December Is A Time For Reflection

Christine Cowart, MA, TiD-P
Dec 15, 2025
5 min read

A man sits on a bench looking out to water in a snowy landscape. There is a tree on his left side.

As the year draws to a close, our thoughts wander over the events of the past year.

Amid these reflections, we ponder our own evolution here at the Trauma-informed Design (TiD) Society. We recognize the past year has been turbulent, and many of our family, friends, partners, and clients, as well as those we serve and represent, have felt the earth shifting beneath them.

We started this year with a commitment to continue on our mission, addressing inequities, reducing harm, and promoting well-being within our practice and the broader community.

Today, we once again proclaim our steadfastness and promise to continue showing up in support and advocacy for a safer, more equitable and trauma-informed, inclusive world.

Our mission at the Trauma-informed Design Society is to ensure practitioners have access to the latest research and resources, so they can apply TiD to their projects with fidelity. We do this in four main areas: professional development, standards, research, and consulting through sister agencies. Over the last several months, our Leadership Team has been diligently crafting our plan for the upcoming year, so we can deliver high-quality, curated resources and services to TiD practitioners around the globe. Below is a sampling of what's already available, with more to come!

A grey rectangle with a pencil on top and the words, "Professional Development
Cultivating rewarding professional development opportunities for professionals who work in this space
Read More"

Join the Growing TiD Movement!

We offer various levels of professional development to architects, designers, and service providers in Trauma-informed Design and trauma-informed care.

Become a certified TiD practitioner! The next offering of the TiD Credentialing Course will start on January 31, 2025. Join the growing number of certified Trauma-informed Design practitioners through this intensive immersion into the TiD Framework and how to apply it to real-world projects! Credentialing provides you the skills to create spaces that promote safety, resilience, and healing and protect against unintentional harm in your practice. It also connects you with resources and a supportive community of others engaging in this innovative work.

Don't just take our word for it, see what past participant Sarah Jordan, LPC, has to say about the course:

Not Ready for Credentialing Just Yet?

No problem, we've got you covered! For an introductory course, try the TiD Framework Introduction. This class will introduce you to our current understanding of trauma, how it can impact a person, and the three spheres and 11 domains of the TiD Framework. You'll be able to earn IDCEC and AIA credits, too!

Introducing CEU Offerings!

For those of you who already took the introductory course or who are credentialed, and are looking for more information or to earn TiD continuing education credits, we are pleased to announce we have launched our first TiD CEU!

The words, "Trauma-informed Design Evaluation Tool for K-12 Schools (TiDEvalK12): Schools' Need for TiD and a Tool to Help It Happen" on a blue background with green and yellow circles

Trauma-informed Design Evaluation Tool for K-12 Schools (TiDEvalK12): Schools' Need for TiD and a Tool to Help It Happen, is now available in the TiD Academy. This CEU provides a brief overview of how trauma can impact educational opportunities and introduce the TiDEvalK12 tool. Participants will learn how the tool can be applied to new builds and remodels, and its functionality in helping educators understand the language of design. Designers can earn TiD and IDCEC credits will gaining tools to help educators understand the possible gains in student outcomes as a result of Trauma-informed Design.

Looking for something else? Stay tuned! More CEUs will be available soon!

A blue rectangle with a document sketch on top and the words, "Standards. Developing a framework and standards for the provision of effective, evidence-based TiD services. Read More about the recently released TiD Framework"

Seasonal Gift Corner

It's gift-giving season, and we've got the goods to bring a smile to the TiD practitioner in your life!

What should every TiD practitioner have? Their very own copy of Trauma-informed Design: A Framework for Designers, Architects, and Other Practitioners, of course! This 5-star resource establishes the TiD Framework and provides practitioners with the understanding and tools to to transform the built environment into a powerful agent of prevention and healing.

Or perhaps you are looking for a fun way to practice trauma-informed language together? You'll want to check out our engaging Say What? cards, designed to support your journey toward more respectful, inclusive language through a fun and tactile approach.

Introducing TiD Gift Cards!

Not sure which item or course is perfect for them? Let them choose! We now offer TiD Society gift cards, available in customizable amounts starting at $25. Sure to be the perfect gift for any architect, designer, or other TiD practitioner in your life!

A green rectangle with a lightbulb sketch on top and the words, "Research.
Researching trauma-informed design principles and practices, conducting studies to demonstrate their effectiveness, and compiling resources for practitioners. Read More"

Ongoing Research

Our collaboration with Wrexham University in Wales, to develop a Trauma-informed Design evaluation tool for higher education campuses is ongoing. We plan to finalize the project by the end of 2026, so be sure to check back for updates!

Call for K-12 Schools Interested in Longitudinal Research Partnership

We are seeking K-12 schools interested in partnering with us for a longitudinal study to explore the effectiveness of the Trauma-informed Design Evaluation Tool for K-12 Schools (TiDEvalK12). Schools would use the tool to identify and make changes to their school's physical space, and we would track academic outcomes, attendance and discipline data, crisis response data, and school climate data to identify any changes. Please contact us if you are aware of a school interested in partnering with us for this type of study.

Seeking Financial Support for Biometric Study of Stress

We are actively seeking funding that will allow us to engage in a study to empirically demonstrate the connection between the physical environment and a person’s stress levels. Our plan is to measure participants’ physiological responses as they are immersed in various environments through virtual reality, using biometric measures such as heart rate variability (HRV), electrodermal activity (EDA), and eye-tracking. This study would evaluate whether participants indicate higher levels of stress when exposed to conventional medical waiting rooms, classrooms, workplaces, and transitional housing environments than in Trauma-informed Designed spaces used for the same purposes. Please reach out if you are aware of any possible funding sources that can help us engage in this type of study.

A gray rectangle with conversation bubbles on top and the words, "Consulting.
Direct trauma-informed care and design project consultation services provided through sister organizations. Read More"

TiD Consulting for Design Projects

We offer TiD consultation services for all types of design projects. We provide site- and community-specific, evidence-based design recommendations for projects, based on detailed research of the community and population of users. By applying the principles Trauma-informed Design Framework, we customize recommendations based on invested parties’ expressed hopes, desires, and goals. Schedule a free consultation to discuss how we can support your next

project!

TiD Consulting for Service Providers

Human services professionals understand trauma-informed approaches and the benefits TiD can bring to their spaces, but don't always know what to look for in architect and design firms. We offer an array of services to help you navigate the process, from the request for proposal (RFP), through firm selection, all the way through design completion and post-occupancy evaluations. Contact us and let's create a plan to help you achieve the most current, evidence-based trauma-informed design solutions for your space!

In-House Professional Development

We offer various levels of professional development to clients in Trauma-informed Design and trauma-informed care. These trainings are customized to your needs and include information to help you bring a trauma-informed lens to all your design needs. Whether your are a school or small organization looking for a new approach to planned renovations, a community developer, or a national organization, we've got you covered! Book an appointment and let's explore your options!

We continue to engage in new research opportunities, so we can amass evidence that upholds the effectiveness of Trauma-informed Design, and to develop resources to support the work of TiD practitioners.

Keep checking the TiD Society website, as we will be adding resources and services regularly throughout the year. Don't forget to check out the discussion forums--as our community grows, so will this area of the website. You can connect with other practitioners, get information, and share projects and support. We look forward to seeing your contributions there!