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The truth behind NLP: why it (probably) wont help and the science backed alternatives

If you scroll through equestrian social media or attend enough clinics, you will inevitably hear about NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). It is often presented as the "secret weapon" for rider mindset—a set of techniques designed to "reprogram" your brain, delete fear, and install confidence instantly.


It’s a seductive promise. Who wouldn’t want a mental "delete" button for that anxiety loop about the oxer in the warm-up ring?



For those who would rather watch a video that explains why NLP probably shouldn't be a thing, I love this one Danielle Ryan who's whole YouTube Channel is dedicated to exposing the techniques used to manipulate people in the online coaching, business & social media spaces.



But as a Performance Psychologist, I think it is important we look past the hype. While NLP has been popular in coaching circles since the 1970s, the scientific community has a very different view of it. More importantly, relying on it might actually be making your competition nerves worse in the long run.


If NLP has been a useful tool in your kit, that’s wonderful—I am a big believer in taking what works for you. That said, we need to talk about why these strategies don't work for everyone, and they carry some risks of making things worse. It's important to know that relying on them exclusively can actually make anxiety harder to manage in the long run.


Here is the reality of why "reprogramming" doesn't work, and what modern science suggests we do instead.


The "Broken Computer" Myth

The core philosophy of NLP treats the brain like a computer. The idea is that if you have a "glitch" (like fear or self-doubt), you can use specific language or visualization tricks to "rewrite the code." The problem? Your brain isn't a computer; it’s a survival organ.


When you are sitting on a flight animal that just pinned its ears, your brain produces adrenaline and fearful thoughts. This isn't a software error; it is your amygdala doing exactly what millions of years of evolution designed it to do: keep you safe.


NLP often encourages you to suppress these thoughts or immediately flip them to positives. But clinical research shows us something called the "Rebound Effect." When you try hard not to think about something (like falling off), your brain actually monitors for that thought more closely to make sure you aren't thinking it. Essentially, trying to "delete" fear usually just makes it louder.

The Evidence Gap

It is also worth noting that despite its popularity, NLP is not generally recognised by the mainstream psychological community as an effective strategy. Systematic reviews (the gold standard of research) have consistently found little to no evidence that NLP improves health outcomes or mental well-being in a sustainable way.


Many of the techniques offer a temporary placebo effect—you feel better in the clinic because you’re hyped up—but that feeling evaporates the moment you hit a real pressure situation in the ring.

The Alternative: Working With Your Brain

So, if we can't reprogram the brain, what do we do? The most effective, evidence-based approaches in modern sport psychology don't try to control your thoughts. They teach you how to function while having them.


Here is what that shift looks like:


1. From "Stop It" to "Make Room"

In the NLP model, you might try to force a feeling of anxiety to go away. In our approach, we practice "expansion." We learn to breathe into the sensation of nerves, acknowledging that the butterflies are there, but realizing they don't physically stop your hands from being soft or your legs from being effective. We stop fighting the feeling, which ironically helps it settle down faster.


2. From "Rewriting" to "Unhooking"

Instead of arguing with your brain ("I shouldn't feel this way, I need to think positive"), we learn to step back. We notice the scary thought—"I’m going to mess this up"—and we simply label it: "I’m noticing I’m having the thought that I might mess up."

This creates distance. You realize that a thought is just a sentence in your head, not a prediction of the future that you have to believe.


3. From "Feeling Good" to "Doing What Matters"

This is the biggest shift, and honestly, the most liberating one.

We often fall into the "Confidence Trap." We tell ourselves, "I’ll move up a level when I feel confident," or "I’ll ride more forward when I don't feel so anxious." We treat confidence like a prerequisite—a ticket we need to buy before we are allowed to enter the ring.


But here is the catch: Confidence is rarely a feeling you have before you do something difficult. Confidence is the feeling you get after you’ve done it.

If you wait until you "feel ready" to ride boldly, you might be waiting forever. So, in this approach, we flip the equation. We stop waiting for the feeling to arrive and start focusing entirely on the action.


Here is the magic of this approach: When you stop trying to force the anxiety away and instead focus on riding well while anxious, a shift happens.

The Happy Side Effect: Real Change


You get to the end of the course or the dressage test, and your brain realizes, "Hey, we felt fear, but we did it anyway, and we were safe." That is how you build earned confidence. It isn't the fragile, "hype-up" confidence that comes from repeating affirmations in the mirror. It is the deep, unshakable knowledge that you can handle high-pressure situations. You stop fearing the nerves because you know they can't stop you from being the rider you want to be.


The goal isn't to trick your brain into thinking you are a invincible. The goal is to build the psychological flexibility to handle the reality of our sport—the nerves, the pressure, and the unpredictability—without losing your focus.

It might not sound as catchy as "reprogram your mind in 5 minutes," but it has one major advantage: it actually works when the bell rings.


Key Research Debunking NLP (for those who are interested)



Key Takeaway: This is perhaps the most damning modern review. Witkowski analysed all available studies on NLP and concluded that it represents "pseudoscientific rubbish," noting that the "huge popularity of the therapy and the enormous number of training sessions... are not grounded in empirical premises."


Systematic Reviews

These reviews looked at the data to see if NLP actually produced health outcomes. The answer was generally "no."



Key Takeaway: This review looked at 1,459 studies and found only 10 that met the criteria for a randomised controlled trial (the gold standard). Their conclusion: "There is little evidence that NLP interventions improve health-related outcomes."



Key Takeaway: Even in a more recent review, the authors found that while some studies show positive effects, the quality of the studies is generally poor, and the evidence is insufficient to support NLP as a standalone treatment.

 
 
 

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