Making Sense of Attention Problems
Sessions: 4
Lecture: 3h 59m
Certificate: 8+ hrs
100 CAD
While the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder has brought compassion to those who have trouble attending, the wide-spread ignorance regarding the underlying roots of the various kinds of deficits leads to an increasing dependence upon experts and medications. Neufeld puts the puzzle pieces together to reveal the main dynamics involved and paves the way for natural interventions that get to the root of the problem instead of just managing the symptoms.
As is the case with all our courses, this course features lectures by Dr. Neufeld, carefully curated support for enriched study, study aides, the opportunity to ask questions of trained faculty or course facilitators, a year's access to the campus to enable study at one's own pace, and a certificate of attendance upon completion. For more information, consult the 'about our courses' page.
COURSE SUMMARY
Attention problems are both common and diverse. The debilitating aspects of most attention problems can be grown out of if addressed properly, even when the symptoms are neurologically based. Ignorance of the role of healthy development has lead to an overdependence upon medication and symptom management which in turn can undermine the very maturational processes that could effect a cure. After a life-time of involvement with children and adolescents with attention problems, Dr. Neufeld unravels the complexities to make sense of the underlying dynamics involved, paving the way for natural interventions that can lead to lasting change.
Course participants will gain an understanding of how the attentional system develops and what can go wrong and why. Students will also learn to differentiate between various kinds of attention problems that can all lead to a diagnosis of disordered attention. Strategies are presented that can address the roots of attention problems in such a way that the symptoms abate, regardless of their underlying cause.
SUITABILITY/APPLICABILITY
This course is suitable for all those involved with children. Educators and specialists will find this especially helpful, as will teachers working in alternate education settings. This course has been very appreciated by psychologists and pediatricians as well as family physicians, as it provides a solid conceptual base from which to make their assessments and recommendations.
SAMPLE TOPICS
- the different kinds of attention problems that exist and why
- the role of attachment and emotion in the development and functioning of the attentional system
- how attention and focus are meant to develop and where most stuckness occurs
- how most medications work and why they are ultimately counterproductive developmentally
- why attention problems, impulsiveness and restlessness tend to go together
- the role of the prefrontal cortex in developing a 'back of the mind' and how this can be supported
- how the potential of the attentional system can be realized even when deficits are neurologically based
- powerful interventions that can optimize attention quite naturally
- the remedial role of play and curiosity in the reversal of attention problems
- how to help a child's brain grow out of attention problems regardless of the root cause
COURSE OUTLINE
The course is structured into 4 sessions with each session including approximately one hour of instructional video by Dr. Neufeld.
- Session 1 - The anatomy of attention
We begin with an overview of the structure of attention and how it is meant to develop. The role of attachment, development and alarm is explained. Also revealed is the 'miracle' of how focus is achieved in the first place and what can go wrong with the focus system. - Session 2 – The two basic types of attention problems
Attention problems rooted in hypersensitivity are very different than attention problems rooted in emotional defendedness, although both can result in an attention disorder diagnosis. Appreciating the difference can render one's interventions much more effective. - Session 3 - A natural explanation for the ADD syndrome
We discuss the role of the alarm and emotional defense in creating a syndrome characterized by agitation without apprehension, the common dynamic found in most attention problems. The implications are profound for how this syndrome is addressed, as most adult reactions unwittingly exacerbate this underlying dynamic. - Session 4 - Helping children grow out of attention problems
Effective strategies are presented that help a child's brain grow out of the debilitating effects of their attention problems, regardless of the root cause.
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.
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Vancouver, BC V6M 1L3
Canada