This week, Dr. Matt Biel speaks with Dr. David Willis, a pediatrician who dedicated his career to understanding how relationships shape child development and wellbeing and putting in places policies and support structures to enable these relationships to flourish.

David brings a unique perspective shaped by his experiences as a developmental and behavioral pediatrician, academic scholar, leader of federal policy in early childhood, and founder of the Nurture Connection Network.

The discussion explores the evolution of pediatric care beyond individual treatment toward a more holistic understanding of children within their relational ecosystems—families, neighborhoods, schools, and communities.

David shares evidence and case studies on how communities across the country are successfully implementing locally-tailored relational health initiatives that honor families' values while addressing isolation and fostering connection - as well as the results these programs deliver including Bridgeport, Connecticut's "Baby Bundle" initiative that has improved developmental outcomes in Head Start by 15% in just four years.

For questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at: thrivecenter@georgetown.edu.

In this episode, Dr. Matt Biel speaks with Rob Harris, an expert in early childhood mental health and education. Their conversation explores the critical role of relationships that young children form with the adults in their lives - caregivers, parents, extended family members, and educators.

Rob brings a unique perspective shaped by his experiences as a classroom teacher, mental health counselor, consultant, and father. The discussion challenges conventional thinking about children's behavior, presenting it as a crucial form of communication about their inner experiences and emotional needs.

In this episode, Dr. Matt Biel speaks with Andy Arias, whose work spans policy, advocacy, and program development in disability rights. Their conversation explores what it means to thrive at the intersection of disability, cultural identity, and lived experience. Andy brings perspective as a professional in disability policy, as a member of Latino and LGBTQ+ communities, and as someone who has lived with cerebral palsy since birth.

The discussion challenges conventional thinking about disability, presenting it not as a deficit or tragedy, but as a cultural identity that will touch all of our lives. Andy articulates a vision where self-determination becomes the foundation for authentic thriving.

This week, our Thrive Dispatches host and Thrive Center director, Dr. Matt Biel, chats with colleague Kelli McDermott about setting foundations in early childhood mental health, the nuances of childhood trauma, and a framework for resilience.

Kelli McDermott is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) with specializations in trauma and interpersonal violence and early childhood mental health. She has worked with young children, their families, and early childhood education centers to develop strengths-based, relational, and environmental supports to foster resilience during this critical developmental stage. She is currently part of the training and technical assistance team for the Office of Head Start funded National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety. Additionally, she supports Pyramid Model implementation in a variety of settings.

This week, Thrive Dispatches Host and Thrive Center director, Dr. Matt Biel, has a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation with Thrive faculty member Wendy Jones about inclusion, self-determination, and working with families with parents who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. They also discuss how her past experiences working as a bilingual special educator in New York City inform her work and spirit of advocacy now.

In the second episode of Thrive Dispatches Podcast, Matt Biel chats with Jason Lehmbeck, who heads the Innovation Hub @Thrive. The two discuss what it takes to create a space for innovations in the world of mental health and well being for children and families. They dive into Jason’s career in startups and how that merges with his own personal motivation for creating a space for innovators.

To read interview highlights or access the transcript, visit Thrive Center’s website: https://thrivecenter.georgetown.edu/news/

Subscribe to the Thrive Dispatches newsletter: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/Abhpc1A/ThriveList

In this first episode of Thrive Dispatches, a new podcast from Georgetown University’s Thrive Center for Children, Families, and Communities, our host and Thrive Center director, Dr. Matt Biel, chats with Thrive faculty member Tawara Goode about what it means, exactly, to thrive in the context of their work with child and family mental health and well-being.

Tawara Goode is an Associate Professor and the director of Georgetown University's National Center for Cultural Competence and the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. A primary area of focus for Professor Goode is national level efforts to advance and sustain cultural and linguistic competence within an array of settings including but not limited to institutions of higher education, health, mental health, disability, education, and other human service systems.

To read interview highlights or access the transcript, visit Thrive Center’s website: https://thrivecenter.georgetown.edu/announcements/episode-1-tawara-goode-on-what-does-it-mean-to-thrive/

Subscribe to the Thrive Dispatches newsletter: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/Abhpc1A/ThriveList