The Inner Place
“Exploring Therapeutic Architecture: Leveraging Architectural Design as a Catalyst for Emotional Regulation and Recovery from Childhood Trauma.”
The Inner Place offers a bespoke experience for people who have experienced trauma and those who struggle with processing their emotions. Through a carefully crafted experiential journey, it guides individuals to confront their trauma and reconnect with their somatic and emotional states in a safe and controlled environment.
Drawing on insights from "The Body Keeps the Score'' by Bessel van der Kolk, this project acknowledges that trauma can become somatically engrained and repressed, often manifesting as triggers or reactions that one may struggle to understand. According to van der Kolk, trauma is not just an event that took place in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on the mind, brain, and body. The Inner Place is designed specifically for those who have difficulty connecting with their subconscious feelings, making it an ideal setting for healing.
Consisting of six distinct spaces, each meticulously designed to evoke specific emotional responses: Joy, Serenity, Anger, Fear, Acceptance, and the Tower of Freedom. Participants are immersed in environments tailored to evoke and process these emotions, facilitating a deeper connection with their inner experiences.
The primary objective is to aid individuals in comprehending and effectively managing their emotional responses by releasing their deeply held emotions, which is crucial for mitigating the long-term impact of trauma.
As an alternative therapy approach, The Inner Place embraces the principle 'Feel it to heal it,' providing a powerful path to emotional healing through genuine emotional experience. Unlike traditional therapy, which often focuses on verbal expression, this approach recognises that words can be insufficient for those struggling to fully experience and process their emotions.
