Hold on to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers, published alongside physician Gabor Maté, serves as a primary text for the attachment-based psychological framework developed by Gordon Neufeld. Operating primarily within developmental psychology, his work emphasizes the critical importance of parental connection in the healthy maturation of children throughout their formative years.
Academic Background
Gordon Neufeld was born in Vancouver, Canada, in 1947. He pursued his higher education across Canadian institutions, completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Winnipeg during the 1970s. Subsequently, he attended the University of British Columbia, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy in psychology. This period of study established the academic foundation for his later focus on developmental processes and relationship dynamics.
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Neufeld maintained a formal academic presence at the University of British Columbia for two decades, where he held a teaching position in the department of psychology. During this twenty-year tenure, his research focused on the application of attachment theory, originally formulated by John Bowlby. His work sought to clarify the mechanisms behind the capacity for human relationship, specifically through the identification of six developmental stages. Additionally, he introduced the concept of polarization to analyze the defensive detachment and shyness frequently observed in psychological assessments.
The Neufeld Institute
Following his university teaching career, Neufeld established the Neufeld Institute, based in Vancouver. The organization functions as a center for the dissemination of his specific psychological approaches to education and professional training. Through this institute, Neufeld provides structured guidance for parents and practitioners who apply his attachment-based models in schools, clinics, and legal settings, continuing his influence on child development practices within Canada and beyond.
Fast facts
- Born: 1947, Vancouver, Canada
- Occupation: Psychologist
- Field of work: Developmental psychology
- Alma mater: University of British Columbia
- Notable publication: Hold on to Your Kids
- Affiliation: Neufeld Institute
Questions readers ask
What is the basis of the Neufeld approach?
The approach is grounded in the attachment theory originally developed by British psychologist John Bowlby.
What is the focus of Neufeld's most prominent book?
Co-authored with Gabor Maté, the book examines why maintaining parental bonds is essential for children in the face of peer-oriented social pressures.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of British Columbia
- Educated at University of British Columbia
- Fields of research: developmental psychology and psychology
