Provocative approaches

What is the difference between PCW and Provocative Therapy?

Provocative Change Works grew directly from Frank Farrelly’s classic Provocative Therapy. They share a provocative spirit—yet PCW is a broader, structured framework for learning and practice.

The short answer

Same roots. A wider framework.

Provocative Therapy is the original style created by Frank Farrelly. Provocative Change Works was developed later by Nick Kemp, after years of working closely with Frank and studying his sessions in depth.

PCW keeps the warmth, humour and challenge of the original while adding metaphor work, hypnotic patterns, NLP-style submodality shifts, systematic stance training, and feedback loops using recordings.

Provocative Therapy

The original style

A psychotherapeutic method created by Frank Farrelly, using humour, paradox and conversational stances to challenge a client’s problem story.

Provocative Change Works

A teachable communication model

A wider framework that carries the same “as if talking to an old friend” spirit into therapy, coaching, business, education and everyday conversation.

See the roots in practice

Frank Farrelly’s original work.

Nick Kemp developed PCW after years of studying and recording Frank’s work, and holding his teaching archive.

What they share

Challenging, responsive, and human.

Both work conversationally rather than mechanically or through worksheets.
Both challenge a client’s problem story by exaggerating, reversing and playfully supporting it.
Both use humour and irreverence with care—not cruelty or aggression.
Both respond to what the client does in the moment rather than following a script.

Scope and application

Classic Provocative Therapy is primarily a psychotherapy method for one-to-one client work. PCW keeps that application but is deliberately designed as a general communication model for therapy, coaching, business, education and everyday conversations.

Hypnosis and metaphor

Frank did not label his work as hypnosis, although many people describe trance-like states when watching or experiencing Provocative Therapy. In PCW, Ericksonian hypnotic patterns, metaphor exploration and provocative dialogue are explicitly combined as one integrated approach.

Session structure and preparation

Provocative Therapy traditionally begins with “What’s the problem?” and then playfully gives reasons to keep it. PCW may use that opening, but clients usually complete notes in advance and the practitioner may use “yes sets” and other setups before moving into overtly provocative work.

Additional tools

Provocative Therapy relies mainly on stance changes and relational communication. PCW keeps those and adds NLP-style submodality shifts, sensory language patterns and voice-tempo work to change the speed and tone of a client’s inner dialogue.

Training and development

Frank was clear that there should be no formal certifications in Provocative Therapy or “Provocative Coaching.” PCW is built as a teachable model, with structured training, development and clear competency standards through Nick Kemp’s programmes and the Association.

The experience for the client

Both approaches can feel playful, challenging and surprisingly warm. PCW tends to feel more multi-layered as the practitioner moves between provocative dialogue, metaphor, hypnotic language and structured follow-up so the client can keep learning from the session after it ends.

Interested in learning PCW?

Explore the Association’s upcoming training and events, or use the archive to see more of the work in practice.

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The Difference between Provocative Change Works and Provocative Therapy