Mahana Dtx

Digital therapeutics must translate clinically validated therapies into digital experiences that patients can follow independently. This creates a unique design challenge: the product must maintain clinical integrity while remaining engaging and easy to use over extended treatment programs.

The deeper challenge was pacing. CBT requires absorption, not just consumption. Moving through content too quickly undermines the therapy, which meant deliberately adding friction: gating sessions, enforcing spacing between modules, and shifting patients from passive content consumption to active behavioral practice. At the same time, patients had to stay engaged long enough to reach a clinically-defined effective dose. Standard app engagement patterns work against both of those things.

The role was Design Director, leading research and product design for patient-facing experiences within the therapeutic platform. The work focused on translating behavioral therapy frameworks into interactive digital modules patients could complete at home.

That included onboarding, treatment modules, and progress tracking tools built to support adherence to the protocol without a clinician in the room.

Mahana was an FDA-cleared prescription digital therapeutic delivering CBT-based treatment for chronic conditions entirely through software. As design director, I shaped the early product and built the design and research teams.

At my departure the platform had 800–1,000 patients and was expanding to additional conditions. The therapy IP was subsequently acquired, a signal that the clinical and product foundation held its value even after the company wound down.