Editorials by Dr. Deborah MacNamara

Discover how attachment, play, and emotional expression help children adapt to school transitions and new realities with less anxiety. Read more
Discover how true resilience grows from emotions, not suppression. Gordon Neufeld & Deborah MacNamara share science-based parenting insights. Read more
Children thrive when parents foster bonds with teachers and caring adults. Learn how matchmaking builds a secure attachment network. Read more
Motherhood begins long before a child is born. Deborah MacNamara reveals how play awakens the instincts that guide us as mothers. Read more
Understand how emotional closeness with parents fosters independence. Read more
Why do children push back? Counterwill explains kids’ resistance and how parents can lead with connection instead of coercion. Read more
Bullies act fearless, but behind hardened hearts lies lost vulnerability. Understanding this root helps us see why punishment fails—and how caring re…Read more
A UN address on raising children in a digital world: why attachment and relationships—not devices—are what kids need most to grow and thrive. Read more
Explore how emotional defenses form—and how warmth and connection can help them melt Read more

Nourished: Connection, Food, and Caring For Our Kids (and everyone else we love)

By Dr. Deborah MacNamara

What does is mean to be nourished? Nothing could be more basic than food. However, food is only one part of the concept of nourishment, but it has consumed our focus and eclipsed something far more critical for thriving – connection. We have lost sight of the fact that feeding our families is about human relationship and emotional well-being. In Nourished, developmental and relational clinical counsellor Dr. Deborah MacNamara shows us how feeding is part of the caretaking relationship and cannot be separated from it

Rest, Play, Grow: Making Sense of Preschoolers (Or Anyone Who Acts Like One)

By Dr. Deborah MacNamara

Based on the work of Dr. Gordon Neufeld, this book, written by Dr. Deborah MacNamara, offers a road map to making sense of young children, and is what every toddler, preschooler and kindergartener wishes we understood about them.

“This book is a tribute to Deborah’s giftedness … you could not be in better hands,” said Dr. Neufeld.

The Sorry Plane

Children’s Book by Dr. Deborah MacNamara

When Molly accidentally breaks a balloon she and her sister Lucy have found, Lucy demands an apology. But, as Molly describes in fanciful, imaginative scenarios, her sorries are all gone: hiding under the bed, down the sink, off to Paris on the Sorry Plane. As their mother explains, we can’t say sorry if we don’t have any sorries in us. But when our sorries return, as Molly’s eventually do, we can give them to others. Brilliantly illustrated with captivating images by artist Zoe Si, The Sorry Plane carries a profound message about the importance of connecting with our authentic emotions. It highlights how a good sorry is one that you mean from the heart and how adults can preserve a child’s caring spirit.

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...