Practical Sanctuary

Sometimes, there's a good reason to be made uncomfortable--in the service of accountability, justice, and personal growth.

Existing in a building is not one of those reasons.



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Sometimes, there's a good reason to be made uncomfortable--in the service of accountability, justice, and personal growth. Existing in a building is not one of those reasons. #sensoryinteriordesign #traumainformeddesign #healthybuildings

Holding onto reminders of trauma doesn't serve you.


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Holding onto reminders of trauma doesn't serve you. #sensoryinteriordesign #traumainformeddesign

Beauty is a human right.



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Beauty is a human right. #sensoryinteriordesign #traumainformeddesign #healthybuildings

Had a really great conversation with Ashana Kaiulani of The Reclamation Room Podcast. Recovering from trauma is an environmental and systemic issue, not just a personal one. You can find her podcast at link in bio.



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Had a really great conversation with Ashana Kaiulani of The Reclamation Room Podcast. Recovering from trauma is an environmental and systemic issue, not just a personal one. You can find her podcast at link in bio. #traumainformeddesign #sensoryinteriordesign #traumarecovery

I wrote this true story, then realized it was a poem.







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I wrote this true story, then realized it was a poem. #sensoryinteriordesign #nervoussystemregulation #highlysensitiveperson #neurodivergentdesign #traumainformeddesign #holisticinteriors #designforwellbeing

My daughter’s music teacher was having a nervous breakdown. I wouldn’t have noticed except that she was also my friend. She befriended me at the Quaker school we couldn’t afford, the year I divorced my daughter’s father for financial and emotional abuse. ..
When every battle I’ve fought seems futile, I comfort myself by asking, “what lesson is my soul learning from this?”

Given the current political climate, one of the answers might be “Training.” Training in pattern recognition, community building, and following inner guidance. Building things with your hands while holding space for other people’s pain. Maybe there’s a piece in there about renewal, and the power of not knowing that defeat is inevitable. This is how every new generation may fight and win battles that their elders lost..
Designing for Resistance: the revolutionary arm of Practical Sanctuary, now on Substack. Link in bio for stories without throttle.https://scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/626297191_18556077223010409_4330040006281020370_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiRkVFRC5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=Gh0iJqrL2WoQ7kNvwHALIeF&_nc_oc=AdnUW00faTsDRWGGmVcZoYXF3tkiV5CY4L_pJsz1pTzUUT-4bPhBmjJQLTfmZ9q7Nug&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=AM6HXa8EAAAA&_nc_gid=LUgKSPFmyUxg8RqguMgVHA&oh=00_AftgtpORPvJin_JcdLW3ihKMQ8QVS6D5XEUHcMZGoyJYfw&oe=69931751

My daughter’s music teacher was having a nervous breakdown. I wouldn’t have noticed except that she was also my friend. She befriended me at the Quaker school we couldn’t afford, the year I divorced my daughter’s father for financial and emotional abuse. ... When every battle I’ve fought seems futile, I comfort myself by asking, “what lesson is my soul learning from this?” Given the current political climate, one of the answers might be “Training.” Training in pattern recognition, community building, and following inner guidance. Building things with your hands while holding space for other people’s pain. Maybe there’s a piece in there about renewal, and the power of not knowing that defeat is inevitable. This is how every new generation may fight and win battles that their elders lost. ... Designing for Resistance: the revolutionary arm of Practical Sanctuary, now on Substack. Link in bio for stories without throttle.

The biggest design mistake people make in their spaces is neglecting to fix the 'trivial' problems. The extension cord that poses a trip hazard so obvious that you will DEFINITELY avoid it. The pile of used tissues and unopened junk mail next to your desk. The burnt out light bulb. The picture you haven't gotten around to hanging.

There's a reason you're avoiding easy tasks, which has nothing to do with how much energy they'll take to handle. It's not laziness. It's shame.

That shame is not yours to carry. It was handed to you by a culture that benefits from weighing you down and keeping you quiet.

Give it back.







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The biggest design mistake people make in their spaces is neglecting to fix the 'trivial' problems. The extension cord that poses a trip hazard so obvious that you will DEFINITELY avoid it. The pile of used tissues and unopened junk mail next to your desk. The burnt out light bulb. The picture you haven't gotten around to hanging. There's a reason you're avoiding easy tasks, which has nothing to do with how much energy they'll take to handle. It's not laziness. It's shame. That shame is not yours to carry. It was handed to you by a culture that benefits from weighing you down and keeping you quiet. Give it back. . . . . #youarenotbroken #sensitiveandsmart #burnoutrecovery #selftrustjourney #neurodivergentlife #emotionalregulation #gentleliving

What's that appalling sound? Either the cat is challenging a vicious rival, or a neighbor is operating a buzz saw in twelve degree weather.

I can't focus until it stops.

I open the door to chastise the cat. It's not the cat.

How long can this buzz saw keep going? Why this? Why now? How do I make it stop??

The cloud loses my file during a system reboot. Panic.

I'm at a crossroads. My day could go one of two ways.

Option 1: Distraction. Open my phone. Scroll to mute the anxiety. Look up five hours later. Realize the day is over. Go to bed despising myself for laziness, sensitivity, and existential despair.

Not today, Satan.

Option 2: Regulation. Spend ten minutes doing dishes. Five minutes mopping rock salt footprints off the living room floor. Let the cat in. Change playlist from "Cold Weather Jazz" to "Zen Meditation." P*e.

Buzz saw: intermittent.

Peace and creativity: restored.







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What's that appalling sound? Either the cat is challenging a vicious rival, or a neighbor is operating a buzz saw in twelve degree weather. I can't focus until it stops. I open the door to chastise the cat. It's not the cat. How long can this buzz saw keep going? Why this? Why now? How do I make it stop?? The cloud loses my file during a system reboot. Panic. I'm at a crossroads. My day could go one of two ways. Option 1: Distraction. Open my phone. Scroll to mute the anxiety. Look up five hours later. Realize the day is over. Go to bed despising myself for laziness, sensitivity, and existential despair. Not today, Satan. Option 2: Regulation. Spend ten minutes doing dishes. Five minutes mopping rock salt footprints off the living room floor. Let the cat in. Change playlist from "Cold Weather Jazz" to "Zen Meditation." P*e. Buzz saw: intermittent. Peace and creativity: restored. #sensoryinteriordesign #nervoussystemregulation #highlysensitiveperson #neurodivergentdesign #traumainformeddesign #holisticinteriors #designforwellbeing

You may tolerate a thousand 'trivial' issues in your space. A pile of unopened mail, spilling over the desk, containing bills and other unexploded nervous system bombs. A tangle of extension cords, trip and fire hazards. The piercing whine of a poorly designed appliance, tuned to a frequency that you can hear but your landlord can't.

You think you'll get to it when you have the energy. After the important project is done.

And often that project doesn't happen until the 'trivial' issues are addressed.







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You may tolerate a thousand 'trivial' issues in your space. A pile of unopened mail, spilling over the desk, containing bills and other unexploded nervous system bombs. A tangle of extension cords, trip and fire hazards. The piercing whine of a poorly designed appliance, tuned to a frequency that you can hear but your landlord can't. You think you'll get to it when you have the energy. After the important project is done. And often that project doesn't happen until the 'trivial' issues are addressed. #youarenotbroken #sensitiveandsmart #burnoutrecovery #selftrustjourney #neurodivergentlife #emotionalregulation #gentleliving

The font used here is called Lexend. It's designed to be more easily legible to neurodivergent and dyslexic people.

Over the next few weeks I'm trying an experiment. I fed the manuscript of my book, The Eccentric Genius Habitat Intervention, into ChatGPT and asked it to break it down into social media posts. I'm curious to see how it comes across.

My usual style is pretty baroque and elliptical. This is both a lot of fun, and not necessarily...necessary.

Healing isn't easy, but it can be simple.







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The font used here is called Lexend. It's designed to be more easily legible to neurodivergent and dyslexic people. Over the next few weeks I'm trying an experiment. I fed the manuscript of my book, The Eccentric Genius Habitat Intervention, into ChatGPT and asked it to break it down into social media posts. I'm curious to see how it comes across. My usual style is pretty baroque and elliptical. This is both a lot of fun, and not necessarily...necessary. Healing isn't easy, but it can be simple. #sensoryinteriordesign #nervoussystemregulation #highlysensitiveperson #neurodivergentdesign #traumainformeddesign #holisticinteriors #designforwellbeing