The Rainbow Machine: Tales from a Neurolinguist's Journal [Paperback]

Andrew T. Austin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 7, 2007

The Rainbow Machine: tales from a neurolinguist s journal, by Andrew T. Austin, offers fascinating glimpses into the personal change work of a top NLP practitioner and registered nurse, in settings from mental hospitals, emergency rooms, and neurosurgery departments, to individual hypnosis and psychotherapy. Rollicking, creative, lively, funny, outrageous, touching, profound. A must read romp for anyone interested in therapy or personal change.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Andy Austins Rainbow Machine will have you laughing, gasping in horror and awe, and wishing like hell that you lived close enough to him to get an appointment. He is the British Milton Erickson. --Bill O Hanlon, author of Change 101 and many other books about brief therapy.

A fascinating book of amusing and sometimes outrageous vignettes, using NLP language patterns, submodalities, and what one might call NLP provocative therapy. A delightful collection of stories, thought pieces, and teaching that cast light into what NLP has to offer the field of psychotherapy and psychiatry. If you have an interest in the field, it will give you insights; if you have no interest, then read it just to enjoy the inevitable laughter. --Julian Russell, Senior Executive Coach and co-author of Alpha Leadership: tools for business leaders who want more from life.

The Rainbow Machine is a portal into the mind and methods of an outstanding practitioner of NLP. These journal entries transcend case studies and become teaching tales that convey Andrew Austin s fearless and imaginative attitude toward healing and change. Each tale is at once illustrative example, mind-expanding metaphor, and damn fine storytelling. Highly recommended for NLP Practitioners and anyone else involved in healing arts. Philip H. Farber, author and NLP Trainer --Philip H. Farber, author and NLP Trainer

About the Author

Formerly a registered nurse working in clinical neurology and neurosurgery, Andrew T. Austin began his nursing career in Accident and Emergency, where he quickly developed a strong reputation for working with the many psychiatric and mental health-related emergencies that were frequently presented to the department. It was during this period in 1994 that he began training in hypnosis and therapy, and his interest in psychotherapy and neurolinguistics grew. Andrew organises The West Sussex Hypnosis and NLP Study Group where he currently is focusing on neurology and the treatment of clinical conditions. Via his frequent writings, workshops, and lectures Andrew T. Austin is rapidly becoming known as the leading NLP-oriented therapist emphasising the neurological aspects of personal change and therapy. His seminars and workshops are sought out by NLP practitioners, trainers, and psychotherapists seeking to deepen their knowledge and skills base of the neurological underpinnings of their work. He lives in the south of England. Contact: [e-mail]

Product Details

• Paperback: 213 pages
• Publisher: Real People Press; 1st edition (November 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0911226443
• ISBN-13: 978-0911226447
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #397,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best NLP book of the last 5 years, May 22, 2008

By 

Andy Smith "Change specialist - coachingleade... (Manchester, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rainbow Machine: Tales from a Neurolinguist's Journal (Paperback)

'With hindsight, maybe dressing up as Satan was a step too far, but sometimes I just cannot resist. When a consultant psychiatrist called me to book an appointment to "confront her Catholic guilt", then something inside my head just started shouting "Go on!! She's a psychiatrist! Do it!! Do the session dressed as Satan!!"'

If you like that extract, then you'll love this book. It's a series of bite-sized articles, case studies and "Tales from a neurolinguist's journal" drawn from Austin's practice as a hypnotherapist and former career as a psychiatric nurse.

The book comes with heavyweight endorsement from the likes of Steve Andreas and Bill O'Hanlon, who describes Austin as 'the British Milton Erickson' - although given the degree of irreverence for the psychiatric establishment and the willingness to satirise some elements of the NLP community, "the British Richard Bandler" might be a little bit closer to conveying the flavour of the book.

Published by Real People Press, the Mark Andreas hippy-art cover makes it look like classic NLP works such as 'Frogs Into Princes' and 'Trance-Formations', and it's good enough to stand in that company. There really is an insight on nearly every page. The psych nursing background gives Austin an unusual depth of knowledge of the oft-neglected 'neuro' part of NLP, which provides useful perspectives on disorders like OCD.

Many people will be familiar with the "That's so obvious - why didn't I notice that before?" moments that come thick and fast when you first encounter NLP. I'm pleased to say that after 10 years as an NLP trainer, this book could still give me plenty of those. Of course a decision-making process that uses movies is going to get better results than one restricted to stills! Damn!

Did I mention that the book is often laugh-out-loud funny? He got away with that "Satan" thing too - in fact the client was so pleased with the results that she paid about six times what he asked. One thing I'm taking away from it is to be braver in my changework sessions.

For my money this is the most significant NLP book of the last five years. Luckily it's also one of the most readable. More please!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NLP's most gifted storyteller., December 1, 2007

By 

S. Talbot "Personal Coach" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rainbow Machine: Tales from a Neurolinguist's Journal (Paperback)

A series of stories from the author's experiences using Neuro-linguistic Programming, as a non-traditional therapist and a nurse in UK trauma, neurology, and children's oncology wards. The author tells stories as provocative as Richard Bandler's (NLP cofounder and legend), with the warmth, wisdom, and wit of Mark Twain. It will appeal most to those interested in or familiar with NLP, but it is accessible and enjoyable for everybody. My girlfriend, who has only a passing acquaintance with NLP, devoured it with great pleasure in the course of two afternoons.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, irreverent, and wise, January 9, 2008

By 

Wilma Keppel (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rainbow Machine: Tales from a Neurolinguist's Journal (Paperback)

I got this book in the mail on a busy day and didn't surface until I finished it some five hours later, smiling. Full of outrageous stories showing therapeutic NLP in action, this book is loads of fun. Although intended for people already familiar with NLP and/or therapy, it's accessible to anyone. I've read it twice so far and learned lots both times. Prepare to be shocked, to laugh, to change, and to look at the world differently after you're done.

Wilma Keppel, NLP developer