About H.D. Nicolay

H. D. Nicolay is an expert in learning methods, a family therapist and author of the book “The Dyslexic Myth: solving reading and writing problems “. As a child he also had reading and writing difficulties. In 1996 he opened his own practice in Munich and also works with schools and in teacher training both at home and abroad, He has developed the Nicolay - Reading/Writing-Method to help children overcome their difficulties and to treat dyslexia. Furthermore, he has developed a training programme for therapists and teachers. H. D. Nicolay has also trained under Dr. Michael Grinder, Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, using the principles of Virginia Satir and others.

Childhood and choice of a job with reading and writing difficulties.
The course of my life differs from the usual sequence of ”school leaving certificate, study and job“. As it has had a major influence on my current work, I provide a few excerpts below.

As a child I wanted to become a pastor when Ii grew up simply because I felt at home in the church. It was less important for me what was being preached from the pulpit, I was much more impressed by the atmosphere in the church also during the service. I applied for the entry examination to a seminary and the results were good. Only my writing was poor. I was told on account of the number of spelling mistakes I had made I could not be admitted. My world fell apart. But does being a good pastor not depend on much more important things so then I was at loggerheads with the church for using such criteria to select their priests. This experience robbed me of any perspective for my future. What was to become of me? What career should I go after? I was at a loss for ideas and I was deeply disappointed with the world in general. My performance at school continued to deteriorate and my circle of friends changed. I now sought out friends who were rebels, who opposed society and even broke the law at times. My parents intervened influencing me to study computer science, saying “that is the future – and also a good salary”. Having no perspectives of my own I agreed although even as a child I was not interested in technical matters. After finishing my studies I set up a company for electronic security systems, developed patents and soon it was a financial success.

Turning point and new directions
At the height of my professional success I took seriously ill. In a near-death experience I saw my whole life pass in front of me. Then I suddenly realised that I was totally out of place, that as a child I had very different ideas about my future life and that deep inside myself I was desperately unhappy with the career I had chosen. And then it dawned upon me in an instant: I wanted to be healthy and “whole” again, I would change my life completely and return to my original talents and my goals. It was a period of convalescence in a holistic private clinic in Bad Wiessee which brought the turning point in my life from a job to a vocation. I started reflecting on basic issues: What is illness? What is Health? What is good fortune? Does life have a meaning? A path? I began psychosomatic studies and body oriented therapies. I increasingly got the feeling that I was finding my true direction in life. This gave me strength and confidence.

My path to learning methods and family coaching
Without knowing where the path would lead me I decide to follow it in this direction as a profession. I sold my computer company and rid myself of all obligations. At the universities of Berkeley and Santa Barbara I took courses in humanistic psychology and holistic pedagogy. This gave me a basic understanding of human behaviour. But what I was looking for I could not find in mainstream universities. My financial independence gave me the opportunity to put together my own study and training plans. I visited individuals and institutions that had tangible results to show: experts in the fields of psychology, pedagogics, communication and behavioural therapy, neurology, brain scientists as well as schools where teachers excelled in the classroom as well as unconventional thinkers and those who thought “out of the box”. For me it is totally unimportant what people say or maintain they do – I look only at their visible behaviour, what they do and how they do it and what results they achieve. “By their deeds ye shall know them!“

I travelled to many different countries during my first studies – USA, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, India – and do the same today to continue to learn. I sat in therapists’ rooms, seminars and classrooms. In part I lived and with people from whom I was learning and did my training. I stayed as long as I needed to acquire their skills and from these I developed my learning and family therapeutic concepts which I adjusted to the German education system. Without any particular title, but with a wealth of knowledge and practical experience and proven success It was a tremendous challenge to visit pedagogical universities, further training centres, schools and many other institutions and to persuade them not to look at my lack of qualifications on paper but at what I had achieved. Slowly I achieved acceptance. The first educational establishment which gave me the opportunity to hold seminars was the Bavarian Teachers’ Association. The seminars were a success and further events followed.

In the meantime in schools and other institutions abroad I was successfully in coaching children and families through practical work to lead a harmonious family life, to learn autonomously. I coached them to enhance their self-esteem, to improve their concentration and relaxation skills and provided immediate help with reading and learning difficulties.

Studies and Training:
An excerpt of my studies and training courses:

- Humanist Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Calif./USA
- Family Therapy Training according to Virginia Satir/Dr. Eduard Pauls, Stanford, Calif./USA
- Transpersonal Psychology, Dr. Stan Grof, San Francisco, Calif./USA
- Special Education, College of Education, Santa Barbara, Calif./USA
- Seven Intelligences in Education, Prof. Dr. Howard Gardner/G. Lazear, Stanford, Calif./USA
- Class management and recognition of learning styles, Dr. Michael Grinde and Robert Dilts, Santa Cruz, Calif./ USA
- Movement and Learning, Aloka Marti and Joan Sala, Transition School, Auroville, India
- Hengstenberg Concepts, Uli Tritschler and Ute Strub
- Non-Violent Communication, Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg, Nada Ignjatovic and Christa Morf

Traineeships and substitute teacher:

- Oak Grove School, Ojai, Calif./USA, 1990–1992
- Waldorf School, Hawaii/USA 1992/1993
- Sudbury School, Sacramento, Calif./USA and Maui, Hawaii/USA 1994–1996
- Transition School, Auroville, India 1999 + 2000

Psychosomatic Training:

- Gentle release of blockages in the spine/nervous system, Dr. M. Mc Bride, Dr. M. Fleischer
- The Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education according to Thomas Hanna
- Iyenga Yoga Studies since 1988, Aadil Palkhivala, Rahshid, Michael Forbes
- Meditation training since 1986, Zen Monastery Obama, Japan, Vipassana Centres in India and Germany

Wholefood diet:

- Fit for Life, H. + M. Diamond, San Francisco, Calif./USA
- Dr. Bircher-Benner, Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland