Educational Design Therapy™
A Trauma-Informed, System-Level Design Model for Supporting Neurodivergent and Other Marginalized Learners
Educational Design Therapy™ was developed by Michelle Renee Hoppe (Shelli Hoppe) in 2024. All framework language and structure are original to this model. This work was originally published on the Educational Design Therapy website www.shellihoppe.com in January 2024 and republished here for citation and public access.
How to Cite Educational Design Therapy™
Educational Design Therapy™ (EDT) is an original, system-level, trauma-informed educational design framework developed by Michelle Renee Hoppe (Shelli Hoppe) in 2024. The framework was first publicly published on www.shellihoppe.com.
When referencing, adapting, or discussing this work, please use one of the citation formats below.
Recommended Citation (General Use)
1. Recommended Citation (General Use)
Hoppe, M. R. (2026). Educational Design Therapy™: A trauma-informed, system-level model for supporting neurodivergent learners. Educational Design Therapy Substack.
https://educationaldesigntherapy.substack.com/p/educational-design-therapy
This is the preferred citation for:
Grant proposals
Policy briefs
Professional reports
Training materials
Non-academic publications
2. APA Style (7th Edition)
Hoppe, M. R. (2026). Educational Design Therapy™: A trauma-informed, system-level model for supporting neurodivergent learners. Educational Design Therapy Substack.
https://educationaldesigntherapy.substack.com/p/educational-design-therapy
3. Chicago Style (Notes & Bibliography)
Hoppe, Michelle Renee. “Educational Design Therapy™: A Trauma-Informed, System-Level Model for Supporting Neurodivergent Learners.” Educational Design Therapy Substack, 2026.
https://educationaldesigntherapy.substack.com/p/educational-design-therapy
4. MLA Style (9th Edition)
Hoppe, Michelle Renee. Educational Design Therapy™: A Trauma-Informed, System-Level Model for Supporting Neurodivergent Learners. Educational Design Therapy Substack, 2026,
educationaldesigntherapy.substack.com/p/educational-design-therapy.
5. In-Text Citation Examples
APA
(Hoppe, 2026)
Hoppe (2026) introduces Educational Design Therapy™ as a system-level, trauma-informed design framework…
Chicago (Notes)
¹ Michelle Renee Hoppe, “Educational Design Therapy™,” Educational Design Therapy Substack, 2026.
6. Referencing the Model (Narrative Attribution)
When referring to the model in prose, use one of the following phrasings:
“Educational Design Therapy™ (EDT), developed by Michelle Renee Hoppe (2024/2026)…”
“Hoppe’s Educational Design Therapy™ framework…”
“The Educational Design Therapy™ model proposed by Hoppe…”
Avoid generic references such as “a design-therapy approach” without attribution.
7. Use, Adaptation, and Attribution Guidance
Educational Design Therapy™ may be discussed, cited, and referenced in academic, professional, and educational contexts with proper attribution.
The following require explicit permission:
Reproducing large portions of the text
Teaching EDT as a branded method
Training practitioners under the EDT name
Representing EDT as your own framework
For collaboration, research use, or licensing inquiries, contact the author directly.
8. Trademark & Attribution Notice (Optional Footer)
You may include the following notice when EDT is referenced in presentations or documents:
Educational Design Therapy™ is an original framework developed by Michelle Renee Hoppe. All rights reserved.
About Author: Michelle Renee Hoppe (Shelli Hoppe) www.shellihoppe.com
Original Conception: January 2024
Affiliation: Educational Design Therapy™ | (Re)Design Psych™ (pending nonprofit registration)
Attribution & Authorship
Educational Design Therapy™ was developed by Michelle Renee Hoppe (Shelli Hoppe). The terminology, framework, and structure described in this paper represent original synthesis and practice-based innovation. First published 2024.
Abstract
Educational Design Therapy™ (EDT) is a novel, system-level consulting and advocacy model that applies design thinking as a therapeutic mechanism to redesign learning environments around neurodivergent and marginalized students—without pathologizing the child or providing direct clinical intervention. Positioned at the intersection of educational therapy, trauma-informed practice, design thinking, and special education advocacy, EDT works primarily with parents, caregivers, and educators to interpret, redesign, and implement learning systems such as Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), 504 Plans, and home–school routines. This paper articulates the theoretical grounding, ethical boundaries, and practical application of EDT, and argues for the necessity of system-facing design models in contexts where traditional child-facing interventions fail to address structural harm.
1. The Problem EDT Responds To
Neurodivergent and marginalized students are disproportionately harmed by educational systems designed for standardization rather than human variability. When children struggle, interventions frequently focus on behavior modification, remediation, or diagnosis, while leaving the surrounding systems—bureaucratic, relational, and environmental—unchanged.
Families navigating special education systems often experience:
Chronic stress and retraumatization during IEP and 504 processes
Fragmented expert advice with conflicting theoretical orientations
A lack of translation between educational, psychological, and institutional language
Implicit or explicit child-pathologizing narratives
Traditional educational therapy and advocacy models, while valuable, often remain child-facing or compliance-oriented and do not address systemic design failures as the primary site of intervention.
2. Conceptual Foundations
Educational Design Therapy™ integrates four established domains:
Design Thinking – Empathy-driven, iterative problem-solving traditionally used in product and service design.
Trauma-Informed Practice – An approach recognizing the impact of trauma on cognition, behavior, and relationships, emphasizing safety, agency, and trust.
Educational Therapy & Special Education Advocacy – Support for learning differences, executive function, and legal educational frameworks.
Disability Justice & Neurodiversity Paradigms – Frameworks that locate disability-related struggle in systems rather than individual deficits.
While each domain exists independently, EDT represents a novel synthesis in which design itself functions as the therapeutic process.
3. What Makes Educational Design Therapy™ Distinct
3.1 System-Facing Rather Than Child-Facing
EDT intervenes at the level of:
Learning environments
Adult decision-making systems
Institutional documentation (IEPs, 504s)
Home–school communication structures
All child-facing strategies are implemented by caregivers or educators, not by the EDT practitioner.
3.2 Design as a Therapeutic Mechanism
Unlike educational design or Learning Experience Design (LxD), which focus on curriculum or instruction, EDT uses design processes to:
Restore caregiver agency
Reduce system-induced trauma
Create psychological safety within learning systems
Support meaning-making after educational harm
3.3 Ethical Boundary Clarity
EDT explicitly defines what it is not:
Not psychotherapy or psychological treatment
Not legal representation
Not behavior prescription
Not a single theoretical pedagogy
This clarity allows EDT to operate ethically at the intersection of disciplines without license overreach.
4. The Educational Design Therapy™ Process
EDT follows a five-phase, trauma-informed design cycle adapted from design thinking:
Phase 1: Empathize
Narrative listening
Contextual inquiry
Mutual fit assessment
Phase 2: Define
Collaborative goal-setting
Identification of system-level breakdowns
Reframing problems away from child deficit
Phase 3: Ideate
Exploration of multiple models and strategies
Cross-disciplinary synthesis
Low-stakes experimentation
Phase 4: Prototype
Journey mapping of redesigned learning systems
IEP and routine redesign
Documentation support
Phase 5: Test & Reflect
Real-world implementation by caregivers or schools
Reflective feedback loops
Iterative refinement
This cyclical process mirrors therapeutic change models while remaining grounded in design methodology.
5. Scope of Practice
Educational Design Therapy™ operates as:
Remote-only educational consulting
Systems design and documentation support
Parent and educator coaching
It does not include:
Crisis services
Diagnosis
Direct child therapy
Legal advice
6. Implications for the Field
EDT proposes a reframing of educational support work:
From child compliance to system accountability
From expert-driven prescriptions to co-designed solutions
From fragmented services to integrated design processes
The model has implications for:
Educational therapy practice
Special education advocacy
Trauma-informed education
Service design in public systems
Special education teaching
Possible replacement for ABA therapy (when ineffective)
7. Conclusion
Educational Design Therapy™ addresses a critical gap in educational support ecosystems by positioning system design—not child pathology—as the primary site of intervention. By integrating design thinking with trauma-informed educational advocacy, EDT offers a humane, flexible, and ethically bounded approach for families navigating complex learning systems. As educational environments grow increasingly complex and inequitable, system-level design therapies may represent a necessary evolution in how support is conceptualized and delivered.
Author’s Note
Educational Design Therapy™ was conceived and developed by Michelle Renee Hoppe (Shelli Hoppe) in January 2024. The terminology, framework, and application described herein reflect original synthesis and practice-based innovation informed by lived experience, professional expertise, and interdisciplinary study.
Educational Design Therapy™ is a trademarked framework developed by Michelle Renee Hoppe. All rights reserved.