About Us
Wellstone Center for AI & Relational Intelligence
Wellstone Center for AI & Relational Intelligence is an independent research and innovation hub dedicated to advancing emotionally intelligent, ethically aligned, and human-centered artificial intelligence.
We are founded on the belief that AI should reflect not only cognitive intelligence but also human-aligned emotional and relational understanding. Wellstone Center bridges behavioral science with technology to shape systems that are innovative, socially responsive, and built for trust.
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At the Wellstone AI & Relational Intelligence Lab, we work to advance the field of AI through a range of reserach and development activities, including prototyping tools, publishing applied frameworks, providing thought leadership around ethical practice and industry standards, and collaborating on interdisciplinary research teams to garner new insights in fields of tech and AI. Our work lives at the intersection of attachment science, systems theory, UX design, trauma-informed practice, and aligned AI.
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At Wellstone, we specialize in applied research and strategic innovation for organizations, developers, and institutions building emotionally complex tools, particularly those working in mental health, education, coaching, or socially interactive AI. By integrating Relational Intelligence (RI) as the emotional intelligence (EQ) layer of AI, our goal is to ensure that intelligent systems don’t just function, but truly relate.
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What We Do:
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Design relationally attuned tools and interfaces that support emotional safety and resonance in human-AI interaction
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Develop frameworks for alignment, governance, and ethical foresight rooted in psychology and systems theory
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Conduct applied research and UX prototyping around trauma-informed, attachment-aware machine learning
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Consult with product teams, researchers, and policy orgs on the relational and behavioral dimensions of AI development
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Inform best practice innovation and industry standards using cutting edge research and insights from humanistic philosophy and the psychology of human attachment
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Our growing body of work includes prototypes like Resolve (an AI tool for conflict navigation in couples), the development of a Relational Alignment Framework, and toolkits for trauma-informed AI deployment.
We are actively building partnerships and welcome collaboration with technologists, clinicians, researchers, and designers committed to shaping the future of emotionally intelligent AI.
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Meet Our Founder
Dr. Brittney Stanley, PhD
Founder & Principal Investigator
Wellstone Center for AI & Relational Intelligence
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Dr. Brittney Stanley is a behavioral systems strategist and applied AI researcher focused on building emotionally intelligent, ethically aligned technologies. She holds a PhD in Attachment & Relational Systems and an Executive Master’s in Healthcare Leadership from Brown University. With over a decade of experience in mental health, trauma recovery, and healthcare innovation, Dr. Stanley brings a unique perspective to the future of human-centered artificial intelligence.
Her work is grounded in the belief that intelligent systems should not only be efficient or accurate, they should be emotionally aware, socially coherent, and aligned to promote trust, connection, and meaning.
Member of International Association for Privacy Professionals (IAPP) with AI Governance Professional (AIGP) Certification pending. At the Wellstone Center, she leads research and development efforts focused on relational UX design, trauma-informed AI, alignment strategy, and applied ethics. Dr. Stanley has led large-scale digital transformation initiatives, advised on behavioral product strategy in clinical and educational systems, and developed therapeutic frameworks now being translated into AI-supported tools. Her current work includes prototyping “Resolve,” an interactive conflict guidance tool for couples, and publishing relational alignment heuristics for emotionally sensitive LLM design.
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Through the innovation lab at Wellstone Center for AI & Relational Intelligence, Dr. Stanley is working to advance integrated Relational Intelligence (RI) in the development of AI, which is critical to cultivating systems that don’t just respond, but attune, align, and help us to evolve. ​
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