TINI Studio Clinical Advisor & Research Lead Featured in JAPA

We are thrilled to share that Dr. Krista Schroeder, TINI Studio’s Clinical Advisor and Research Lead, was recently interviewed and featured in the American Planning Association’s August 2025 article, “When Pain Lingers, Trauma-Informed Planning Is Helping People Heal.”

Krista’s inclusion in this piece is an exciting moment not only for her work, but for the entire trauma-informed planning movement, and it underscores the national relevance of the practices we champion at TINI Studio.

Why This Feature Matters

The APA article explores the growing recognition that trauma is not only a clinical issue, it is deeply spatial. The built environment influences stress, safety, belonging, and healing. But until recently, mainstream planning had not fully embraced trauma-informed principles as part of its responsibility.

Krista’s voice in this national discussion helps legitimize and advance the broader shift toward treating neighborhoods as public health interventions, a core belief at the heart of TINI Studio.

Key Themes from the APA Article

The article highlights several themes central to both Krista’s work and the TINI Method:

1. Trauma-Informed Principles Must Shape Both Process and Place

The piece outlines the six SAMHSA-aligned trauma-informed principles:

• Safety

• Trustworthiness & Transparency

• Peer Support

• Collaboration & Mutuality

• Empowerment, Voice & Choice

• Cultural, Historical & Gender Humility

These principles guide our TINI systems model, design interventions, and planning methodologies.

2. Participatory Mapping as a Healing Tool

One of the featured examples, from Kinston, North Carolina, shows how community-centered mapping not only surfaces intergenerational trauma but also builds trust through shared storytelling.

3. Planning and Public Health Must Work Together

Krista brings the unique lens of a clinician and researcher, bridging nursing science, behavioral health, and the built environment. Her presence in the APA article reinforces what we believe at TINI Studio:

Planners alone cannot create healing environments - public health, clinicians, community partners, and data systems must all be in the room.

Krista’s Leadership at TINI Studio

As our Clinical Advisor and Research Lead, Krista guides the scientific backbone of our work. She ensures that every tool, framework, and intervention is grounded in evidence-based practice and rigorous methodology.

Her feature in APA is a powerful validation of the importance of bringing clinical expertise directly into planning and design conversations.

What This Means for Planners, Public Health Leaders, and Communities

Krista’s interview signals something important: the trauma-informed planning movement is accelerating.

For practitioners, the article provides insight into:

• Why traditional engagement methods often fall short in trauma-impacted communities

• The need to treat resident voice as clinical data, not “feedback”

• How built-environment choices can buffer stress or exacerbate it

• Why cross-sector partnerships are no longer optional…they’re essential

This is the future TINI Studio is helping to build!

Join Us in Moving the Field Forward

This moment highlights what is possible when planners, clinicians, researchers, and communities work together.If you are exploring trauma-informed design, neighborhood-scale health interventions, or interdisciplinary collaborations, we invite you to connect with us.

Contact TINI Studio to explore consulting, partnerships, training, or research collaborations.

And once again, congratulations to Dr. Krista Schroeder for this important recognition. We are honored to have her leading the clinical and research strategy at TINI Studio.