Designing Spaces That Support Nervous System Regulation
KH Grounded Design integrates psychology, biophilic design, and intentional environments to create spaces that support emotional wellbeing.
Our Perspective
Modern environments are often disconnected from nature and unintentionally overstimulating. For individuals navigating stress, trauma, or high-pressure professions, these environments can make it difficult to feel calm, focused, or grounded.
KH Grounded Design approaches the built environment differently. By integrating principles from psychology, biophilic design, and sensory awareness, we create environments that support nervous system regulation and emotional wellbeing.
Thoughtfully designed spaces can help people feel safe, present, and connected—both to themselves and to the natural world around them.
Psychology
Applying principles from behavioral science and environmental psychology to guide spatial design decisions.
Nature
Integrating biophilic design, natural materials, and sensory elements that reconnect interior environments with nature.
Experience
Creating environments that feel calm, grounding, and supportive of emotional wellbeing.
Who We Work With
KH Grounded Design collaborates with organizations and environments where emotional wellbeing, recovery, and resilience matter.
First Responder Facilities
Designing recovery and decompression environments for fire stations and other high-stress professional settings.
Therapeutic & Clinical Spaces
Creating calm and supportive environments for counseling practices, mental health clinics, and healthcare settings.
Wellness & Recovery Environments
Designing restorative environments for wellness centers, integrative health practices, and recovery spaces.
Featured Initiative
Fire Station Recovery Room
KH Grounded Design is developing a trauma-informed recovery room concept designed specifically for fire stations. After responding to high-intensity calls, first responders often return to environments that offer little opportunity for emotional decompression.
This pilot initiative explores how psychology-informed and biophilic design can create restorative spaces that support nervous system regulation, reduce overstimulation, and promote resilience.
Specialized services
Institutional Consulting
Strategic advisory for organizations integrating psychology-informed environments into larger facilities and projects.
Grounded Design Intensive
A focused one-hour or half-day strategy session providing expert design guidance and actionable next steps.
Bespoke Design
Highly customized design engagements for complex or specialized environments.
Our Philosophy
We believe the spaces we inhabit shape how we feel, how we think, and how we connect with the world around us.
KH Grounded Design integrates psychology, biophilic design, and intentional environments to create spaces that support emotional wellbeing and nervous system regulation.
By carefully considering light, materiality, texture, and spatial flow, we design environments that foster calm, clarity, and connection.
Heather Pando
Co-Founder | Interior Design Project Manager, Experiential Designer, Specialist in Spatial Experience and Human-Centered Environments
Heather Pando is a Los Angeles–based artist and designer who creates nature-inspired environments and installations through her studio, Little World Design. Her work merges an interdisciplinary background in biology and theatre to design immersive, wellness-focused spaces that reconnect people with the natural world.
Dr. Kristen Wheldon
Co-Founder | Seasoned Licensed Psychologist (CA27027), Published Author, Consultant, Trauma Specialist, Nationally Recognized Subject Matter Expert in Psychology & Resilience
Dr. Kristen Wheldon is a clinical forensic psychologist and founder of the Fire Service Psychology Association who leverages her extensive background in public safety to design high-pressure environments that foster psychological resilience, recovery, and human performance.