TINI Studio was born from a deeply personal place. Founder Alexandra Heath began her journey while navigating life with PTSD and searching for answers, trying to understand how certain spaces seemed to calm her, while others amplified stress and disconnection. Her curiosity led her to the work of Dr. Krista Schroeder, a public health researcher studying the relationship between trauma, environment, and health outcomes. Krista’s research resonated deeply with Alexandra’s lived experiences and professional background in planning. She reached out by email, sharing her story and interest in Krista’s work, and from that one message, a partnership was born.
What started as an exchange of ideas grew into years of collaboration, combining Krista’s expertise in public health with Alexandra’s experience in planning and design. Together, they explored how neighborhoods could be intentionally shaped to support nervous system regulation, belonging, and resilience. Their shared vision culminated in the co-authorship of The Trauma-Informed Neighborhood, a framework that reimagines the built environment as a form of healthcare.
Out of that work, TINI Studio (Trauma-Informed Neighborhood Initiative) emerged, a studio dedicated to turning trauma-informed research into real-world tools, plans, and partnerships. Today, TINI operates at the intersection of science, design, and empathy. The studio helps cities, universities, and organizations translate trauma-informed principles into the fabric of daily life, creating neighborhoods that heal, empower, and connect. Rooted in lived experience and built through collaboration, TINI represents a new kind of planning practice: one where the environment itself becomes a path toward collective well-being.
Our Mission
Our mission is to transform how built environments support mental health, equity, and long-term resilience, especially in communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma. We believe that the built environment is a form of healthcare, acting as a daily intervention that shapes our nervous systems, our relationships, and our capacity to thrive.
TINI Studio works to bridge the gap between public health, planning, and policy, translating trauma-informed research into tangible tools and design strategies that help communities heal. Through partnerships with cities, universities, and civic organizations, we aim to reshape the way our neighborhoods are planned, built, and maintained—placing care, connection, and belonging at the center of every decision.
Our Vision
We envision a world where every neighborhood is designed to regulate the nervous system, reduce stress, and promote safety, trust, and connection. In a trauma-informed neighborhood, the built environment itself supports healing through sensory-friendly design, access to green space, equitable housing, walkable streets, and inclusive community hubs.
Our vision is not just about improving infrastructure; it’s about redefining the purpose of place. Cities can be ecosystems of care where healthcare, education, housing, and civic life are integrated, and where residents feel seen, supported, and connected to one another. By addressing trauma at the level of systems and design, we can create environments that foster resilience across generations.
Consulting & Planning
We provided consulting services for trauma-informed planning & design, and provide guidance on trauma-informed neighborhood systems planning, placemaking, affordable housing, green infrastructure, and historic preservation/adaptive reuse.
Research Collaboration
We co-develop grants, applied research efforts, and pilot projects with academic institutions, government entities, non-profits, and community organizations to shape trauma-informed planning/architecture policy and design standards.
ACE/Trauma Awareness & Advocacy
We help communities, non-profits, and decision-makers integrate ACE science into planning and development efforts.
1. Trauma-informed Zoning Overlay and Design Ordinance
2. Trauma-informed Form Based Code
3. Master Plan / Neighborhood Development Plan
4. Trauma-informed Neighborhood Systems Plan
5. ESG Investment Strategy and Reporting
6. Public-Private Partnerships
7. Adaptive Reuse / Historic Preservation Planning
8. Trauma-informed Community Workshops
9. Public Outreach
10. Non-profit Collaborations