Trauma-Informed Graphic Design Institute, LLC
Trauma-Informed Graphic Design Institute, LLC advances trauma-informed graphic design, grounded in research, accessibility, and real-world practice.
Trauma-Informed Graphic Design Institute, LLC is dedicated to trauma-informed graphic design (TIGD) as a named academic and practice-based discipline focused on visual communication. In the TIGD framework, trauma-informed graphic design is its own discipline, able to complement the work of trauma-informed design performed by interior design, architecture, and other trauma-informed practitioners, with particular attention to typography, hierarchy, layout, readability, clarity, and the emotional impact of visual communication.
What we do. The Institute offers consulting, visual auditing, educational support, and collaborative project work for mission-aligned organizations, researchers, and institutions. We help teams improve the readability, clarity, and emotional fit of materials used in high-stress settings and support public-facing communication that requires care, trust, and clarity.
Why it matters. Trauma-informed graphic design complements the work of trauma-informed designers and other practitioners, including social workers and allied professionals, by supporting the people and processes within a built environment through clear, accessible, and emotionally considerate visual communication. It also supports business, institutional, and operational functions that depend on readable and effective communication.
Evidence and credibility. The Institute is grounded in published research, the thesis work that defined the field, and a commitment to review, quality assurance, and continuous improvement. The work is designed to be practical, accountable, and useful in real-world settings, with clear attention to stewardship and responsible practice.
Impact and outcomes. Clearer visual communication can reduce confusion, support comprehension, and help people engage with information with greater confidence in high-stress or high-stakes contexts.
Care and pacing. Because trauma-related work can be personally activating, visitors and collaborators are welcome to pause, step away, or return later if a section feels overwhelming. That caution applies across perspectives and backgrounds, because trauma affects people in many different ways and does not belong to any single identity, profession, or political position.
Collaboration. TIGD Institute welcomes mission-aligned collaboration with universities, researchers, organizations, and individuals interested in ethical, evidence-informed communication and thoughtful partnership.
Research that grounds the institute.
Investigating the Underutilization of Graphic Design in Patient-Facing Visual Communication in Urgent Care Environments
Brackenrich, S. R., MFA — Kent State University, 2026
Stress measurably reduces the ability to understand health information; point-of-care visual communications are often missing, complicated, or underdesigned.
View thesis on OhioLINK →For consulting inquiries, research partnerships, and speaking engagements:
info@tigdinstitute.org