Design That Understands Mental Health From The Inside Out
Making Your Space Work For Real Life
MHA was created to support the way you experience your space - especially if you deal with mental health challenges each day.
The ideas inside come from real-life experience.
They’ve been shaped by Tina, someone who’s worked closely with people facing complex behaviours and mental health struggles. Not from a desk, but out there - supporting people in homes and community settings.
Where Tina’s Experience Meets The Design of Your Home
With a Master’s in Architecture and hands-on projects across Sydney, Tina’s work brings together lived experience and design.
It recognises something simple but powerful: your environment has a big impact on how you feel.
Just so you know - we won’t use labels here. Instead of saying “mental health participants,” we’ll refer to people simply as individuals or users of the space.
Because that’s what matters most - how you feel, what you need, and how the space supports that.
Let’s Talk About Neurotypical and Neurodivergent
These words come up a lot, especially when talking about how people experience the world.
Here's a simple way to break them down.
What Does Neurotypical Mean?
"Neurotypical" is a word often used to describe people whose brain development and thinking patterns are seen as typical by society.
It was first used by the autistic community to describe people who aren’t autistic.
But let’s be honest - there’s no such thing as one "normal" brain.
Everyone thinks and feels in their own way.
This word just helps explain a way of being that’s often expected or accepted more easily in day-to-day life.
What Does Neurodivergent Mean?
"Neurodivergent" describes people whose brains work a little differently.
That could mean having ADHD, Autism, Tourette Syndrome, or dyslexia.
It could also mean living with things like anxiety, PTSD, or bipolar disorder.
Some of these differences are there from the start.
Others might show up later. But all of them are just part of how someone moves through life.
Why Does This Matter?
Most of the world is set up around what works for neurotypical people.
That means neurodivergent people often feel pressure to change just to fit in.
That doesn’t feel fair, does it?
A truly supportive community gives everyone the space to be themselves. No one should have to pretend or push through just to be comfortable.
You deserve to feel okay in your own space, in your own way.
Your Environment Matters More Than You Think
For many people, home is the one place where things feel manageable.
But if your space is stressful, overwhelming, or doesn’t fit your needs, it can make everything harder.
That’s where MHA steps in.
These design principles bridge the gap between support work and architecture.
They’re not based on guesswork - they’re shaped by real conversations, real experiences, and real people.
What If Your Home Could Help You Live Your Best Life?
Every detail - whether structural or decorative - is considered carefully.
It's not about making things look good. It's about making sure they feel right.
Let’s say sounds feel overwhelming. Or bright lights make it hard to focus.
Maybe it’s the way open spaces make you anxious, or clutter makes things feel chaotic.
MHA Design responds to those needs.
A Sensory-Friendly Space Starts With Listening
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to a comfortable home.
So before anything is designed, we listen.
Some people need quiet corners.
Others need open space to move.
Light, colour, layout - it’s all chosen based on your preferences and needs.
You’re not expected to adapt to your environment. Your environment adapts to you.
Design That Supports Growth Without Pressure
A home should feel steady and secure - but also offer the chance to grow.
If you want to learn new skills, explore hobbies, or just try new things, your space should support that.
That might mean open areas for group cooking, quiet spaces for downtime, or rooms that shift depending on your day.
The goal isn’t to push anyone. It’s to make sure your space never holds you back.
Change Happens -
Your Home Should Keep Up
As you grow, your needs might shift.
Maybe you want more privacy, or more openness.
Maybe your routines change. That’s totally normal.
MHA homes are designed to adjust right alongside you. Walls can move. Spaces can open up or close off.
Nothing is set in stone.
When a home grows with you, it stays your home for longer.
A person's behaviour is dependent on lived experiences with trauma, the surrounding environment and upbringing, not their diagnoses.
So designs cannot be limited to a disability title placed upon an individual.
You Deserve A Say In How
Things Are Designed
Too often, homes are built with assumptions.
But with MHA, the person living in the space gets the final say.
You can choose how things are set up. How rooms are used. How lighting feels.
It’s your home, after all. Architects and designers take a step back - and you take the lead.
Let’s Design Something That Fits You
If you’re curious about MHA or want to see how this kind of design could work for you or someone you support, let’s talk.
Tina is always up for a conversation. It starts with listening - and ends with a home that finally feels right.