Online NLP certification – as effective as in-person NLP courses?
Online NLP training has become popular since the Internet has taken over our lives. But does learning NLP online work?
This is an important question. And there is a great divide in the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming because of it. Of course, proponents of online NLP certification claim online learning, besides being more cost effective and convenient, is actually more effective than classroom style learning.
One the other hand, some NLP trainers maintain you cannot learn NLP legitimately in an online environment. Of course, those NLP trainers do not offer online training and, most likely, have not taken an online NLP course for themselves.
Full disclosure: the bias of this site, while not disparaging traditional NLP certification, is toward online learning. Bear this in mind as you read on. We’ll explore the pros and cons of online vs. in-person NLP certification training.
The world is moving online. No question about it. If NLP training is to remain is remain viable and fulfill its potential to change lives, then it must adapt. Here is what we know so far about the pros and cons of online vs. in-person NLP training.
Pros of Online NLP Training or Certification
Online NLP learning is:
Less expensive in general
More convenient (no travel, time off work)
More accessible – immediate access
More enduring – lifetime material and community accessMore effective – this is the benefit of online NLP certification that escapes many NLP enthusiasts, but the rationale (and experience) is based on solid principles of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and general learning theory.
By taking an online NLP course, you work at your own pace. In other words, you assimilate the information and skills at a rate that you can handle. This is significant. Everyone knows the experience of ‘drinking out of a firehose’ during an in-person intensive. Many of the skills are lost – not integrated – due to the sheer pace and volume of new information.
An online learning program also allows you to learn in the context of your own life. As NLP legend Michael Grinder stated, online NLP training turns your life into a classroom. You’re applying the skills in the environment in which you want to use them, with real-time feedback.
Ongoing engagement: Quality online NLP certification institutes ensure students have access to course materials and the online community for life. Interacting with other students and trainers over the long haul is a given.
Cons of Online NLP Training
Online NLP presents the following cons:
Feedback is often not immediate. While you can get feedback, it’s often not real-time.• Technology issues – if you’re not up to speed on internet technology, there is a learning curve there.
Technology issues – if you’re not up to speed on internet technology, there is a learning curve there.
Sensory stimulation. Some claim that classroom learning stimulates the senses more than online learning. This may be true. However, quality online NLP certification schools require you to do the same kind of practice that you do in a classroom.
People to practice with. Classroom NLP courses have built-in practice partners. Online institutes require you to practice with volunteers in your life – or find practice partners in an online community associated with the institute.
In the end, it’s up to you. How do you want to learn? What are you able to do? Both options are viable.