Behavioral Therapist De-Escalation Techniques
The animated video below was created using Vyond, with the addition of ElevenLabs for creating the high-quality AI narration. I also utilized Riverside.fm to create the closed captions. Finally, I uploaded the video file to YouTube alongside the closed caption file to give users the option to toggle captions on and off as needed.
The branching scenario created with Articulate Storyline is currently in progress.
Behavioral Therapist De-Escalation Techniques (LOWLINE)
A self-directed portfolio project designed to address a real gap in clinical training: behavioral therapists often lack structured, accessible guidance for de-escalating volatile patient interactions in high-pressure healthcare environments. This project was developed independently using research-grounded content and a custom instructional framework.
My Role: Instructional Designer (sole designer)
What I Did: I designed a complete multi-asset learning experience built around LOWLINE, an original mnemonic framework I developed to make de-escalation techniques memorable and immediately applicable. The seven-step framework — Listen Actively, Open Body Language, Watch Your Tone, Limit Choices, Identify the Feeling, Neutral Language, Exit Planning — is grounded in trauma-informed care principles.
Deliverables include an animated explainer video produced in Vyond with AI-generated narration via ElevenLabs and closed captions created in Riverside.fm and published to YouTube, and a branching scenario built in Articulate Storyline featuring realistic clinical situations and multiple decision points that lead to varied outcomes based on learner choices.
Tools Used: Vyond, Articulate Storyline, ElevenLabs, Riverside.fm, YouTube
Key Design Decisions: The mnemonic framework was intentionally designed to reduce cognitive load in high-stress situations where recall needs to be fast and reliable. The branching scenario places learners in the role of a clinician responding to an escalating patient, reinforcing application over memorization and allowing safe practice of judgment calls that carry real consequences in a clinical setting.