JOIN US ONLINE for a special scheduled class offering*
Making Sense of Aggression
Course Start Date: October 23, 2026
Fridays from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT
Runs for 5 weeks
Aggression problems are deeply rooted in instinct and emotion and are therefore resistant to conventional discipline practices. Dr. Neufeld uncovers these roots and outlines steps to addressing them. His rich professional experience with aggressive children and violent youth informs this refreshing approach to an age-old problem. The principles apply to children of all ages and all settings: home, school, and treatment.
* although students can take this course anytime on their own, this is a special opportunity to benefit from a guided learning experience with Neufeld Institute Faculty. Former and current registrants in this course can enrol in this class for $50 CAD.
Scheduled Class Details:
📌 Course Start Date: October 23, 2026
⌛ Duration: 5 weeks
🗓️ Fridays: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm PT
🏷️ Tuition: $175 CAD per person
We invite your participation in this Scheduled Class offering of Making Sense of Aggression where you will gain further insight from Neufeld Institute Faculty member Heather Ferguson who will come alongside Gordon Neufeld who is teaching this class himself. They will offer a rich tapestry of unique perspectives, all within the attachment-based developmental approach.
Scheduled Classes combine Dr. Neufeld’s video lectures and supplementary course material with live faculty-facilitated support sessions. These interactive weekly classes are designed to deepen your understanding of Dr. Neufeld's teachings. It is a unique opportunity to join our experienced faculty and other students online to ask questions, discuss key insights, and explore practical applications.
All of the classes are recorded. If you miss a class, you can keep pace with the group by viewing the recordings at your own convenience during the week.
Please note: you will receive access to the course one week prior to the start date. There will be a little preparation to do before the first class.
Meet the people, who will support you in this course
Gordon Neufeld
Founder, Neufeld Institute
This is a unique chance to get a double dose of Gordon, with access to him in the recorded lessons and in the live support sessions alongside Heather.
Heather Ferguson
Clinical Counsellor
Cobble Hill, BC, Canada
Heather brings her rich history as a therapist and parent consultant, as well as her own parenting experience to this material. Her passion for the course material plus her warm playful charm and inviting presence make her a natural for supporting this course.
COURSE SUMMARY
Aggression is one of the oldest and most challenging of human problems. Indications are that, in children at least, it is on the rise. What grabs our attention are the more violating acts of aggression, but what is truly alarming is the groundswell of attacking energy within and between our kids that erupts in their interaction, their music, their language, their play, their games, and their fantasies. It is the rare parent or teacher that does not encounter aggression in one form or another — be it tantrums, tempers, fits, abrasiveness, abusive language, rude gestures, hostility, racism, taunts, put-downs, bullying, fighting, shaming, belittling, name calling, vicarious enjoyment of violence or the self-attacking forms of death wishes, self-harm, and self-deprecation. Such children are unable to benefit from traditional methods of behaviour management. The key to making sense of aggression is to get past the violating behaviour to the emotional experience of the child and to what is missing in the child’s processing or functioning. It is only as the roots of the problem are dealt with that aggression can be effectively addressed.
SUITABILITY/APPLICABILITY
This material has broad application and is suitable for all those involved with children and youth. This aggression course is taken by teachers, psychologists, counselors, psychiatrists, social workers, family physicians, school principals, probation officers, foster parents, community nurses, therapists, and family workers. Parents will find the material invaluable, and taking this course when their children are toddlers and preschoolers can head off significant problems. This material has been in demand in educational circles for professional development as well as to help administrators and boards gain some perspective on this escalating problem. It has also been much requested for communities for educating all those involved with aggression and violence, from police and probation officers to counsellors and day-care workers.
SAMPLE TOPICS
- uncovering the developmental and psychological roots of the aggression problem
- how to recognize aggression in its many forms
- using the traffic circle model of aggression for purposes of understanding, assessment, and intervention
- the roots of the gender differences in aggression
- how to
readaggression effectively - the role of the prefrontal cortex in managing frustration
- separating incident management from addressing the roots of aggression
- how aggression is the opposite of adaptation
- why aggression is increasing among children and why aggression is a part of so many syndromes and disorders
- seven effective points of intervention for aggression problems
- why conventional methods of behaviour management exacerbate aggression problems
- how to handle personal attacks
COURSE OUTLINE
The course is divided into five sessions, each containing approximately one hour of instructional video by Dr. Neufeld. Two optional bonus sessions are included in this course to optimize the learning experience. Student support materials include an illuminating discussion of various case studies plus three Q&As with Dr. Neufeld.
- Session 1 — Reframing Aggression as an Emotional Problem
Building on the pioneering work of brilliant theorists from the last century and combining it with fresh understandings from neuroscience, Dr. Neufeld presents the case for why we need to view aggression through the lenses of attachment and emotion in order to find lasting solutions to the problem of aggression, regardless of the form it takes. - Session 2 — Neufeld's Traffic Circle Model Regarding Aggression
The revolutionary breakthrough for the treatment of aggression comes with the realization that there are different outcomes to frustration that are incompatible with aggression. This refreshing model is remarkedly easy to use and can identify existing trouble points as well as potential intervention points regardless of age, venue, or role. - Sessions 3 & 4 — Addressing Aggression Problems: the seven core interventions
The real challenge with an aggression problem (similar to weeds in this respect) is to actually root it out, not just temporarily remove the offensive symptoms. Fortunately, there are a number of ways that this can be done, depending upon role and relationship. This topic is divided between the two sessions. - Session 5 — Handling Incidents: the pitfalls and the guidelines
Most responses to aggression are ineffective over time because they either fail to alter the roots of aggression or they unwittingly aggravate the antecedents. The challenge is to handle incidents in ways that do not make matters worse while at the same time set the stage for interventions that can make a lasting difference.
Inquiries
If you have questions or require additional information that you cannot find on our website or FAQ page, you may contact our office on our Inquiries page.
Charity & Non-Profit Status
The Neufeld Institute is a registered Canadian charitable organization under the name Neufeld Institute Foundation and is also registered as a NPO in British Columbia. If you would like to make a contribution to us, please go to our donation page.
Stay Connected with the Neufeld Institute
Sign up for our newsletter to receive insights, editorials, and updates on new courses, webinars, and scheduled classes — all rooted in the Neufeld approach. Whether you're a parent, educator, or professional, our resources are here to help you make sense of the children in your care.
You can also follow us on...
Vancouver, BC V6M 1L3
Canada