Low resiliency affects the quality of life and mental health of many high-functioning adults. Yet an unanswered question persists: how can resiliency be directly increased through therapy? While the study of relational psychology and attachment theory evolve, nevertheless constructs of resiliency remain un-integrated and underused in therapy. Current resiliency-promoting treatments exclusively focus on children and PTSD, and thus leave the larger adult population without resiliency-focused treatment options.

This dissertation proposes a theoretical synthesis which links resiliency with object-relations concepts, specifically the inner parental object. Based upon the connection made between the internalized good-enough mother object and the development of resilience, I have designed a new treatment model, entitled the Good-Enough Mother (GEM) Intervention. The GEM treatment manual aims to initiate the process of inter-object reparation, and thus promote new resilient attitudes and coping strategies in the patient. Two treatment programs are proposed for the implementation of the GEM intervention: a brief time-limited model, and an open-ended long-term model. Seven clinicians reviewed the treatment programs and evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the new model design. Reviewer feedback is discussed and implemented in the final treatment protocol.