Richard Wayne Bandler(born February 24, 1950) is an American author and trainer in alternative psychology and self-help. He is best known as the co-inventor (with John Grinder) of Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a collection of concepts and techniques intended to understand and change human behavior patterns. He also developed other systems known as Design Human Engineering (DHE) and Neuro Hypnotic Repatterning (NHR).
Bandler holds a BA (1973) in philosophy and psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) and an MA (1975) in psychology from Lone Mountain College in San Francisco. He is often referred to as "Doctor" Bandler, supposedly due to his receiving an honorary doctorate, yet no documentation of such an award has been found.
Bandler is considered an important figure in the development of the modern self-improvement movement. He once was invited by the psychiatrist Robert Spitzer to attend, record and transcribe a teaching seminar of family therapist Virginia Satir. He later helped Spitzer edit The Gestalt Approach (1973) based on a manuscript by gestalt therapist Fritz Perls who had recently died. He also assisted with checking transcripts for Eye Witness to Therapy (1973). According to Spitzer, "[Bandler] came out of it talking and acting like Fritz Perls."
While Bandler was a student at University of California, Santa Cruz he also led a Gestalt therapy group. John Grinder, a professor at the University, said to Bandler that he could explain almost all of the questions and comments Bandler made using transformational grammar, the topic in linguistics that Grinder specialized in. They developed a model for therapy and called it the meta-model. It became their first book, The Structure of Magic, Volume I (1975).
Bandler was Gregory Bateson's landlord. Bateson taught at UCSC, Kresge College as did Grinder, and had moved to a community on Alba Road near the Santa Cruz mountains community of Ben Lomond. He would have a profound influence on Bandler's future, introducing him and Grinder to Milton Erickson, the three of them together forming some of the foundational models for Neuro-linguistic programming. In 1975 Bandler then formed his own company, Meta Publications, and released Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H. Erickson Volume I (1975).
Bandler and Grinder went on to author The Structure of Magic Volume II (1976), Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H. Erickson Volume II (1977) and Changing With Families (1976) which was co-authored with Virginia Satir herself.
Bandler also modeled Israeli physicist and founder of the Feldenkrais school of body work, Moshe Feldenkrais, and later published his book "The Elusive Obvious". In many of his classes he has taught elements of this form of bodywork which he modeled.
Since that time Bandler's career has focused on developing and presenting NLP and related concepts as an author, publisher, public speaker and consultant. Audiences include individuals seeking life improvement and businesses using these concepts and techniques to improve sales.
On November 3, 1986 Corine Christensen, a student of Bandler's, was shot dead in her townhouse with a .357 magnum owned by Bandler. He was charged with her murder, but at trial the jury unanimously acquitted Bandler after 5½ hours of deliberation. The murder is unsolved.
In July 1996 Bandler filed suit against Grinder and again in January 1997 against Grinder and numerous members of the NLP community including Carmen Bostic-St. Clair and Steve and Connirae Andreas. Bandler claimed trademark infringement, intellectual property ownership of NLP, conspiratorial tortious interference and breach of settlement agreement and permanent injunction by Grinder.
By the end of 2000 some sort of rapprochement between Bandler and Grinder was achieved when the parties entered a release wherein they inter alia agreed that "they are the co-creators and co-founders of the technology of Neuro-linguistic Programming. Drs. Grinder and Bandler recognize the efforts and contributions of each other in the creation and initial development of NLP." In the same document, "Dr. John Grinder and Dr. Richard Bandler mutually agree to refrain from disparaging each other's efforts, in any fashion, concerning their respective involvement in the field of NeuroLinguistic Programming." ("Release" reproduced as Appendix A of Whispering in the Wind by Grinder and Bostic St Clair (2001)).
Since the early 1980s when Grinder and Bandler stopped working together, Bandler developed several trademarked techniques he calls the fields of Design Human Engineering(tm), and Neuro-Hypnotic Repatterning(tm). Bandler says that these technologies differ significantly from NLP in that they are claimed to be more direct and effective as interventions. Other works since that time include Using Your Brain for a Change (1985), Magic in Action (1992) Time for a Change (1995), Persuasion Engineering (1996) (co-author John LaValle) The Adventures of Anybody (1993), and Conversations (2005) (co-author Owen Fitzpatrick). Richard Bandler continues to deliver seminars in NLP, NHR and DHE throughout the world.
The Marshall University Tapes, Filmed circa 1982, Richard has spoken about these 3 sessions in many of his seminars. 1. Anticipatory Loss 2. Authority Figures 3. Phobic Response
1987
Personal Outcomes, filmed at NLP Comprehensive.
1989
Client Sessions, Shyness,
Creating Therapeutic Change, taped in Boulder, Colorado - 7 videos: Layering Responses, Propulsion systems, Attitudes, Perceptual Grids, Nonverbal Amplifications, Playing with Problems, & Weaving Complexes;
80's
Patterns of Intimacy, Flirtation, class on how to flirt.
Bandler in Montreal, workshop in Montreal.
90's
An Evening with Richard Bandler - State of the Art, taped in England.
Bandler down under, doing a workshop in Australia.
2000
Konstanz 2000, workshop in Konstanz, Germany, Richard shares his latest developments and refinements, stories and inductions, an introduction to NLP-DHE-NHR.
2001
Welcome to Reality, workshop in Ascona, Switzerland, What strategies does Richard Bandler use to be able to talk for hours? . . . with no notes . . . and with people carefully listening?
2003
Ascona, Bandler strategies, seminar in Ascona, Switzerland.
The Art and Science of Nested Loops, seminar in Orlando, Florida.
Trancing in and out, takes the class through different trances & demonstrations, seminar in Zurich, Switzerland
How to Live a Happy Life, 30 Years of NLP,
2005
It's About Time (Time Distortion), Richard Bandler from a 'Charisma Enhancement' seminar in Orlando Florida
The Bandler Effect, Bandler wearing a suit. 5 DVDs - Confidence, Creativity, Motivation, Health, & Changing Habits;
The Class of a Master, 4 DVDs - Instant Talent, Inner Beauty, Rapid Hypnotic Inductions, & Fantastic Futures;
2000's
Neuro-Hypnotic Repatterning, Introduction to NHR with a demonstration of the "handshake interrupt" hypnosis induction on four different participants.
Persuasion Engineering, With John Lavalle.
2010
An Evening With Richard Bandler: Introduction to NLP from THE UKCO, filmed in front of a live audience, with examples of his remedial work.
Biographical and personal links
Website from Richard Bandler
Guardian feature by Jon Ronson
NLP
German Discussion-Board about Richard Bandler
DHE and NHR
John LaValle's description of Design Human Engineering?
Video clips
What is NLP Interview with Richard Bandler in London
