Event

Alpha Children

A growing number of children and youth are presenting as demanding, prescriptive, bossy and controlling. The root of the problem - the alpha dynamic - is one of the least known and yet most impactful factors in attachment.

This course takes us on a fascinating journey to the essence of the attachment, revealing a little-talked-about-dynamic that impacts every relationship, most significantly the parent-child and teacher-student relationship. Dr. Neufeld unfolds this dynamic to uncover a phenomenon even bigger than peer orientation - that our children are becoming more alpha. This alpha dynamic can manifest itself in a myriad of ways - bossiness, demanding personality, competitiveness and even bullying.

Alpha children are not only more challenging to parent but also predisposed to a number of problems including anxiety, aggression, oppositionality and eating problems. The plethora of advice-giving and strategies that are offered for these behaviours only tend to make matters worse when the underlying problem is an alpha complex.

In this course, Dr. Neufeld uncovers the roots of the alpha problem, and in so doing, opens the doors for lasting change: in the family, in the classroom and in society.

This course includes 4 hours of video material by Dr. Gordon Neufeld, which students will watch independently, access to the Neufeld Institute Virtual campus and supplemental material, as well as 5 group support sessions with Amy Prestia. The support sessions focus on deepening the understanding of theory and gaining insight into how it applies within your own family. The group meetings will be April 5, 12, 26, May 10 and 17.