I hold a master's degree in Interior Architecture and Product Design from Kansas State University. Over five years I learned how to apply the design process to make things as small as pasta noodles and as big as buildings.

I began researching trauma informed design in educational environments in 2018 where I learned of the school to prison pipeline. This directly inspired my thesis research on trauma informed design in police buildings in 2019. This was the first time I applied principles from Somatic Experiencing® to design, and since graduating in 2020 I have continued my research professionally as a trauma informed designer.

I research the design process and how nervous system regulation and trauma healing can be applied to it. This work can be applied to any scale of design from products to interior spaces to buildings.

Somatic Experiencing (or SE) is a three-year professional training in trauma healing. It's designed for therapists and bodyworkers (massage therapists, physical therapists, etc.) to understand how stress is stored in, and can be released from, our bodies. Read more about how it works here.

I have completed the 216 hours of training, and am finishing the required 18 hours of case consult to become a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP). I have over 200 hours of personal sessions from my weekly therapy appointments (with an SEP) since 2019. This work is not just something I preach- it's a practice that has transformed my life. I hope to complete my hours and become a certified SEP in 2025. (The sessions and consultation cost about $100-$150 each, if you would like to help me complete my SEP email me or venmo me @cleverbabesco with SEP as the subject)

My somatic work is currently used in group settings and is complimentary to people who are in individual therapy or have been in cognitive styles of therapy and stopped because they outgrew that style of support.

I am very lucky to have learned SE from Mahshid Hager who used her experience as an immigrant and as an experienced practitioner working with people of color to educate my predominately white cohort on best practices and important considerations for doing SE with a client experiencing social and historical trauma. I am continuing to learn more about social and historical trauma and how to best support clients experiencing it.

In my somatic work it is important to me that I establish certain conditions and expectations before, during, and after I am offering my support.

1. Consent. The most important part of my somatic work is respecting any "no" I receive- including indirect no's such as people scrolling on their phone instead of participating, hesitation, questioning, etc. I expect (and support) my clients to say no to anything that feels uncomfortable or unsafe. However, our society is so anti consent that many of us struggle to say no directly, and my goal is to help clients reconnect with what yes and no feel like in their body then practice saying yes to what they like and no to what they don't. If consent is violated it is never too late to reach out and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to apologize, take responsibility, and learn how to offer better support to others in the future.

2. The client is the expert in their experience. I view my role as a facilitator between my client and their intuition. I am providing education and tools for my clients to interpret the information their nervous system is giving them about what needs they have that aren't being met. It isn't my job to tell anyone how they feel, what they need, or how to get their needs met. It is my job to listen, notice, reflect, and ask questions that help empower clients to get their needs met.

3. I'm human, I will make mistakes, and I am always open to feedback. While I do my due diligence to take care of my nervous system, continue my education, and not perpetuate systems of harm I am still liable to fuck up. I welcome constructive criticism of my work from non clients and feedback of any kind from my clients. It is my job to listen without becoming defensive, apologize, and offer repair to improve the relationship (if that is desired) when I cause harm to any of my clients.

   I have personally received this kind of care after conflict with my therapist and it was so impactful. I realized I had never been able to express when harm was caused without being defensive of my experience. The ability to express harm and assert my needs without defensiveness has made my life so much less shitty. I hope if I cause harm I can provide you the space to express yourself without need for justification or explanation.

True somatic work is liberation work. Our bodies feel when they are being exploited by capitalism, endangered by racism, and made to feel small by patriarchy. These systems contribute to our growing feelings of anxiety, depression, dissociation, and hopelessness. Our bodies are telling us that the world we live in is not compatible with feelings of safety, growth, community, and being loved the way we yearn for.

As a somatic practitioner it is my role to bring awareness to how these systems are harmful to our mental health, and to not participate in cycles of harm. I have been doing antiracism work since 2019 and work to decenter whiteness in both my creative and somatic work. I am passionate about implementing liberation strategy in the way I run my business. I believe change starts now- within myself and my business.

To me, healing involves slowing down, listening to what my body needs, and receiving support. Any time I do any of the those things I am practicing healing. I practice at least weekly in therapy but often daily by reaching out to friends, getting massages, taking my meds, and cuddling my dogs.

I don't call it a healing journey because there is no destination. It is a life long practice and commitment to myself.