About The Co-Author: David Dixon
David Dixon has worked alongside Joane Goulding for more than two decades and has been closely involved in the development, refinement, and dissemination of the Goulding System.
Originally trained as a health practitioner, David has been in clinical practice since 1980 and working within therapeutic and educational settings since the late 1990s. Over time, that experience—combined with his long-standing collaboration with Joane—positioned him to bridge practical family work with contemporary research and modern language.
After relocating to Singapore, David became the first Goulding System trainer in the region. He played a central role in expanding international access to the work and, with Joane’s support, developed the first online editions of the material. He also established early directories to help families locate trained support.
As the work evolved, so did his responsibilities.
In recent years, as Joane has stepped back from the business and administrative aspects of the System, David has assumed responsibility for its ongoing stewardship. Working closely with Joane throughout 2025, he has helped consolidate decades of practitioner experience with current research in child development, emotional learning, and neuroscience.
His role in this edition is that of co-author, editor, and custodian. The intention is straightforward: preserve the heart of Joane’s original work while ensuring the Goulding System remains clear, ethical, evidence-informed, and accessible for families today—and for those who will come to it in the years ahead.
Postscript: From Joane Goulding
Over more than twenty-five years of working together, I have seen David’s understanding of this work develop in both depth and practice. He has been closely involved in supporting families and in refining the language and teaching of the Goulding System as it has evolved.
In preparing this updated edition, David and I have worked side by side to ensure the principles of the Goulding System remain intact while being expressed clearly for modern families. My trust in David is personal and specific, based on our long collaboration and shared responsibility for this work.
This edition represents the version I formally recognise and support as the authentic continuation of the Goulding System: its most up-to-date and carefully stewarded expression. The Goulding System has always been grounded in care, integrity, and responsibility to families, and it is in that spirit that I have entrusted its ongoing custodianship.
Joane Goulding
Founder and Creator of the Goulding System
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