Monsters and Magical Sticks - Steven Heller and Terry Steele

Paperback - 188 pages

5/5

This book is awesome - one of my absolute favourites for both NLP and Hypnosis. This book is not about NLP as such, or Ericksonian Hypnotherapy either, but it does provide excellent insight into the practical applications of aspects of both in the context of therapy and changework.

The first thing that struck me about this book was how easy and entertaining it is to read - I am pretty sure that this is the most enjoyable non-fiction I have read. The author has a clear and informal style, and teaches much of the material through entertaining metaphor and anecdote. Areas covered include.

Metaphor
Hypnosis and learning
Belief systems
Utilising representational systems
Unconscious versus conscious
Balancing left and right brain functions
Utilising Anchoring
Utilisation principle

Every aspect is demonstrated through easy to digest case studies from Steven Heller's own experience. The depth of insight conveyed leaves me in no doubt that Dr Heller was indeed a master of hypnosis and therapy.

I have read this book three times now, and as I write this am considering reading it again. A friend of mine (hypnotherapist and NLP'er) probably summed it up most concisely:

"I love that book, it just makes everything so easy"