The co-founders of the
invite you to learn more about us
and the groundbreaking movement that is
reshaping the design community:
Trauma-informed Design (TiD)!
We know many of you are curious about TiD, what it is, and how it works.
If you are a designer, you may be wondering how to include TiD in your work
or how you can explain the benefits to your clients.
If you are an educator or service provider, you may be wondering what to look for
in an architect or designer or how to evaluate whether they can truly create a
TiD environment for your organization.
Whether you have expressed interest in TiD or are simply curious about who we are and what we are doing, this is an opportunity to engage with us in informal conversation. As advocates for inclusivity and holistic approaches, we believe it's crucial to equip designers with the knowledge and tools necessary to create spaces that are sensitive to trauma and supportive of all individuals. To facilitate this, we are hosting a free informational session to introduce ourselves and our work.
Join us on April 19, 2024,
at 12 p.m. Eastern Time!
We'll talk about:
Who we are and how we became passionate about this work;
The most important elements of TiD;
The types of work the TiD Society engages in;
Research and other opportunities to get involved with the Society; and
What's on the horizon and ways to stay engaged.
But this won't just be us talking at you.
We will be sure to save time for open conversation
and questions, so you won't want to miss it!
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE
The Trauma-informed Design Society is a transdisciplinary team with a focus on turning research into practice, and back into research. Located across the United States, the Society merges the co-founders’ extensive experience in human services and interior design with an understanding of trauma science, to help organizations implement a trauma-informed approach in their services and create stress-reducing physical spaces.
Co-Founders
J. Davis Harte, PhD, is the Director and Faculty of the Design for Human Health master’s program at the Boston Architectural College. She is WELL AP credentialed—a health and well-being credential that denotes expertise in the WELL Building Standard.
Co-leader of Global Birth Environment Design Network (GBEDN) and co-founder of the Trauma informed Design Society, she is educator, advocate, practitioner, and speaker bridging trauma-informed designed spaces, children’s places, and also birth environments with brain, neuroscientific and environmental psychological knowledge. Davis holds a PhD in Health from the University of Technology Sydney, investigating “‘The Childbirth Supporter Study’: Video-ethnographic examination of the physical birth unit environment.” Her Master’s degree in Design for Human Environments (interiors) investigated preschool children’s attentional behaviors.
Janet Roche, MDS, Janet Roche is a leader in designing for health and wellness and is faculty at the Boston Architectural College (BAC) where she has taught Environmental Health, Human Conditions + Design, and, currently, Biophilia. She also sits as the BAC’s current Chair of the Alumni Advisory Council.
She owns Janet Roche Designs, LLC, which specializes in universal design, and the design of environments for those who are aging in place or seeking accommodations for other human conditions such as physical, psychological, or cognitive differences. Her company believes that they can find real design solutions to the human condition. In 2019, she launched her own podcast, Inclusive Designers™ (IDP) where she is a host, co-producer, and writer. As she is a longtime advocate for dignity in design, IDP is a collaborative forum for designers to share creative ideas for different human conditions for inclusivity, equality, and diversity.
In addition to her Masters in Design for Human Health from BAC, Janet holds a B.S. in Social Work from Boston University and a Certificate of Business and Management from Harvard University Extension School. She was named Woman of the Year in 2011 by the National Association of Professional Women. She sits on a variety of boards and committees. She is active in her hometown of Boston, is a Red Sox fan, and you can find her on the slopes of Killington, Vermont in the winter, where she is a volunteer ski instructor for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports with the Professional Ski Instructors of America.
Christine Cowart, MA, is a dually-certified trauma professional and human services policy analyst, focusing on justice systems and family services. Her career includes working as a legislative analyst in two states, analyzing programs for the New York State Division of Parole, and serving as a contract and grant specialist for the Vermont Department for Children and Families, where she co-chaired a racial equity workgroup. She is currently the policy director for the Vermont Department of Corrections.
Christine is married, and an adoptive mother of two children with traumatic backgrounds. In her spare time, she volunteers as a member of her local school’s diversity, equity, and inclusion committee and as an adaptive sports instructor.
Her experiences have led her to develop an understanding of trauma, its possible effects, and what can be done to change the story. Christine founded Cowart Trauma Informed Partnership to help others implement trauma-informed practices.
Recognizing that the physical spaces in which we spend time can impact our perceptions, stress levels, and ability to regulate our emotional responses and behaviors, Christine joined forces with Davis and Janet and cofounded the Trauma-informed Design Society.
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