Creating Reflective Programs

Mentalization-based and attachment-focused interventions like Mothering from the Inside Out (MIO) are strongly supported by research. Yet across real-world settings, many evidence-based models struggle to take root in ways that are sustainable, scalable, and responsive to the realities of clinical practice.

We are therefore working to bridge this science-to-service gap by developing implementation strategies that are not only evidence-informed, but also relational, reflective, and grounded in the lived experience of clinicians and families.

Rather than focusing solely on fidelity and technical training, our approach integrates reflective and mentalization-based principles into the process of implementation itself. We explore how clinicians, supervisors, organizations, and systems make meaning of MIO, how they experience uncertainty and complexity, and how relational safety and curiosity can support learning and change.

Through this work, we are testing whether reflective, mentalization-based implementation strategies can strengthen real-world uptake of MIO, deepen clinical impact, and support more equitable and sustainable delivery of care. Our goal is not just to disseminate a model, but to cultivate conditions in which evidence-based, relationship-centered care can truly flourish in everyday practice.