Relational Health and Thriving With David Willis

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.