TakeABreak
AI-assisted emotional wellness
AI-powered communication and wellness companion for relationships, featuring trauma-informed design with ethical AI interaction patterns.
Challenge
Support relationship health and individual mental wellness through AI, while navigating the ethical implications of technology in intimate emotional spaces.
Outcome
Design concept featuring trauma-informed interaction patterns and ethical AI communication frameworks.
My Role
UX Design, Ethical AI Research, Prototyping
Research on Mental Health Tech
Studied barriers to mental health support: stigma, cost, accessibility. Also researched harms of existing apps, gamification of wellbeing, data exploitation, inappropriate AI responses to crisis.
Trauma-Informed Design
Built design principles from trauma-informed care: safety first, trustworthiness through transparency, choice and control, collaboration, and cultural sensitivity. Every interaction evaluated against these principles.
AI Interaction Ethics
Designed guardrails for AI communication: clear disclosure of AI nature, handoff protocols for crisis, non-judgmental language frameworks, and explicit limitations. AI as tool, not replacement.
Dual-Mode Design
Created separate experiences for individual wellness and couple communication, recognizing that relationship dynamics require different design patterns than individual reflection.
Reflection
The responsibility of mental health technology became deeply personal through this project. AI can't replace human connection, but thoughtfully designed tools can lower barriers to seeking support.
Key Learnings
- 1Mental health tech requires clinical collaboration
- 2AI disclosure must be prominent and repeated
- 3Ethical implications must be centered, not considered later