How do people heal?
There are ways to heal a papercut or a sprained ankle, depression or grief. The conditions that ail us require the appropriate conditions to heal us too, of course. We’ve been wondering recently though if there’s a key to the way we heal ourselves (and each other); a basic set of conditions that we must be in to take care of and improve ourselves.
There is a short list at the end of this post, but first a few thoughts we had on the way there.
Why is it important to know how people heal?
There are challenges that are unique to each of us, and there are those that we share. They vary and overlap, finding themselves in mental health, medicine, social and political injustices, education, and climate crisis. These are realities, and they can be particularly distressing, even visceral, for sensitive or neurodivergent individuals. In short, here is why its important to know how we heal:
Rates of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and burnout are at global record highs
Many communities (including those in my home country Canada) carry the heavy weight of historic injustices
Healing is becoming a systemic practice, with educators, therapists, and doctors (plus other industries) adopting trauma-informed care practices
Practices like breathwork, mindfulness, storytelling, ritual, and connection (all cornerstones of Indigenous and spiritual traditions) are being validated by neuroscience and technology
More people are recognizing the toll of chronic stress and addressing their life-work (im)balance.
Why would an interior designer talk about healing?
Contrary to popular belief about the industry, the changes interior designers implement include more structural or architectural modifications. Scopes are generally wider (than that of a decorator), and there is heavy focus on functionality and safety. If we are called into a project, it makes sense to create a space that serves in ways that aren’t only nice to look at. We have a real opportunity to make positive passive change.
There exists something called trauma-informed design. Although the handful of my resources referenced more vulnerable populations, we noticed that many solutions (like autonomy and control, layered lighting strategies, and integrating biophilia, for example) are actually quite intuitive in regards to the way that most humans operate, regardless of their level of social security. The WELL Building Standard also describes similar solutions in great depth, including Thermal Comfort, Air, Water, Nourishment, and Light as several of their ten proprietary concepts.
This suggests that healing design is becoming a new standard in some ways; we are coming to the realization that we need to invest in ourselves and our communities to move out of a mode of survival and into one of contentment and excitement. Its a secure and empowered place from which we are able to incite change. At Cave, these are not trivial concepts; we take peace, pleasure, and presence in life seriously, even (and especially) in the face of hardship. We are and always will be advocates for these things, and for you.
What do we really need in a healing process?
Here are the broad strokes on what various healing processes share:
Safety – A stable environment, trustworthy people, boundaries, and freedom from active harm
Time and patience – Allowing for setbacks, cycles, and gradual change without pressure for quick fixes
Connection and support – Friends, therapy, community, or a single person who can listen and affirm your experience
Acknowledgement and expression of pain – Grieving, crying, writing, talking, or creating; any way of giving form to inner experience
Meaning or purpose – Spiritual beliefs, creative pursuits, helping others, or deveoping resilience from adversity
Agency and choice – Making choices that reflect self-respect; saying no, seeking help, or changing behaviour
Integration and reconnection – Rebuilding identity, reconnecting with the body, others, and the world in a more open and grounded way
Conclusion
Our favourite thing about this practice is being able to transmute abstract internal concepts and qualities – emotions or values, for example – into something seen and felt. Perhaps this is how we give form to your inner experience. We realize that grace and patience are necessities in life and business. We want to go far, not fast. We think that sensory experience, as in interior space, is a key component to feeling grounded and present in the body.
And even if you’re not actively healing from something, you might think of these broad strokes as potential preventative methods, and tools for a calmer and more connected world.
If you're ready to transform your space or reconnect with your values in a safe and supportive environment, Cave is here to guide you. From playful, reading-style consultations to comprehensive full-service design, all of our offerings are thoughtfully tailored to your unique needs.
We understand that change is a constant, and that your space has the potential to anchor and uplift you through life's transitions. We will co-create a home that reflects your essence — beautiful, meaningful, and authentic.
