What It Really Means to Be a Trauma-Informed Tattoo Artist

There is more to tattoos than what meets the eye. For many, the process of receiving a tattoo cultivates a moment to reclaim, remember, honour, or heal. The art marks chapters, transitions, grief, survival, and identity. They empower, and the process can make you vulnerable - physically, emotionally, and energetically. 

This is why I’ve become a trauma-informed tattoo artist.

I’ll explain what it is, but let’s start with what it’s not: 

What a Trauma-Informed Tattoo Artist Is Not

I am not a Therapist, counsellor, or other licensed mental health professional.

My work is not a replacement for therapy. Trauma-informed tattooing is about care, not clinical support.

So… What Is a Trauma-Informed Tattoo Artist?

It means I, your artist, show up with awareness, intention, and compassion. I create an environment where your safety and emotional experience are prioritized. At its core, being trauma-informed in a tattoo contect is simply understanding that tattoos can hold deep emotional meaning, that the tattoo process itself can activate nervous system responses, and that everyone brings their own lived experiences into the appointment. It's recognizing that feeling safe, seen, and supported directly shapes someone's overall experience - and sometimes even becomes part of their healing journey.

For me, trauma-informed tattooing involves integrating the following values and practices:

1. Creating a Safe, Private, Comfortable Environment

I don’t tattoo out of a standard busy shop - not because artists that work out of a shop can’t be trauma-informed, but because I’ve intentionally chosen a quieter, private studio. Many clients have told me they feel safer and more at ease in a space that feels intentional, grounded, and private. You won’t walk through a room full of strangers. You won’t feel watched. You have a room that’s entirely yours during your session. 

2. Offering Choice

You get to choose the kind of appointment you want. Some people love a chatty, connected session where conversation helps them feel grounded or distracted, while others prefer silence, headphones, or simply being with their own thoughts. There's zero pressure either way - I will never take it personally. This is your time, your space, and your comfort comes first.

You set the tone, and I follow your lead.

3. Supporting the Nervous System

I keep stress balls and fidget toys in the shop for you. I also encourage clients to bring anything that brings them comfort - a blanket, headphones, stuffed animal, crystals, a support person, a playlist, anything. Small things matter.

Comfort matters. Nervous system regulation matters.

4. Understanding How Trauma Lives in the Body

My background as a Reiki practitioner and trauma-informed yoga instructor has shaped the way I tattoo. Through those trainings, I learned how Trauma is stored in the body, certain positions can feel triggering, and everyone's pain tolerance and bodily responses are different. Sometimes being mindful of how someone is lying for 2–3 hours is the difference between them shutting down - or feeling stable and supported.

5. Honouring the Stories Clients Choose to Share

I handle booking personally. Yes, it can sometimes mean I don’t reply immediately; but it also means you know whatever you share, is shared with only me - there’s no middle-person. People trust me with stories, meanings that are incredibly personal, sacred, and emotional. Clients tell me about childhood memories, grief, transitions, breakups, recovery, identity, and moments where tattoos became part of their healing or reclaiming.

I don’t want those stories rushed through an inbox or scheduled like a dentist appointment. I want them to be received with the care and sensitivity they deserve.

6. Prioritizing Consent, Comfort, and Communication

This looks like me checking in throughout your appointment and taking our time with the stencil - you can ask to move it as many times as you need. It means I never assume your comfort level and I offer breaks whenever you want them. I adjust the pace if your nervous system feels overwhelmed. Trauma-informed work isnt about avoiding discomfort - tattooing naturally involves some - but it is about avoiding harm and making sure you feel supported the whole way through.

Why It Matters

For many people, tattoos are a way of reclaiming their body, marking survival, celebrating growth, processing grief, breaking cycles, or simply choosing themselves. Getting a tattoo isnt therapy but it can absolutely feel therapeutic. My job is to make sure you feel supported, respected, and empowered through the entire process - whatever your story looks like.

Still Learning, Always Learning

I’m human. I don’t have everything figured out. But this is a field where learning never ends - and I’m grateful for that.

I hope to pursue even more trauma-informed training in the future so I can deepen this work, expand my tools, and continue creating the safest, most supportive experience possible for the people who sit in my chair.

At the end of the day, my goal is simple:

To offer tattoos in a way that honours your journey - whatever that looks like - and to make sure you feel cared for from the moment you walk in to the moment you walk out.