As winter wanes, the tulips and daffodils are the first flowers to poke through the sunlit-warmed earth. These brave and hardy harbingers are followed by the budding of trees and grass that seems greener than even possible.
The lushness that carpets the fields signals that a new season of growth has arrived!
It is in this spirit that the TiD Society is entering into a new season of development, both through expansion of our projects and offerings, as well as our structure and collaborations.
This transformation starts with the recent launch of our redesigned website!
You may have noticed our new look, which we were excited to unveil late last month. Still at www.traumainformeddesign.org, the new interface offers a more accessible, streamlined user experience, through which you can access our ever-expanding collection of resources and case studies of TiD in action. Long overdue, the new site has enabled us to highlight the brilliant members of the Society's research team as well as feature selection of stand-out student work.
Speaking of student work, we are pleased to announce that we will again be offering the introductory Trauma-informed Design class through the Boston Architectural College's Design for Human Health Masters Program this Fall!
The first of its kind, this 8-week class was first offered this Spring and received glowing reviews from participants! The course utilizes a multi-media approach to learning, and provides students the opportunity to apply their learning through discussions, field observation, research, and design applications. The course culminates in a final design project including four design boards. Students are asked to choose a site, research the population to be served, and justify their design choices using the TiD principles learned in this course.
Just like last time, the course is open to BAC students, BAC alumni, and industry professionals seeking a continuing education opportunity. Watch here for more information on how to register this summer. You'll want to reserve your spot early, because the class filled up remarkably fast last time!
We'll also be presenting a poster representing
the research behind our
at the
This is HUGE! The inclusion of our research signifies an acknowledgement by Bessel van der Kolk's Trauma Research Foundation that the physical environment impacts a person's stress levels and that TiD can contribute to the creations of spaces that promote safety, well-being, and healing for individuals who have experienced trauma. To our knowledge, this is the first research of its kind to be recognized by this leading organization focused on supporting and growing a community of clinicians, researchers, educators, and people whose lives are affected by trauma, who collaborate to research, develop, disseminate, and implement optimal trauma treatments for children and adults.
If you'd like to celebrate this groundbreaking moment in with us, be sure to register for the May 1st presentation through the link above!
What else have we been up to?
Last month, Janet and Christine traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in IKEA US's 2024 One Home One Planet summit. We participated in the affordable housing co-lab and engaged in a series of strategy activities with governmental and industry leaders to brainstorm about how TiD can improve affordable housing opportunities that benefit individuals who are unhoused or experiencing housing insecurity. A key takeaway was that any solution to the housing crisis cannot only focus on access to quality and reasonably-priced housing, but must include safeguards that ensure residents can be confident of their long-term stability without fear of losing their homes.
Today, we hosted an informational session for anyone interested in learning more about TiD, the Society, and how they can get involved. Davis, Janet, and Christine were joined by our dear friend and colleague, Alina Osnaga, and enjoyed an afternoon of informal conversation with participants. We had the opportunity to talk about who we are and how we became passionate about this work, delve into some of our most interesting projects, and introduce what's on the horizon.
What's next?
Christine's on her way to Altana next week, to participate in one of HKS's ESG in Design panels! Tuesday's conversation on Building Resilient Minds and Communities will be moderated by none other than the lovely Erin Peavey, who shines at perfectly-crafting messages intended to center mental health in any design conversation. Christine will be joined by: Illya Azaroff, a recognized leader in climate adaptation, mitigation, resilient planning and regenerative design;, Lissette Mendez-Boyer, an architect with a passion for healthy, sustainable, and equitable planning strategies; and Dr. Susan Chung, a senor research program manager who strives to enhance the synergies between research and design through communication and outreach.
If your in the Boston area on April 28th, you should stop by the Design Museum Everywhere booth at the Bionic Race! You'll find Janet there, representing the TiD Society and taping interviews for her Inclusive Designersâ„¢ Podcast! Join them for what is sure to be a festive morning!
Look for our upcoming eCornell Keynote event on
TiD Interventions for Older Adults
This session will focus on the unique challenges of designing for families with a member who has dementia and how we can help them age in place. Experiencing, or caring for, an individual with a chronic illness such as dementia can be traumatic. This can be confounded by stressors associated with normal aging, such as loss of independence, reduced financial resources, and physical decline. As communities are preparing to accommodate an ever-more aging population, it will be important understand the impacts on both patients and their caregivers. Register here for this May 3rd event, in which Janet and Christine will be joined by Christine Foster of the Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures to discuss many of the key considerations when designing for this growing population.
Presenting to the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback on TiD for Clinical Settings
In June, Janet and Christine will be presenting on TiD for clinical settings to the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB). AAPB is a natural fit for TiD, as it promotes the science underlying applied psychophysiology, biofeedback, and neurofeedback to improve health, quality of life, and performance through research, education, and practice. Our session will offer participants practical advice and tips they can employ to create client- and staff-centered spaces that will mitigate stress levels and support healing. Stay tuned for more information on this session, including how to register!
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