12: trauma-informed community onboarding
This project was designed for an online audience of survivors and individuals affected by narcissistic abuse. Many were isolated and struggling to find credible, empathetic resources and safe spaces to share their experiences. The core challenge was the absence of community-driven platforms that both validated survivors’ journeys and fostered a genuine sense of belonging.
I was brought in to design a community ecosystem that would:
empower a highly vulnerable audience with evidence-based resources
foster peer-to-peer connection
increase engagement & retention through trust-building systems.
the strategy
Conduct behavioural and needs analysis to understand survivor pain points, triggers, and engagement barriers
Design a multi-channel ecosystem combining podcast, YouTube, and closed social communities for layered support
Implement structured engagement rituals (live support Q&As, survivor spotlights, moderated discussions) to foster trust and shared learning
Develop tone and content guidelines rooted in trauma-informed communication to ensure safety and credibility.
the impact
Built a multi-platform community of 3,800+ engaged followers (YouTube, podcast, and social channels)
Generated 110K+ organic video views and sustained a 4–5% click-through rate without paid promotion
Created a safe space where members reported increased feelings of connection, validation, and hope
Encouraged self-sustaining peer-to-peer support, reducing dependence on centralised moderators.
kw: trauma-informed community design, peer support ecosystems, behaviour-driven engagement