Dr. Niki Elliot Presents: Heart-Centered Connections

Registration is required to attend this bookstore event with Dr. Niki Elliot and learn more about her new book: Heart-Centered Connections: Seven Essential Skills for Helping Neurodiverse and Marginalized Children Thrive

Dr. Niki Elliott is a clinical professor and director of the Center for Embodied Equity and Neurodiversity at the University of San Diego SOLES, where she leads research, professional certificates, and statewide initiatives that transform K–16 learning environments through trauma-informed, neuroinclusive design. A veteran educator of more than 30 years, Dr. Niki is known for translating complex neuroscience into powerful, accessible practices that strengthen belonging, emotional safety, and academic engagement for neurodiverse learners.

A nationally sought-after keynote speaker, retreat facilitator, and trainer, Dr. Niki has supported thousands of administrators, educators, counselors, and helping professionals across the U.S. and 13 countries through her groundbreaking Heart-Centered Connections™ curriculum and the Embodied Inclusion 360™ Framework. Her trainings consistently lead to measurable improvements in school climate, reductions in suspensions for students of color, and increased professional well-being among educators.

Dr. Elliott serves on the Board of Directors and teaching faculty of the Polyvagal Institute (PVI), where she co-developed innovative certificate programs for educators, counselors, and human-service professionals. Her work with PVI brings a polyvagal-informed lens to equity and inclusion, helping institutions understand how nervous-system regulation, implicit bias, and felt-safety shape human behavior and learning.

A prolific writer and thought leader, Dr. Niki is the author of the forthcoming book series Heart-Centered Connections:7 Essential Skills for Helping Neurodiverse and Marginalized Children Thrive. She also wrote the influential book chapter “Cultivating Heart-Centered Connections: Using Mind-Body Awareness Practices to Help Adults Create Safe Spaces for Marginalized Youth” in Reconstructing Perceptions of Systemically Marginalized Groups. Her articles and frameworks continue to guide districts, colleges, and community organizations seeking holistic, science-grounded approaches to inclusion.

Dr. Elliott holds a doctorate in Education from UCLA, along with certifications in yoga, secular mindfulness, and clinical breathwork. She brings a rare integration of academic rigor, embodied wisdom, and spiritual insight to her mission: helping leaders create learning and working environments where every nervous system feels safe, every learner feels seen, and every community can thrive.

Dr. Niki a native of Southern California, where she resides with her husband and blended family of 6 children. A fun fact about Niki is that she sleeps with her passport in her hand, always ready for her next travel adventure.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Bookbug & this is a bookstore, 3019 Oakland Drive, Kalamazoo, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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