We've all done it. We really fancy someone and then suddenly we come out with a line that's more of a criticism than a compliment.

But for one of Michael Carroll's clients his tendency to insult women meant at 38 he still hadn't had a girlfriend.

Michael, who owns South Croydon lifestyle firm NLP Academy, said: "On the relationship side there was a guy of 38 who had never had a girlfriend. He just used to freeze when woman were around or, as a strange defence mechanism, insult ladies. And that didn't get him anywhere.

"We spent three hours working out his fears and anxieties. The same night he went out with his brother. I set him a task to genuinely talk to as many ladies as he could and get as many phone numbers as he could."

Michael said that by working through his client's fears and anxieties, which stemmed from a dominant mother and being taught by strict nuns, he found success. Three years ago the man got engaged.

But singles coaching is not Michael's only bread and butter.

The married dad-of-four is also trained in neuro linguistic programming, or NLP, a branch of psychology which explains how people unconsciously organise their thinking, feeling, language and behaviour in different contexts of life.

The 41-year-old said: "My company runs business and lifestyle courses that are orientated towards self-development."

He got into lifecoaching after working in a sales department.

"Many years ago, I was in sales. I was fascinated in the difference in performance of the people in the team.

"Some people could set the world on fire with their selling and others dragged their feet.

"I realised success was not necessarily related to education or skills, as many people had these and were not successful. I concluded success in life is an attitude, a mindset. If you have the right mindset you can learn anything and be successful."

While Michael points out there is no typical session, he explained a little about his work with single clients.

"An example of something new we are involved in, we hold a workshop called Single Minded, run jointly with online site www.single-minded.net.

"We identified that singles, especially those who have just come out of long-term relationships, can experience problems in determining how best to seek and meet a new partner.

"Also some newly single people were confused what criteria and rules to apply when meeting and dating others because the dating game has changed so much.

"I wrote a one-day course to help people get back in touch with who they really are and what they want from life.

"The workshop also helps people deal with emotional hurt attached to past relationships as well as providing communication strategies for the future."

He added: "I get an enormous buzz from this. To help people free themselves from their past shackles is very rewarding."

For more information go to www.realnlp.co.uk, www.single-minded.net or call 020 8686 9952.