Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D - The Neufeld Institute

Jeanie Alderson has worked teaching adults and parents for over 20 years. She has worked with Northern Cheyenne Head Start and the Lame Deer Public Schools as a consultant and is currently an instructor in the Adult Basic & Literacy Education Program at Chief Dull Knife College. From her own search to become a better parent Jeanie discovered Dr. Neufeld’s work and is passionate about sharing this material with other parents and teachers. Jeanie ranches with her family outside of Birney, Montana and is the mother of two children. 

Jeanie is Authorized in all three parts of Power to Parent: The Vital Connection, Helping Children Grow Up, and Common Childhood Challenges.  For information about upcoming courses, please contact Jeanie or see the Calender page.

Liz Amaral is a Certified Canadian Family Educator with 40 years experience in the field of working with parents and children. She supports parents in identifying dynamics so that they can see their children from the inside out in a way that makes sense of attachments.

Liz offers all three parts of the Power to Parent course: The Vital Connection, Helping Children Grow Up, and Common Challenges. She also facilitates Making Sense of Adolescence, Making Sense of Aggression, Making Sense of Counterwill, The Making and Unmaking of Bullies, and Power to Teach. These courses are designed to give insight and support to parents and those caring for children. The course format includes viewing the session DVD for an hour and following that time up with participants' questions and discussion. 

Liz's famous chocolate chip cookies are always served.

Lorraine is a classroom teacher with the Calgary Catholic School District, currently working in the upper elementary grades. She has a Bachelor of Physical Education with teacher certification and has worked in a variety of school settings and inclusive classrooms with students from Kindergarten to grade 9.  In addition to being a teacher, Lorraine is also the mother of 3 children, and is reminded daily of the value of attachment and patience within her own family.

Lorraine facilitates the following courses for parents: Power to Parent I: The Vital Connection, Power to Parent II: Helping Children Grow Up, and Making Sense of Adolescence.

She also offers both Power to Teach, and Bullies: Their Making and Unmaking for schools and other professional organizations, and will work with you to organize a program that meets the particular needs of your organization.

Please contact Lorraine for more information about any of these courses.

Sandi Beebe, a retired teacher, has over 35 years of experience working with children, adults and youth. She seeks to inspire parents and caregivers to make sense of children from the inside out, by encouraging them to use natural intuition to understand and connect with young people of all ages.

Sandra Offers the complete Power to Parent course, as well as Making Sense of Aggression, Making sense of Counterwill, and Making Sense of Adolescence. For information about her upcoming courses, please see the calendar page, or contact Sandra.

Jean Bigelow is a junior School principal. She has extensive experience working with students of all ages, but most recently adolescents and Middle School students. Jean is also a parent and grandparent who puts Dr. Neufeld`s approach to use in her daily life.

Jean offers the complete three part Power to Parent series for parents: Vital Connection, Helping Children Grow Up, and Common Challenges.

Please see the Calender page or contact Jean for information about upcoming courses.

Christine Boecker has studied and applied Dr. Neufeld’s attachment parenting approach in her own life for the past nine years. A single mother, Christine co-parents harmoniously with the father of her child.  She is delighted to share both this material and the success of her own positive experience in a caring and safe environment, bringing to her parent groups a genuine interest and passion for children and their families.

Testimonial: Over the past eight weeks, I found myself privileged to be a part of an extraordinary course. Christine - your skills as a facilitator and presenter of Gordon Neufeld’s work are excellent. You keep the focus on the workshop content. The discussion after the video was very effective.

Christine Boecker voluntarily facilitates the Power to Parent courses on behalf of Touchstone Family Association, a community based social service agency, primarily focused on preserving and enhancing family relationships in Richmond, BC.

Parents and school counsellors from the Richmond and Delta area have enrolled in the program.  Testimonial: Christine`s total belief in Gordon Neufeld`s work shines through and I would certainly recommend your workshops to other parents of children any age.

Courses are generally offered on Wednesday evenings in central Richmond BC.  Easy access by Canada Line (Brighouse Station) and free parking available.

 For enquiries simply click on the `contact` button. 

Ken Boschman is a registered psychologist who recently completed a two year internship with Dr. Neufeld after retiring from Black Gold Regional Schools in Alberta.  He is presently engaged in private practice work with Cornerstone Counselling Centre in Edmonton and Karunia Counselling in Leduc.  Ken finds that the Neufeld approach explains most of what has worked, or not worked, in his relationships with children over the years.  Thankfully, this recognition is just in time for his grandchildren, and also informs his relationships with their parents and grandmother!

Ken is available to offer both courses and presentations to a broad range of groups including parents, educators, and other helping professionals. Ken brings three decades of experience as a teacher, counsellor, principal, and jurisdiction administrator to his current work as an educational psychologist applying the Neufeld approach.  He is able to solve problems, and provide advice that finds a way around conflicting or competing demands/circumstances so that staff and students can be set up for success. The common thread in all Ken’s work is restoring heart and right relationships to education so that teaching, learning, and maturation are free to flourish.

Donna Bromley is a parent of 3 grown children and 7 grandchildren.  Donna worked as a labour and delivery nurse and as a parent coach in her local community for many years.  She and her husband give leadership to their humanitarian organization, Hope for the Nations, providing homes, villages, and schools for children at risk globally.  Donna uses the Neufeld parenting material to train their house-parents and staff overseas.

Donna offers video courses to parents in her local community as well as to the Christian community.  She facilitates Parts I, II, and III of the Power to Parent course as well as Making Sense of Adolescence and The Art and Science of Transplanting Children. Donna holds parenting seminars and workshops both locally and internationally.

Please contact Donna to register for courses or to book her for future engagements. 

Gail Carney,  a retired Art School administrator and a working artist, is currently the Director of Neufeld Institute Advanced Studies. She also acts as Program Advisor for those interested in study with Dr Neufeld's material, and is the campus librarian.

Gail has spent a lifetime educating and helping artists of all ages and has a special interest the paradigm as it applies to expression and its role in a child's  development.

Gail is the Course Coordinator for Making Sense of Play.  She has studied with Dr Neufeld since 1992 and applied his approach  in supervision of staff and students at Emily Carr Unversity of Art and  Design in Vancouver, British Columbia. She has been on faculty with the  Neufeld Institute since 2007.

In addition to her involvement in the arts, Gail has maintained an  active interest in the sciences throughout her career. Her own field,  that of ceramics, requires a strong scientific aptitude for success.

Susan Dafoe-Abbey is a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist (AAMFT) and is the author/co-author of more than 50 research reports, papers and CDs. Susan has been involved in the development of the Neufeld Institute and served as faculty for a number of years. She continues in her role as 'Professional Associate of the Neufeld Institute' to provide support and consultation to the organization. When time permits, Susan also continues to offer Dr. Neufeld’s courses to equip, support and help parents and teachers to make sense of the children in their care. She is a mother of three and an involved grand-mother with her six grand-children.

Susan is available for presentations on a variety of topics of interest to school, mental health, community and social-service agencies and has offered many presentations at a variety of venues in Guelph and Toronto, Ontario. She has worked with five Boards of Education in Ontario helping teachers, educational assistants and administrators to see the children they work with thru a developmental perspective. From day-long workshops, to series of weekly seminars, Susan presents material that targets the importance of relationships in learning. She maintains a private practice in both counselling and parent consulting and offers consulting in person, by telephone and online. For more information please see her website.

Bachelière en enseignement en adaptation scolaire et détentrice d`une maitrise en psychopédagogie, j`ai travaillé comme enseignante auprès de diverses clientèles en adaptation scolaire et, depuis les cinq dernières années, à titre de conseillère pédagogique. Appliquer et transmettre le paradigme fait maintenant partie de mon quotidien tant professionnel que personnel.  Mère de deux jeunes garçons, je tente de faire de notre famille un lieu émotionnellement sécuritaire et privilégié où ils pourront grandir et développer des relation harmonieuses.

Isabelle offre la possibilité aux parents, éducateurs et responsables de service de garde, enseignants et professionnels de l’enseignement, de la santé et des services sociaux de recevoir divers cours vidéo disponibles (français ou anglais, selon la disponibilité).  Que ce soit par le biais d’une association, d’un employeur ou de façon privée, les cours sont offerts principalement de soir et durent entre 4 et 8 semaines.  Il peut y avoir une entente préalable pour que les séances aient lieu le jour.

Pour l’automne 2011, le cours : L’attachement, fondement du pouvoir parental (le lien crucial) aura lieu à l’Association de parents d’enfant en difficulté de la rive sud de Montréal (450-679-9310).

Eva de Gosztonyi is a psychologist who has worked for over 35 years in schools all across Canada, including Quebec, Manitoba, northern Saskatchewan and the Yukon. Presently she works as the Co-ordinator of the Centre of Excellence for Behaviour Management with the ten English language School Boards of Quebec, helping the adults in the school setting to understand how best to help their most vulnerable children.

Eva believes that educators can foster the natural processes of development in their interactions and attachments with students in the classroom and in the school. In her presentations Eva weaves together theory and practice; learning and behaviour, to help those who work with children put into practice Dr. Neufeld`s paradigm so that they can most effectively help children and youth become the "best that they can be".

Eva believes that educators can foster the natural processes of development in their interactions and attachments with students in the classroom and in the school. In her presentations Eva weaves together theory and practice; learning and behaviour, to help those who work with children put into practice Dr. Neufeld`s paradigm so that they can most effectively help children and youth become the "best that they can be".

Eva consults with any school and school board/district/division that wishes to work out a plan for implementing the paradigm within their building or organization.  She offers consultations about individual students on the understanding that staff are well versed in the Neufeld approach.

Eva offers a variety of presentations in both English and French on topics related to understanding children, attachment, vulnerability and maturation. She offers these as day-long presentations to both small and large groups.

• Reaching Troubled Kids: Becoming a Child Whisperer (L`enfant en difficulté)
• Understanding Aggression (Mieux comprendre l`agressivité)
• Making and Unmaking of Bullies (Les intimidateurs)
• Understanding the Teen Brain (Le cerveau Ado)
• CounterWill (La contrevolonté)
• Anxiety and Alarme (L`anxieté)
• Parenting in the 21st Century (L`attachement)
• Tempers, Tantrums and Tears

 Eva is open to doing some parent consulting, especially with those who speak only French, until we build a base of French speaking parent consultants.

Cathy has been working with high risk youth and their families for the past 25 years, first as a youth probation officer and then the past 15 years as a social worker/counselor of high risk youth and families. Cathy has under graduate degrees in Criminology (SFU) and Social Work (UBC) and has received certification in the topic of counseling juvenile sexual offenders at the University of Louisville in KY.

Cathy was introduced to the Neuf eld paradigm in 2005 when she attended her first Level One Intensive Since then she has attended Level Two Intensive as well and has repeated both to gain further understanding. Cathy works for the Yukon Territorial Government, where her practise relates to the treatment and risk management of high risk youth (and families) 12 to 17 years of age. She consults with staff and youth in the Youth Justice system. Cathy is married with two teenagers.

Cathy offers Power to Parent I:The Vital Connection.  Please contact her for information and to register.

Martine Demers is the Director of French Programs and Translation at the Neufeld Institute.  As a Faculty Member she is involved in leadership, faculty advising and program development. Martine thrives on teamwork and helping to bring Dr. Neufeld’s paradigm throughout the province of Quebec and to all other francophone communities within the country. 

Martine is actively involved in intervention with her school board where she works as a Behavior Consultant, supporting school teams with their most challenging students. She is involved in professional development, consultation, class intervention, networking, and accessing resources for children and their parents via various health and social service agencies. Martine also facilitates Dr. Neufeld’s parent education courses, understanding the importance of bringing this information directly to the source: the parents.

Martine’s most passionate presence is with her own family and as a mother, where she lives the paradigm on a daily basis.

Martine is available to facilitate parent groups, such as the Power to Parent series, Bullies, Understanding Aggression and Making Sense of Adolescence.  She also facilitates course for teachers and professionals; The Power to Teach, Bullies, Teachability Factor, Making Sense of Aggression and Making Sense of Adolescence.  Martine is available to facilitate in a variety of environments for evening, half-day, and/or full day sessions.

Diane is a Neufeld Course Facilitator. She uses Dr. Neufeld's paradigm both personally and professionally, as a Paediatric O.T., and as a parent of two children now in their twenties.  Diane feels this paradigm has radically changed her interactions with the children she works and has also transformed the relationships she has with her son and daughter.

Diane offers all three parts of The Power to Parent, as well as Making Sense of Adolescence, Making Sense of Counterwill, and Making Sense of Aggression.  For information about her upcoming offerings, please see the calendar page, or contact Diane.

Patti offers all of Dr. Neufeld’s video courses and runs the following regularly throughout the year:  Power to Parent: The Vital Connection, Helping Children Grow Up, Common Childhood Challenges and Making Sense of Adolescence. A list of current courses being offered is always posted on her web-site.

Patti offers workshops and presentations of various lengths to  parents, educators and professionals; for a complete list and description of presentations and workshops, please see her web-site.  

Patti sees adults, couples, adolescents, and families for counselling. She meets with parents for consultation both at her private practice and by phone.

Colleen Drobot is a West Vancouver based registered professional counsellor and parent consultant who works with individuals, families, and adolescents. Colleen is also an educator with the Coquitlam School District and has 20 years experience working with children in the regular classroom and in special-needs settings. She is a Neufeld Institute Faculty member and a mother of two children. Colleen draws from her personal and professional experience to support parents and professionals in gaining insight, opening their hearts and leading by their intuition.  Through stories and examples Colleen presents Dr. Neufeld`s approach with passion, humour, and compassion to deepen understanding and apply this approach to everyday life.

Colleen offers all of Dr. Neufeld`s courses, and facilitates them both for parents and for professionals who work with parents and children. She is the Course Coordinator for Power to Parent I: The Vital Connection and Making Sense of Counterwill. Colleen provides presentations and workshops for parents, educators, counsellors and mental health professionals. Through stories and examples from her family life, classroom experiences, and clinical training, Colleen brings theory to life.  In her private practice Colleen offers counselling at her West Vancouver office. She offers therapeutic counselling  for people dealing with anxiety, grief and loss, separation, divorce, depression, existential crisis, marital or relationship challenges, life transitions, or family of origin work. Colleen offers parent consulting both in her office, and by phone or skype; she specializes in helping people to understand sensitivity, giftedness, anxiety, aggression, dominance, and behavioural issues in children. Colleen offers professional development to educators and teaching staffs to help them deepen their attachments with students, and to implement behaviour plans that are developmentally appropriate.

For more information regarding Colleen`s courses, presentations, and private practice, please visit her website.

Terri Elwood is a speech pathologist and educator. She has been studying Dr. Neufeld`s approach for the past seven years and enjoys facilitating these videocourses. Terri is a mom who is grateful for the insight Dr. Neufeld`s courses have given her.

Terri runs groups for parents and  teachers in a variety of settings: community centres, churches, schools, businesses and in private homes.  She facilitates Power to Parent: The Vital Connection, Helping Children Grow Up, and Common Challenges, as well as  Making Sense of Adolescence, Making Sense of Counterwill, and Making Sense of Aggression. Please contact Terri if you are interested in future offerings or if you would like Terri to lead any of these courses for your group.

Marcela Escalera is Neufeld Faculty member, and is a child psychologist with twenty five years of experience in psychoeducational evaluation.  She is particularly interested in making sense of children who have been diagnosed with ADD and learning disabilities.  In consulting with the parents of such children she seeks to help them to see their children from a new perspective. She says that Dr. Neufeld’s material is helping her to make sense of herself, as well as her two children.

Marcela Escalera es parte del personal docente del Dr. Neufeld. Ella es psicologa infantil con veinticinco años de experiencia en Evaluación Psicopedagógica. Está interesada en la comprensión de niños con déficit de atención y problemas de aprendizaje, para orientar y ayudarlos a ver a sus hijos desde una nueva perspectiva.
El material del Dr. Neufeld le ha ayudado a comprenderse a si misma y a sus dos hijos. 

Marcela presents all of Dr. Neufeld’s courses and delivers them upon request to specific groups in informal or school settings. She teaches parenting groups, maintains her private practice, and presents Dr. Neufeld’s material in Mexico City to schools and professionals involved in child development. 

As the Neufeld Faculty member in Mexico, Marcela is involved in developing and training a Spanish speaking leadership team, in translating material into Spanish, and in training Spanish speaking facilitators to bring this material to their communities.

Marcela presenta todos los Cursos autorizados por el Dr. Neufeld tanto a grupos de padres como en escuelas. Ofrece los Cursos Intensivos en Español.

Ella es Directora Regional y Coordinadora de Cursos en Mexico. Como miembro de la facultad ella está haciendo la traducción del material, seleccionando y entrenando líderes y facilitadores de habla hispana quienes podrán transmitir el modelo a sus comunidades en México y Latinoamérica. 

Joan has a background in occupational therapy and teaching.  She is currently furthering her studies in Dr. Neufeld`s approach.  Joan is a mother of 3 and uses her personal as well as professional exprience to educate and support parents in Timmins and the surrounding area.

Joan offers Power to Parent: The Vital Connection, Helping Children Grow Up, and Common Challenges, as well as Making Sense of Aggression, Making Sense of Counterwill, and Bullies, their Making and Unmaking. Please see the Calendar page, or contact Joan for information about upcoming videocourses.

David Fung, M.Sc, is a Kelowna-based, Individual, Couple and Family Psychotherapist, Life Coach, Educator and Consultant.  He has a background in Family systems, Postmodern Psychotherapies, and Attachment-based therapy approaches.  David is a past member of Dr. Neufeld`s faculty and has worked with his material for the past 12 years both personally and professionally. A charter director of The Learning Circle in Family Therapy, David is on the faculty of The Okanagan Learning Circle Institute for Family Therapy.  As an experienced clinician practicing for over 20 years, he has worked in a variety of settings (ie. private practice, agency, hospital, College/University, church) teaching, supervising students and therapists-in-training, facilitating groups, and providing consultation and therapy.  David is an Clinical Fellow of The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and a member of the Canadian Registry for Marriage and Family Therapy.  His personal passion is for his wife and children aged, 12, 10 and 8.  He has a playful style and a natural ability to connect with his clients.  

David offers Dr. Neufeld’s courses as both presentations and facilitated video-courses for parents and for professionals who work with parents and children.  He provides presentations and workshops for parents, educators, counsellors and mental health professionals. In his private practice David offers counselling at his Kelowna office. He offers therapeutic counselling for people dealing with couple or family relationship challenges, anxiety, grief and loss, separation, divorce, depression, existential crisis, life transitions, or family of origin work. David offers parent consulting both in his office, and by phone or skype.  David is available for short talks and half or full day presentations to parents, parents & professionals, and educators. For information about his presentation topics, or to inquire about an appointment, please contact David.

Bryan Gooden, MA Counselling Psychology, has been counselling children, youth and families for almost 30 years, the past 20 of these in Nanaimo and the surrounding area where in 2009 he opened his private practice, Bryan Gooden Counselling and Consulting Services . Bryan is also a Child, Youth and Family Support Worker with the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District with extensive experience working with high needs children, youth and families. Bryan is well known for his passionate promoting and implementing of the attachment-based, relational-developmental perspective within the school system, the Central Vancouver Island community as well as internationally in Uganda, East Africa. Bryan is a father of three who enjoys the challenge of living what he teaches.

Bryan offers Power to Parent I: The Vital Connection, and The Power to teach in Ladysmith and Nanaimo.   Please contact Bryan for information.

Janet Greaves emigrated from Northern Ireland to Canada in 1979, and worked in the early 1980’s in group homes with ‘at risk’ youth in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

In 1993, she completed a degree in psychology.  This led to employment with various family outreach positions.  She is currently employed by Rocky View Schools in Airdrie, Alberta as a Family/School Liaison.

Janet and her husband took Dr. Neufeld’s eight-week parenting program while expecting their first child, and continue making sense of their own children from a developmental perspective.  As a Course Facilitator Janet’s goal is to pass on the program paradigm to parents and families she works with, and help parents see their own children with insight and compassion

Janet offers the complete three part Power to Parent course for parents. For information about her upcoming courses, please see the Calendar page, or contact Janet.

Beth Hachkowski has been a Registered Psychologist in Alberta for over 11 years. In Red Deer, she has a private practice where she provides counselling to children and adults. Beth also developed and manages a government funded reunification program which provides intensive in-home support to parents who are involved with Child Protection. Beth`s areas of speciality include parenting, (including adoption and foster parenting), aggression problems and challenging behaviours in children and adolescents.  Having worked as a nanny, behaviour aide, school-based consultant, Child Protection Supervisor, Youth Residence Clinician, Mental Health Clinic Therapist and Regional Manager, Beth has reason to appreciate and value of Dr. Neufeld`s teachings. As a faculty member of the Neufeld Institute she is honored teach and to practice this model of making sense of children from the inside out.  As a mother of a 7 year-old son, Beth cherishes her time raising him and watching him grow!

Beth offers a variety of Dr. Neufeld`s courses, and is pleased to offer them to parents, professionals, educators/school support staff, and churches. She is the course Co-ordinator for The Art and Science of Transplanting of Children.  Beth presents on a number of topics to parents, professionals, educators/school support staff, and churches; her areas of speciality include parenting, (adoption and foster parenting), aggression problems, anxiety and other challenging behaviours in children and adolescents. Beth brings her professional and personal experience to her presentations, sharing many practical examples which illustrate the Neufeld Approach in everyday situations between adults and the children in their care.   In her private practice she provides counselling and parent consultation in person, by phone or on Skype.

Liz Hatherell: I am a mother of 3 adult daughters and have been married for over 30 years to my husband Julian. I have many children in my life, those of friends and family, and also those I meet in my volunteer work with mothers, through La Leche League Canada, as a doula, and the Women`s Health Clinic Birth Centre, Advisory commitee.

I have been interested in helping parents make sense of their children for a long time. This material and theory fits just right in my heart, and I am thoroughly enjoying sharing it with those who work with children. I would go so far as to say: what Dr Neufeld brings to our consciousness gives us insight to make sense of life.

Liz offers the following courses in Winnipeg.  Please inquire about upcoming courses:

• The Vital Connection
•  Helping Children Grow Up
•  Common Challenges
• Making Sense of Adolescence

 Courses are 8 sessions each and include light refreshments. Group size is typically 8-10 participants. For information about dates, fees, and space availability of any course, please contact Liz.

I am also available to facilitate these courses for your group, by special arrangement, such as weekend intensives, daytime and more.

Shoshana Hayman is a Faculty Member of the Neufeld Institute and Regional Director in Israel. She  began her professional development in the field of parenting as a childbirth educator, breastfeeding consultant and parent group facilitator.  Shoshana and her husband have six children and 15 grandchildren, who are the source of her inspiration and motivation to pass on to others what has given her the greatest pleasure and deepest insight into raising responsible and caring children.   Her daughter Elana works together with her. 

After reading Hold On To Your Kids, Shoshana felt compelled to publish it in Hebrew and enter into an intensive study program with Dr. Neufeld to become a faculty member of the Neufeld Institute.  Shoshana founded and directs Life Center, Center for Attachment Parenting in Israel based on the relational approach, and works to raise awareness and create change in the way that children in Israel are understood, taught and cared for. 

As the Regional Director for the Neufeld Institute in Israel, Shoshana is building a team of facilitators to present the Neufeld material in Israel so that together they can help parents and teachers understand what children truly need to realize their human potential.

Shoshana presents Dr. Neufeld’s material in Hebrew in a variety of settings in Israel. She teaches the Neufeld Intensive One: Making Sense of Kids in Hebrew at the Lander Institute Jerusalem Academic College, and facilitates the Intensive Two: Common Childhood Challenges. She is available for presentations to schools and institutions throughout Israel,and adapts her presentations to meet the needs of each organization or audience. Shoshana offers the three-part Power to Parent course in the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv areas. In addition, she provides authorization courses in Hebrew to those who want to facilitate Dr. Neufeld`s courses. Shoshana can be consulted privately in person, online or by telephone.

Please contact Shoshana for more information.

Jonas Himmelstrand is a management consultant and educator based in Sweden. He is also a faculty intern of the Neufeld Institute. He was trained as a University Chemist, studied Social Anthropology, and eventually chose to work with people. Jonas has worked for 30 years as a consultant to businesses, public offices and schools in the areas of personal growth, leadership and education. In raising three children Jonas has found himself having opposing views to the public Swedish family policies, which focus on early day care and school. He has written a book about family policies and the challenges of personal growth in Sweden, which key findings will soon be published in English. Jonas came into contact with Dr. Neufeld’s material in 2007 through Hold on to your kids. He had the book translated into Swedish, and has since become Dr. Neufeld’s Swedish representative. Jonas is an experienced educator, teaching both in English and his native Swedish. He has a unique combination in understanding both the Neufeld approach, and the Swedish school and family culture.

Bernard has been involved with the education system for over 25 years as an educator and administrator. For the past eight years he has worked as a District Counsellor with the Chilliwack School District. He is very familiar with Dr. Neufelds approach having consulted with him professionally, attended a number of his trainings, and facilitated professional development sessions for school district staff. With six children and six grandchildren, Bernard has daily opportunities to put Dr. Neufelds approach into practice in his own family.

Bernard offers the complete three part Power to Parent course, as well as Making Sense of Adolescence, Making Sense of Aggression, Making Sense of Counterwill, The Making and Unmaking of Bullies, and Power to Teach.

For information about Bernard's upcoming courses, please see the Calendar page, or contact Bernard.

Lis Kroeker is a faculty member of the Neufeld Institute, and has been working in the educational system for 24 years. Lis’ experience includes classroom teaching; working with students with special needs (both within the traditional classroom, and outside of it); supporting students with troubling behaviours; working as a school counsellor at the elementary and middle school levels; and working as a district resource teacher for the Burnaby, Nanaimo a

nd Qualicum/Parksville school districts. Lis teaches Special Education courses at the post-secondary level, and coordinates the Teacher Post Degree Diploma in Special Education at Vancouver Island University. Lis is a mother of two children, and brings with her a deep sense of compassion and a strong belief in the ability of this approach to change the lives of children.

Lis is available upon request to offer all Neufeld courses to educators and parents. She primarily works with children, their families, and their teachers within the school system. 

Lis has extensive experience providing in-service to teachers and teachers- in-training, and has worked with teams of educators and parents of children who are struggling. She provides educational consulting and counselling in the school system and through her private practice. 

Lis offers presentations from two hour talks to full day seminars and workshops in a number of formats: professional development to educators and special educators; university level credit courses; parent groups, and church groups. For information about any of her services, please contact Lis.

 Michael has over 25 years of background in counselling in a national organization. He held various positions throughout his career and was a Senior Counsellor (over 15 years) working with the President and Vice-Presidents within the Organizational Development and Training department. He has extensive experience in Training, Coaching, Facilitating and Mentoring of adults. He is also a graduate of a private three year program in counselling for adults.

Michael has been involved with the Neufeld Institute since the summer of 2007 when he followed the two Intensive programs (level 1 and level 2). He has been actively building a private practice known as “Global Attachment” where he is offering to facilitate courses in both English and French.  Michael is also a member of the French translation group for the Neufeld Institute. Most importantly, Michael is the father of two school aged children putting Dr. Neufeld`s approach to use in his own daily life as a parent.

Power to Parent: The Vital Connection

Michael offers Power to Parent: the Vital Connection to Parents and/or Teachers on an “as-requested” basis. He is presently involved in a project within the Autism community and would like to share Dr. Neufeld’s paradigm within this population group.

Cindy Leavitt is a Faculty member of The Neufeld Institute. She attended Harvard University before completing her undergraduate degree at Stanford University, and received a Master’s Degree from The Wurzweiller School of Social Work. Cindy has facilitated groups and counselled individuals and couples for over fifteen years. She works with parents, educators, and mental health professionals, leading groups; providing private consulting and counselling; and offering professional development in a variety of settings. Cindy brings a combination of theoretical insight, practical wisdom, and personal compassion to her work with clients. She is the mother of three children and it is within her own family that Dr. Neufeld’s work most informs her life.

Cindy offers all of Dr. Neufeld’s courses to a variety of audiences, and is the Course Coordinator for the Neufeld Intensive II: Common Childhood Challenges. Cindy presents a wide range of topics within Dr. Neufeld`s paradigm to parents, teachers, and mental health professionals. Cindy’s presentations range in length from two hour talks to full day seminars. She offers individual and couples counselling, integrating Dr. Neufeld’s insights into attachment, maturation and vulnerability into her work with adults, thus helping her clients to be more successful, humane, and whole in their relationships with their children, their mates, and themselves. Cindy also provides parent consultation both in person and by phone, to individuals from numerous different countries and cultural backgrounds.

Cindy has extensive experience and expertise working with dominance issues, aggression, alarm, and sensitivity and has a particular passion for helping parents find the way to their own developmental potential and spiritual fulfillment through committing to become the parent their child needs. Contact Cindy or visit her website for more information about her other offerings.

Ivette Lopez lives in Mexico City, and is a course facilitator and mother of two beautiful children.  Ivette loves working with parents, and teaches with enthusiasm, and a great deal of warmth.  She is fluent in both Spanish and English, and offers courses in Spanish.  

Deborah MacNamara, Ph.D, is a Faculty member of the Neufeld Institute and counsellor and educator in private practice. She has over 15 years of experience working with adults, adolescents, and children. From mental health to educational settings, Deborah has presented on a variety of topics and works individually with parents and teachers to help make sense of children in their care.

Deborah has a rich and diverse background including research, counselling and teaching experience with leading educational insitutions such as the University of British Columbia and Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She resides in Vancouver British Columbia and consciously works to create an attachment village for her two young children.

Deborah facilitates all of Dr. Neufeld’s courses, and is the Course Coordinator for Making Sense of Attention Problems. A dynamic and passionate presenter, Deborah provides presentations of various lengths to audiences of parents and professionals who work with children and adolescents. She offers consultation to parents, teachers, and helping professionals regarding learning and behavioural issues presented by children of all ages, and provides on-site support and consultation for teachers and help ing professionals who work with those students who are challenging and stuck.

Deborah is a gifted counsellor who provides individual sessions both adolescents and adults. She has an interest and passion in helping adults understand preschoolers, assisting adolescents with the transition to adulthood, and walking people through the journey of parenthood. 

Please see Deborah`s website for more information.

Sue McIntosh is a Certified Canadian Counsellor with a Masters Degree in Counselling and additional training in animal assisted therapy.  Based near Calgary, Sue offers the Power to Parent series both to groups and to her individual client families through her private practice, "Healing Hooves". Most importantly as a mother, who also homeschools two daughters, Sue strives to follow Dr. Neufeld`s paradigm at home as well as at work.

Sue ofers the Power to Parent series to parents individually within her private counselling practice, "Healing Hooves", and works with children and parents individually from this paradigm.  She also facilitates these and other Neufeld courses in groups.

Betty manages the Healthy Families program, a home visiting service supporting parents in their role as new parents.  Her career training has been in Program and Human Resources Management. She has over 17 years of experience in the Human Services field. Betty is a Neufeld Course Facilitator, offering Power to Parent:The Vital Connection and Power to Parent: Helping Children Grow Up in Grande Prairie and area. Betty is a mother and grandmother, who puts Dr. Neufeld`s approach to use in her personal life and who has integrated Dr. Neufeld`s teachings into her work with parents in the Healthy Families program.

Betty is an Authorized Neufeld Course Facilitator offering parts one, two and three of the Power to Parent Series: The Vital Connection, Helping Children Grow Up and Common Challenges, also the sessions Making Sense of Adolescence. 

Betty has facilitated groups for parents, foster parents and professionals in the Grande Prairie area for three years now and loves sharing this paradigm with course participants.  Her enthusaism for this work and ability to create a comfortable atmosphere is evident as course participants request subsequent opportunities to attend.  Betty invites anyone in her community to contact her for further information or to book sessions.

Dan is employed as a Family School Liaison Counsellor with Grasslands School Division, and works full time in this capacity at Brooks Junior High School. Dan has more than 10 years of experience working alongside young people and their families. Most importantly, Dan has been putting Dr. Neufeld`s approach to the test in day-to-day parenting with his own children.

Dan offers many of Dr. Neufeld`s video-courses and has facilitated them for parents, educators/school support staff and public health professionals. Dan`s passion for this approach combined with his personal and professional experience with children, youth and their families enables him to effectively connect Dr. Neufeld`s material to everyday interactions with children.

Dan is available to facilitate the following courses:

The Power to Parent Series for Parents/Professionals:

    * The Vital Connection
    * Helping Children Grow Up
    * Common Childhood Challenges

Courses for Educators and School Support Staff:

    * Bullies: Their Making and Unmaking
    * The Power to Teach

 Additional Courses for Parents/Professionals:

    * Making Sense of Adolescence
    * Bullies: Their Making and Unmaking

For more information about these courses please see the course section of the website.

Contact Dan for more information about his offerings.

Dagmar Neubronner (Dipl. Biol.) is a therapist, biologist, translator, editor, and publisher in Bremen, Germany, who founded “Genius Publishing” in 1997. A faculty member of the Neufeld Institute, she is a sought-after lecturer and presenter who speaks on parenting and home schooling, among other topics.

Dagmar read a review of Hold On To Your Kids in 1995, and immediately decided to publish it. She co-translated it into German, edited the German version of the book and in short order published a German version of the Hold on to your Kids DVD.

Dagmar felt as if she was coming home when she first came across Dr. Neufeld’s material, stating that all the things we had done[as parents] from our heart, following our intuition, had been right, and all things we had done because it was “normal” or we thought “must be handled this way”, had been wrong.

Dagmar and her husband home school their two children, which, because it is illegal in Germany, has put her somewhat in the spotlight as a dedicated educator who pushes the boundaries of her society and speaks out publically against social policy that comes between parents and their children.

Dagmar lives in Biran (France) and Bremen (Germany) and gives lectures and seminars regarding the Neufeld paradigm all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland. She gets invitations from schools, Youth Welfare authorities, parent associations and other social groups. Dagmar also writes articles for various magazines and newspapers regarding attachment and education issues. She is working to build a Neufeld-task-force in the German-speaking realm (Germany, Austria, Switzerland and even Northern Italy).

Dagmar translates for Dr. Neufeld when he is in Germany, and is deeply involved in translating and publishing Dr. Neufeld’s written and recorded work. She is the Neufeld representative in Germany, and is working to build and train a team of professionals to forward this approach.

Dagmar is a mother of two and draws from her personal and professional experience in her counselling work with adults, youth and children. She also offers parent consulting in person, by phone, and via skype. Because of her personal experience, Dagmar feels especially qualified to consult in the areas of school problems, homeschooled children, hypersensitive/Asperger children and divorce issues.

Dagmar offers the Intensive I and II courses in the form of online-seminars accompanying the study of the video material, which she has translated into German. She provides seminars to educators, parents, and other professionals who work with children and presents on a variety of topics. These seminars offer a deeper understanding of the attachment instincts of children and youth. The focus is on gaining understanding in order to systematically consider their needs and the implications for the structures and daily routines of parenting and teaching. The developmental approach coupled with a warm and generous invitation can facilitate fundamental change in the behaviour of children, youth and adults.

You can find Dagmar Neubronner`s internet-appearances here: http://www.neufeldinstitute.de, http://www.segensspirale.de, http://www.genius-verlag.de .

Many Neufeld-related videos with Dagmar Neubronner here: http://www.youtube.com/DagmarNeubronner and on www.bewusst.tv

Dagmar`s speaking schedule and some of her publications can be seen at http://www.neufeldinstitute.de and http://www.genius-verlag.de  

Krystal Oleson is an experienced workshop facilitator who, over the past 10 years, has facilitated a variety of workshops related to relationships and personal growth. Integrating Dr. Neufeld`s work into her own life has deeply enriched her experience as a parent. Krystal brings her knowledge, experience and passion to her groups.

Krystal offers public courses, as well as providing courses for private groups and organizations. She specializes in groups for foster parents and for parents of sensitive children. Krystal offers the complete three part Power to Parent course, Making Sense of Adolescence, Making Sense of Counterwill, and Making Sense of Aggression. For more information, please contact Krystal.

Betty Parker holds a Bachelor of Education Degree, and is certified to teach in both Alberta and Manitoba. Her diverse experiences as a parent, grandparent and teacher have prepared Betty with a solid foundation from which to facilitate Dr. Neufeld’s video-courses. Betty is employed by McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association as a Child & Family Development Worker in the CONNE CTions Program.

Betty offers the complete Power to Parent course, parts I,II, and III, as well as The Making and Unmaking of Bullies, Making Sense of Aggression, and Making Sense of Counterwill.  

For information about Betty's upcoming courses, please see the Calendar page, or contact Betty.

Laila Presotto holds an M.A. in Counselling Psychology, and is a Registered Clinical Counsellor whose passion and enthusiasm for the material shows in her commitment to helping parents and professionals understand the children in their lives from the inside out.

Laila offers the following video courses:

• The Complete three-part Power To Parent course: The Vital Connection, Helping Children Grow Up, and Common Childhood Challenges.
• Making Sense Of Adolescence
• Bullies: Their Making And Unmaking
• Making Sense Of Aggression
• Making Sense Of Counterwill (Resistance). 

 Please contact Laila for more details about upcoming courses.

April Quan is an artist, and a former teacher and administrator at the Alan Howard Waldorf School (now the Waldorf Academy) in downtown Toronto. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Education. April has been studying and applying Gordon Neufeld`s attachment-based developmental approach since 2008 and is the parent of two wonderful young men.

April offers the complete Power to Parent Course: Part I: Vital  Connection, Part II, Helping Children Grow Up, and part III: Common Challenges. She also facilitates Making Sense of Adolescence, Making Sense of Counterwill, and Making Sense of Aggression.  

For information about April's upcoming offerings, please see the calendar pages, or contact April.

Todd Sarner is a licensed psychotherapist and the Director of Transformative Parenting in Northern California. He has worked for several years with adults and children, including time as a counselor and mentor to high-risk adolescents. Todd received his Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He is a former member of Dr. Neufeld`s faculty and is a Professional Associate of the Neufeld Institute.

Todd offers several Neufeld-based courses live and online, including all the Neufeld video courses except for the Level 2 intensive.

Lynda lives in Bozeman, Montana, where she and her husband are raising two adopted boys, ages 7 & 13, and two birth children, now aged 20 and 24.  Lynda educates parents, especially foster and adoptive parents, for public and private agencies in Montana. She is informed by Dr. Neufeld’s approach both in her work and in the parenting of her four children.

Lynda offers the full Power to Parent series: The Vital Connection, Helping Children Grow Up, and Common Challenges, and also provides presentations to parent groups, especially foster and adoptive parents.

Her presentation topics include Understanding the Roots of Aggression, How to Soften a Child`s Defenses, Discipline that does not Divide, and other topics of specific interest to the foster and adopt communities.  Please contact Lynda if you are interested in these presentations or in attending Dr. Neufeld`s new 8-session course, The Art and Science of Transplanting Children, which specifically addresses the needs of foster/adoptive families.

Tamara Strijack is a Registered Clinical Counsellor who lives and works on Vancouver Island. She works primarily with children, adolescents, parents, and women.

Tamara’s areas of specialty include adolescence, parenting, anxiety, personal growth, and children of divorce. Tamara has worked with children and adolescents in various roles over the last sixteen years – as mentor, counsellor, youth leader, program director and group facilitator. Connection, relationship and attachment continue to be central themes in all her roles, both personally and professionally; she is the mother of two young girls. 

As Dr. Gordon Neufeld`s daughter, Tamara offers a unique inside view – bringing together her own experience and insight with her father`s theoretical material.

Tamara offers all of Dr. Neufeld’s courses as both presentations and facilitated video-courses. She is the Course Coordinator for the Level One Intensive; Power to Parent II: Helping Children Grow Up; Making Sense of Adolescence, and Making Sense of Anxiety.  Tamara also works as a parent and teacher consultant, helping adults make sense of the children in their care.

She offers parent consulting in person, by video-conferencing, and by phone, as well as in-person individual counselling for adolescents and adults.

Tamara is available for short talks and half or full day presentations to parents, parents & professionals, and educators. For information about her presentation topics, or to inquire about an appointment, please contact Tamara.

Miriam has recently retired from  teaching in the Chilliwack School District. She has been working with Dr. Neufeld`s approach in that profession for the past 8 years and has led numerous parent and professional teacher development seminars in the district. Now she has moved to Warsaw, Poland where she will be involved in bringing  Dr. Neufeld`s approach in  parenting and relationships to the international community. 

Miriam is a gifted facilitator who offers the following Neufeld videocourses to educators and parents. 

• Power to Parent I: The Vital Connection
• Power to Parent II: Helping Children Grow Up
• Making Sense of Adolescence
• Power to Teach
• Bullies: Their Making and Unmaking

For information about her course offerings, please contact her.

Pamela Whyte is a Winnipeg-based parent consultant who works with parents and professionals to make sense of the children in their care. She has been studying with Dr. Neufeld for twenty years. Pamela is passionate about this approach and presents this material with compassion, enthusiasm, humour, and insight. She has an intuitive ability to connect with her clients, and as a mother of three children, aged 17, 13, and 10, has a personal and practical understanding of the joys and challenges of parenting in today`s world.

Pamela offers all of Dr. Neufeld’s courses.  She is the Course Coordinator for Power to Parent I: The Vital Connection, and also for Making Sense of Discipline, and Making Sense of Aggresion.  Pamela presents Dr. Neufeld`s material in communities throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan, providing professional development to teachers and school support staff, and to public health professionals who work with families.

Pamela offers private consulting in person, by videoconferencing, and by phone. Her practice is geared toward helping parents and their supporting cast to understand the needs and struggles of the children in their care so that they can support them to grow into their full potential as human beings.

For more information, please consult Pamela`s website.