Maggie Lawson and Ben Koldyke: Shaping the Frontiers of Technology, Trauma, and Trauma-Informed Tech Design

In an era where digital systems increasingly influence mental health, human behavior, and societal stability, Maggie Lawson and Ben Koldyke emerge as pioneering forces redefining how technology can either harm or heal. Their collaborative work fuses neuroscience, trauma psychology, and system design to expose systemic vulnerabilities in tech architecture—and offer radical solutions grounded in human dignity. By combining Lawson’s clinical insight with Koldyke’s systems engineering expertise, they challenge industries to move beyond profit-driven models toward ethical, trauma-informed innovation.

Their mission: to build technology that doesn’t exploit, but supports—and ultimately transforms.

Bridging Neuroscience and System Design: The Foundation of Their Work

Maggie Lawson, a clinical trauma specialist and researcher, brings deep expertise in how digital environments impact psychological safety. Her work interrogates the hidden ways platforms—social media, apps, AI interfaces—can trigger or reinforce trauma responses. Ben Koldyke, an engineer and systems thinker, translates complex behavioral patterns into actionable design frameworks.

Together, they expose how technology often amplifies chaos by ignoring human neurobiology—lack of predictability, loss of agency, and chronic hyperstimulation. This synergy first crystallized in published frameworks that map trauma responses to interface design, such as the Traumatic Stress Impact on Digital Systems (TSIDS) model. The core insight: digital systems are not neutral.

They shape behavior. When built without awareness of how trauma affects perception and cognition, technology becomes a source of secondary injury.

• Lack of user safety safeguards in real-time content delivery systems
• Absence of trauma-sensitive moderation protocols in community platforms
• Design prioritizing engagement over emotional regulation

“Technology should never re-trigger the neural pathways of trauma,” Lawson emphasizes.

“We’re not just coding interfaces—we’re co-creating experiences that either heal or harm.”

Breaking the Cycle: Innovations in Trauma-Informed Tech Design

Lawson and Koldyke have spearheaded concrete shifts in how tech platforms approach safety and inclusion. Their work has influenced major platforms to adopt design practices that anticipate and mitigate trauma. For example, their recommendations led to the integration of “calm mode” features—interfaces that reduce sensory overload during high-stress moments—and context-aware moderation that detects linguistic markers of distress before escalation.

They advocate for proactive, not reactive, trauma accommodations. Key innovations include: - **Predictive distress indicators:** AI models trained to recognize subtle shifts in user behavior signaling rising anxiety or overwhelm, triggering support interventions. - **User autonomy controls:** Customizable notification thresholds, pacing tools, and exit pathways that restore a sense of control.

- **Trauma-literate AI:** Systems designed to avoid triggering language, optimize content delivery timing, and support emotional regulation. Koldyke describes the approach as “embedding safety into the DNA of software architecture.”

One landmark case was their advisory role during the redesign of a widely used social network. By applying the TSIDS framework, the team identified how algorithmic feeds amplified traumatic comparison cycles during vulnerable periods (e.g., late-night hours, after user setbacks).

Solutions included delayed sensitive content delivery, pause nudges following user distress detection, and branching user pathways that avoid repetitive trauma triggers. Early data suggests these changes correlated with measurable reductions in self-reported anxiety and dropout rates among at-risk populations.

Their influence extends beyond individual platforms.

Lawson and Koldyke co-founded initiatives like the Trauma-Informed Digital Safety Coalition, which brings together developers, clinicians, policymakers, and community advocates to co-create universal safety standards. Their work underscores a paradigm shift: technology must honor the complexity of human psychology, especially for those carrying past trauma.

By integrating neuroscience with robust systems thinking, they are not just redesigning technology—they’re redefining its purpose.

In a digital world still grappling with ethical boundaries, Lawson and Koldyke stand as architects of a more compassionate, resilient future where innovation serves healing as much as efficiency.

The Enduring Impact: Building a Trauma-Literate Digital Future

Lawson and Koldyke’s partnership exemplifies how cross-disciplinary collaboration can drive transformative change. Their work challenges the tech industry to move beyond speed and scale toward empathy and responsibility. As digital environments grow ever more immersive and influential, their frameworks offer a blueprint for safety, agency, and dignity.

In doing so, they illuminate a path forward: one where technology doesn’t just adapt to humans—but nurtures them.