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What happens when architectural design meets Somatic Experiencing®? Hannah Milks takes us on a fascinating journey through her work as a trauma-informed designer who applies nervous system knowledge to the pieces of clothing we wear to the spaces we inhabit.
Hannah's path began unusually—with a graduate thesis on trauma-informed police buildings. This exploration led her to question not just how trauma affects people, but how spaces could actively support healing. While completing her SE™ training, Hannah developed a unique perspective that blends architectural concepts like "prospect and refuge" with somatic understanding of how bodies naturally regulate.
The conversation explores practical applications of this work, from simple interventions (like adding air filters to therapy offices) to locating retreat spaces in Costa Rica specifically for caregivers learning to receive support. Hannah shares how architectural elements can create pendulation experiences similar to what happens in SE™ sessions—allowing bodies to move between feelings of safety and expansion in ways that support healing.
In this episode, we also dive into somatic journaling, a practice Hannah developed that helps individuals explore and care for their own nervous systems. Using writing prompts designed with titration and pendulation in mind, participants explore their relationship with their bodies while tracking sensations rather than getting lost in stories.
Most compelling is Hannah's perspective on space as an extension of relationship. From the chairs we sit in to the air we breathe, our environments aren't neutral backgrounds but active participants in our well-being. By understanding how bodies want to heal, we can design spaces that support that process—translating the wisdom of the body into the language of architecture.
For more information about Hannah, you can follow her on Instagram @CleverBabesCo. You can also explore her website at cleverbabes.co.

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