SCS Matters, LLC

Design Human Engineering™ with
Richard Bandler and John La Valle

It's hard to know how to begin a review of the February 2004 training in Design Human Engineering™ in Orlando. The Tuesday the workshop began was Richard’s birthday, and we shared birthday cake during the afternoon break. Paula Bandler, Richard’s wife, made a brief appearance at the workshop to celebrate Richard’s birthday. Paula Bandler died in her sleep early Thursday morning.

Those events, especially Paula’s death, colored the training, adding a note of sadness and, at the same time, amplifying its power and influence.

Joel had seen Paula at Bandler/La Valle trainings since 1994, and she had been present last year at the Trainers’ Training. (See the review of that workshop for more information.) Neither of us really knew her, but we knew her to be courteous and pleasant and were aware that she had been the single most important influence in Richard’s life.

We—and all of us, both participants and facilitators—were stunned and saddened by her death. John La Valle cancelled the Thursday morning session so that each of us could have some time to reflect and pay our respects in our own way. He assured us that the workshop would continue, and we reconvened that afternoon, picking up where we had left off with a renewed sense of purpose.

Design Human Engineering™ (DHE™) has been described as “advanced NLP” and “the opposite of NLP.” Our experience suggests that it is both of these—and more. It is advanced NLP in that it uses the fundamentals of NLP (such as anchoring, submodality shifts, and hypnotic language patterns). It is the opposite of NLP in that the primary focus is on generative change rather than on remedial change. NLP is designed to solve problems and eliminate limitations, whereas DHE™ is designed to amplify positive states and enhance abilities.

As is typical of workshops sponsored by NLP Seminars Group International, participants came from all over the world. Also typical of workshops sponsored by NLP Seminars Group International were the dozen or so highly qualified facilitators (most of whom have their own institutes and regularly conduct their own trainings) who helped provide individual attention for the approximately 100 people present for the training.

Richard Bandler is a master of installation. Some of the DHE™ participants had been to workshops conducted by trainers who have not yet discovered that Richard (2004) is no longer Richard (1974) and who warn their participants to avoid Richard because he influences those who attend his workshops. He does, indeed, and we think that’s a good thing.

We have studied NLP and attended NLP workshops because we wanted to learn and be influenced in ways that would best serve our purposes. The same is true for the DHE™ seminar. We attended to learn and be influenced. One of the ways Richard and John (La Valle—this is 2004) influence participants is through installation.

“Installation” can be described as elegant influence through the use of metaphor (and other hypnotic language patterns), demonstration, state elicitation, and anchoring. It is an elegant way of ensuring that by the time participants learn a new behavior consciously, they have already learned it at the unconscious level. This form of teaching and learning helps ensure that you will get the changes that will best serve your purpose.

Installing the “Control Panel” is a principal activity of the DHE™ workshop. Most of those reading this review will have heard about the “Control Panel” metaphor for taking control of states that will help you move forward in desirable directions. Each of those with whom we worked had different needs and desires. As has been the case in recent Bandler/La Valle workshops, a significant number of participants have been full- or part-time healers, primarily chiropractors, hypnotherapists, and those practicing one or more forms of energy medicine.

John did an excellent job of keeping the workshop moving and on track while Richard attended to the details of Paula’s arrangements. Richard returned to the workshop Friday afternoon. He began by saying, “This hasn’t been the best day of my life....” That afternoon he focused on the importance of making every moment count, of making every moment exquisitely wonderful, and on using the tools of DHE™ to do just that.

Joel said in the review of last year’s Trainers’ Training that Richard and John have been getting better each year since I started training with them in 1994. This year we agree that they are better than ever—both individually and together. In recognition of John’s increasing skills over the years, Richard awarded him the designation of Professor of Bandler Technologies. They are a good team, and the circumstances of this year’s training required them to demonstrate just how good they really are.

One of the participants told Debra that Richard is “the real deal,” and both Richard and John proved that they are “real deals” this year. In being able to remain authentic and persevere in spite of difficult circumstances, they provided all of us with absolute proof that the technologies of NLP and DHE™ really do work profoundly well.

They didn’t attempt to deny or minimize their grief about Paula’s death and their sense of loss, and they managed to go inside and find the resources required to continue the workshop with professionalism, humor, and compassion. I suspect that none of us who was there will ever forget DHE™ in Orlando, Florida, February 2004.

Richard anoints Joel. Photo by Gary Molnar.

Debra found Richard’s philosophy—that doing something to help yourself, others, and the world is the best way to have a good life—especially meaningful. She also said that Richard’s comment, “I spent 33 years with the light of my life” still rings in her ears. She added, “Although I did not have the honor of knowing Paula, she must have been an extraordinary woman, and Richard’s love for her was inspirational.”

Kathleen La Valle once again ensured that the details of registration and preparing for the seminar went smoothly. In addition to being extraordinary trainers, John and Kathleen, who run NLP Seminars Group International, do a very professional job of seminar management. Registration was painless and completed quickly. The arrangements at the Sheraton were good, and the location was easily accessible and convenient.

We stayed at one of the many nearby hotels with lower rates than the Sheraton. Our accommodations were acceptable, and we were within walking distance of a grocery store where we could buy fresh fruit and other things to avoid being completely dependent on restaurant fare. Our favorite restaurants within walking distance are the Siam Orchard on Universal Blvd. and Bella Roma/Ocean Grille on International Blvd. Our favorite Chinese restaurant in the area went out of business between the training in 2003 and 2004.

The weather was not especially conducive to that this year, and although Orlando is usually sunny and warm from mid-February on, we recommend that you take clothing appropriate for rain and cold as well as for sunny and warm. Pack an umbrella, just in case....

We are glad to have been present for this extraordinary event, and we're glad to recommend this workshop—and others conducted by Bandler and La Valle—for those who really want to enjoy the process of change.

Debra said, “Following this workshop, I find DHE™ as exciting as NLP was when I took the first workshop with Joel in 1999. I encourage everyone to make it a priority to study with Richard and John—they are not only brilliant, innovative, fun, and inspiring, but also the most brilliant, innovative, fun, and inspiring you will see.... They will change your life.”

To see our comments on the March 2003 Charisma Enhancement and Trainers— Training, see our review.

To see what is being offered by NLP Seminars Group International, visit www.purenlp.com.