Sometimes, the most powerful feedback we receive doesn’t come in the form of a polished Google review or a perfectly worded video testimonial.

In the world of NLP4Kids, our clients are often too young to fully articulate the changes they’ve experienced or the gratitude they feel. But if you listen closely, they will still tell you everything you need to know – in their own wonderfully unfiltered, heartbreakingly honest way.

The Story I Never Forgot

Many years ago – well over a decade now – I worked with a young boy who had already experienced more trauma by the age of 11 than most people do in a lifetime.

He’d been adopted from within his own family after suffering abuse from parents who battled substance misuse. As a baby, he had sustained brain damage due to shaken baby syndrome, which also affected his vision. He was attending mainstream school, but his learning was slower, and as he got older, anxiety began to creep in.

By the time he came to me, he was avoiding the outside world altogether – no longer walking to the shops, no longer playing at the park, and self-isolating long before the rest of us ever associated that phrase with C-19.

👉 At first, it seemed like typical social anxiety. But the truth, once I understood it, was far more raw and complex.

When I asked him why he avoided going out, he shared his fear of running into young people from the local traveller community. And honestly? He had every reason to be afraid. I had worked with many children from that community in schools and was well aware that their cultural norms could include a very different approach to respect, authority, and confrontation. His concerns weren’t irrational. He lived close to the site. He looked different. He was vulnerable. He knew it – and that’s what made it even more real.

The Truth Behind the Testimonial

At the time, I didn’t realise just how deep this ran. Looking back now, with more experience and a wider perspective, I believe that what he was truly communicating was a fundamental fear: I’m not safe in this world.

And why would he believe he was? When you’ve been hurt by the very people who should have protected you, trust is a fragile, fractured thing.

I don’t remember the exact techniques we used in our sessions. But I do remember what happened at the end.

At our final session, I said what I often say to children when I know our time together is coming to a close:
“Today is going to be our last session, because I don’t think you need me anymore – and that’s a good thing.”

And he looked me straight in the eye and replied:

“I think you’ve saved my life.”

That’s not a review on Google. It’s not a clip for a promotional video. But it’s the kind of testimonial that lives in your heart forever.

Why Testimonials Matter – Even When They’re Not Perfectly Worded

When a child says something like that, it might not come with structure or grammar, but it carries more weight than any polished paragraph ever could.

That’s why, in NLP4Kids, we don’t just rely on feedback from the parents – although their testimonials are always valuable. We pay attention to the little things children say. We teach our practitioners to recognise those golden moments, to hold space for them, and to treasure them as proof that change has taken place.

Of course, we also help our practitioners learn how to gather testimonials in more traditional formats – from parents, schools, and yes, even the occasional brave young person who’s willing to share their story publicly.

We show you how to set up your Google Business page, how to embed your reviews on your own NLP4Kids website, and how to use those stories to build trust and grow your client base.

But don’t forget: a testimonial isn’t just good for your business. It’s good for your client too. It helps them own their progress. It affirms their transformation. And for that child who once lived in fear, it might be the very first time they’ve been able to say, “I’m okay now.”

And that, in itself, is a beautiful form of healing.

by Gemma Bailey (with the help of Ai)

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