OUR MISSION
The Little Village Gardens supports emotional wellbeing, self-awareness, and human connection through nervous system-informed education, emotional intelligence, research, and community programming for children and adults.
Our mission is to help create emotionally safe and relational learning environments where people can better understand themselves, strengthen emotional resilience, build meaningful connection, and feel more supported in the way they learn, grow, and engage with the world around them.
Through research, emotional intelligence practices, somatic nervous system regulation, play, nature, and developmentally supportive programming, we aim to support the whole person — emotionally, socially, and academically.
OUR METHOD
Integrating Nervous System-Informed Practices Into Learning Environments
We collaborate with schools, educators, families, and community organizations to introduce emotional regulation tools, emotional intelligence education, somatic practices, and emotionally responsive learning experiences that support both emotional wellbeing and academic engagement.
Partnering With Six Seconds
The Little Village Gardens proudly aligns with and utilizes the work of Six Seconds, the world’s largest emotional intelligence nonprofit organization. Six Seconds is internationally recognized for its research-backed emotional intelligence assessments, educational tools, and programs designed to help people better understand emotions, improve communication, strengthen resilience, and increase wellbeing.
Their work around emotional intelligence, emotional awareness, and human development closely aligns with our mission and research direction. Through this partnership and integration of tools such as the Youth SEI assessment, we are able to better understand and measure emotional growth, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and engagement within educational and community-based settings.
Research and Dissertation Work
The Little Village Gardens also serves as a community-centered research and educational platform for the doctoral research of founder Sarah Alperin.
Sarah Alperin is a certified somatic therapist, ICF PCC coach, emotional intelligence practitioner, former preschool owner/director, and doctoral researcher currently pursuing her EdD in Social Emotional Learning.
Her dissertation research explores the question:
“How do adult and youth participants describe their experience of self-awareness through somatic nervous system regulation practice?”
Through workshops, educational programming, emotional intelligence interventions, and community-based research, Sarah is collecting qualitative and quantitative data exploring the relationship between nervous system regulation, emotional safety, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and human connection.
Sarah recently published a research study exploring how participants experienced emotional regulation, self-awareness, and personal growth through somatic nervous system regulation practices. The findings highlighted the importance of emotional safety, embodied awareness, connection, and nervous system regulation in supporting emotional wellbeing and relational growth. This work now serves as a foundation for the future research, educational programming, and community initiatives being developed through The Little Village Gardens.
Learn more about Sarah and her work here:
The Well-being Collective
Emotional Intelligence and Educational Programming
Through workshops, emotional intelligence education, research-informed curriculum development, and community-based programming, we aim to support healthier and more emotionally responsive learning environments for children and adults.
Nature, Play, and Human Connection
While our focus has evolved, we still deeply value the role of nature, play, creativity, and relational connection in emotional wellbeing and human development. We believe people thrive when they feel connected — to themselves, each other, and the environments around them.
OUR IMPACT
Our work supports children, families, educators, and communities by helping create environments that prioritize emotional wellbeing alongside learning, development, and connection.
Research in neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and child development continues to show that emotional safety and nervous system regulation directly impact learning, behavior, confidence, communication, and resilience. When people feel emotionally overwhelmed or disconnected, learning and connection become harder. When they feel safe, regulated, and supported, they are more able to engage, grow, build healthy relationships, and develop a stronger sense of self.
Through emotional intelligence education, nervous system-informed practices, research initiatives, and community programming, we hope to contribute to healthier, more connected, and more emotionally responsive educational environments for both children and adults.
Our long-term vision is to help bridge research, emotional wellbeing, education, and community care in ways that create meaningful and lasting impact.
HOW YOU SUPPORT OUR MISSION
There are many ways to support The Little Village Gardens and help us continue building emotionally responsive, research-informed educational and community programs.
You can:
donate to support research and emotional wellbeing initiatives
partner with us through schools, organizations, or community programs
volunteer at workshops, educational events, and community projects
collaborate on research, emotional intelligence, or nervous system-informed programming
help us expand access to emotional wellbeing resources for children and families
You can also support our mission by sharing our work with educators, parents, researchers, community leaders, and potential collaborators who believe emotional wellbeing matters.
Help Us Create Emotionally Safe Spaces for Learning and Growth