a great relationship or influence. One such pattern is “toward -away from”. Toward-people are focused on their goals. They are motivated to have, get, achieve, attain, ... . Away-from people notice what should be avoided, gotten rid of, or fixed. Motivating a toward-person by telling them what needs to be avoided, simply doesn’t work.

By Shelle Rose Charvet,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Words That Change Minds as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

How to master Influencing Language and get what you want, without manipulating.

Do you work and live with people who are hard to convince? Who dismiss ideas before even thinking about them?

Do you want to know how to influence people, without being manipulative?

Want to find out how people get motivated, make decisions, to be more persuasive with everyone?

Learn how to use the right words with the right people, and get through the “Communication Wall”

Have you ever felt like you were talking to a wall? Well, that’s a very accurate description of what’s happening when 2 people…


Book cover of Get the Life You Want: The Secrets to Quick and Lasting Life Change with Neuro-Linguistic Programming

Roger Ellerton Why did I love this book?

Richard Bandler is one of the founders of NLP. So, he knows what he is talking about. After an overview of basic NLP concepts and how the processes work, Bandler provides you with techniques to address what’s holding you back, for example, fears/phobias, bad memories, grief, and bad relationships. He then gives you ways and means to add fun, love, meet people and make money into your life.

By Richard Bandler,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Get the Life You Want as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Whatever you want Richard Bandler, the man who taught Paul McKenna and inspired him to greatness, can help you get it. Full of simple, potent NLP exercises that will take you minutes to do but will make your life permanently better, this incredible book is a must for anybody who has ever wished for anything but not found a way to get it.

Richard Bandler - the world-renowned co-creator of NLP who has helped millions around the world change their lives for the better - has written a simple and empowering book to help you get the life you want.…


Book cover of The Really Good Fun Cartoon Book of NLP: A Simple and Graphic(al) Explanation of the Life Toolbox That Is NLP

Roger Ellerton Why did I love this book?

NLP can be full of jargon and taken too seriously. Miller uses simple language with illustrative amusing cartoons to present the principles of NLP and how you can use NLP in your life. All of the basic material is covered and provides you with a good foundation for understanding and using NLP for yourself or to assist others.

By Phillip Miller,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Really Good Fun Cartoon Book of NLP as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NLP pronounced en el pea. Let's just get the name thing out of the way NLP stands for neuro linguistic programming - yes, I know it's weird and yes, I know it's funny (peculiar, not ha ha) - but, that's the name. How come?

NEURO
Concerns the brain and the things that go on in your mind. Also the rest of the neurological system, including the five senses.

LINGUISTIC
This relates to language, both spoken and non-spoken (sometimes called body language).

PROGRAMMINGThe concepts and ideas of NLP can be of great benefit to people in all areas of their lives;…


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Traumatization and Its Aftermath: A Systemic Approach to Understanding and Treating Trauma Disorders

By Antonieta Contreras,

Book cover of Traumatization and Its Aftermath: A Systemic Approach to Understanding and Treating Trauma Disorders

Antonieta Contreras Author Of Traumatization and Its Aftermath: A Systemic Approach to Understanding and Treating Trauma Disorders

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

As a trauma therapist and dedicated researcher, I love uncovering valuable insights within lesser-known books. There are hidden gems, free from the pressure of commercial success, crafted by authors deeply committed to research, understanding, and the art of writing itself. Their dedication resonates with me, as I believe in the profound value of information and the power of critical thinking. Through my own book, Traumatization and Its Aftermath, I aim to emphasize that psychological concepts often lose their depth in translation and my mission is spreading awareness and fostering a deeper understanding of trauma and its intricate facets. With that idea in mind, I chose these five titles. 

Antonieta's book list on uncovering the human experience and exploring the depths of trauma

What is my book about?

A fresh take on the difference between trauma and hardship in order to help accurately spot the difference and avoid over-generalizations.

The book integrates the latest findings in brain science, child development, psycho-social context, theory, and clinical experiences to make the case that trauma is much more than a cluster of symptoms to be tamed, but instead best understood as development gone off course, away from growth and towards (only) survival.

This book prompts a profound shift in perception, inviting to view trauma as an intricate and diverse experience, a point of view that ultimately leads to sharper treatment and, hopefully, more healing. It encourages a transition from asking, "What happened to you?" to the deeper question, "What is your relationship with what happened to you?"

Traumatization and Its Aftermath: A Systemic Approach to Understanding and Treating Trauma Disorders

By Antonieta Contreras,

What is this book about?

The book is comprehensive, bold, and practical-a much-needed resource for the assessment and treatment of trauma. Instead of the traditional focus on the overall importance of healing, Traumatization and its Aftermath decodes why some people don't heal as easily as others, analyzes the various failures of diagnosis, and explains how to make therapeutic interventions truly effective.

This book offers a systemic deep dive into traumatization that clarifies myths and misinformation about the entire spectrum of trauma and provides both clinicians and non-clinicians with the right level of validation, preventive measures, conceptualization methodology, assessment tools, and healing facts that have not…


5 book lists we think you will like!

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