Explore our trauma-informed design principles and methodology for creating inclusive, impactful solutions.
Design has the power to heal or harm. Every interaction, every color choice, every word on the page sends a message about whether someone belongs, whether they're safe, and whether their experiences are valued. We believe that trauma-informed design isn't just about being sensitive to trauma—it's about creating experiences that actively promote healing, empowerment, and justice.
We start every project by deeply understanding the lived experiences of the communities being served, ensuring our solutions address real needs with cultural sensitivity.
Every design decision prioritizes physical, emotional, and digital safety. We create environments where users feel secure to engage, share, and seek help.
Radical accessibility isn't optional—it's a justice issue. We design for all abilities, devices, internet speeds, and levels of digital literacy.
These principles guide every design decision, from initial research to final implementation.
Physical, emotional, and digital safety are prioritized above all else. Users should feel secure throughout their entire experience.
Building and maintaining trust through transparency, consistency, and reliable experiences that honor user expectations.
True collaboration means sharing power and decision-making with the communities being served, especially those with lived experience.
Users should have meaningful choices about how they interact with systems, ensuring they maintain agency over their experience.
Recognizing and honoring the diversity of cultural backgrounds, experiences, and ways of knowing within communities.
Building user confidence and capacity through clear information, skill-building opportunities, and strength-based approaches.
A structured approach that integrates trauma-informed principles at every stage of the design process.
Deep listening sessions with community members, stakeholders, and people with lived experience to understand context, needs, and existing strengths.
Collaborative design sessions that center community voices in ideation, prototyping, and solution development.
Implementation that prioritizes security, accessibility, and trauma-informed interactions at the technical level.
Ongoing support that helps organizations and communities build internal capacity for trauma-informed digital practices.
See how our trauma-informed approach translates into real design decisions and user experiences.
Instead of automatically displaying potentially triggering content, we design opt-in systems that give users full control over their experience.
This story contains discussions of trauma and recovery.
Every high-stakes interaction includes multiple ways to exit, pause, or save progress, ensuring users never feel trapped in a process.
We use empowering, strength-based language that recognizes user expertise and resilience rather than focusing on deficits or problems.
Our interfaces adapt to cultural preferences and communication styles, offering multiple ways to engage that honor different approaches to information sharing.
Explore additional resources and research that inform our approach to trauma-informed design.
Let's discuss how trauma-informed design principles can strengthen your organization's impact.