From Match to Mind: Rethinking Mental Health UX
Mobile App, Web Platform
Domain
Healthcare
My Role
Product Designer, UX Researcher
Scope
Research, Visual Design, Prototyping, Testing
Duration
5 months
OVERVIEW
Mental Health is an online mental health platform that helps clients find therapists in a comfortable and supportive environment. Clients approached us with several existing problems that our team needed to solve.
I contributed to redesigning two key features: the therapist matchmaking system and the EHR system. My role included UX research, UI design, usability testing, facilitating stakeholder alignment, and contributing to product strategy.
PART 1: MATCHMAKING
Initial Problem & Context
The therapist matchmaking process was entirely manual: coordinators reviewed client forms and selected therapists based on selected preferences, therapist at their own judgment. It looked like this:
Initial flow
Patient fills out a questionnaire
Form is sent to the internal EHR system
Coordinator manually reviews and selects a therapist
⚠ Bottleneck — based on personal judgment, no data. Human factor creates mismatch risk. Led to client churn.Therapist schedules first call without client input
⚠ No scheduling flexibility for the patient. Causes missed appointments and dissatisfactionPatient receives email notification
Competitor Analysis
To evaluate market solutions, I performed a competitive analysis of 8 leading mental health platforms. Key findings:
2
Approaches commonly used
-Full automation
-Survey & personal video call
User Research
We’ve conducted a series of interviews for the second part of the project work, but in addition we asked some questions that were also related to the matchmaking functionality. Key insights included:
The manual process seemed technically challenging as there was a need to switch between 3 different platforms to reconcile data.
Matches often lacked confidence and alignment
Patients wanted more control and transparency
The first call’s scheduling had a major impact on therapy engagement
Solution Overview
Based on user interviews, the analysis of the current workflow, and competitive research, I redesigned the therapist-matching experience with a focus on personalization, trust, and reducing manual workload. The key updates include:
Algorithmic Matching
We introduced an automated matching algorithm that processes the patient’s questionnaire responses and therapist preferences (such as therapy type, therapist gender, experience, etc.) to suggest the most suitable therapist.
*We used a mobile-first approach, since according to statistics the vast majority of users filled out the questionnaire from their phones
Solved problem: Manual coordinator review took ~45 min per match → automated algorithm does it in under 2 min.
Therapist Profile Page
The system presents the matched therapist with a detailed profile to help the patient make an informed decision.
Solved problem: Clients had no choice in therapist selection → full profile transparency with ability to rematch and compare previous results.
Calendar & Booking Confirmation Screen
After booking, users see a clear confirmation page outlining next steps, including:
What to expect before the first session
A button linking to a required onboarding form
A welcome video from the platform’s CEO to build brand trust and emotional safety
Solved problem: No scheduling flexibility for clients → self-booking with clear next steps after confirmation.
Visual Identity Refresh
In parallel with the product improvements, the stakeholders expressed a desire to completely revamp the platform’s visual identity so that it would better reflect the idea, values, and overall vibe the brand aims to communicate.
I defined the new visual direction in close collaboration with the stakeholders. One of the key challenges was their wish to incorporate a retro aesthetic with vintage elements and a grainy texture, something quite unconventional for a mental health product. This required dedicated preparation and research.
Together with the stakeholder, we created a moodboard and identified the core visual signs of the updated brand. These included:
A vintage-inspired typeface
Carefully edited photography
Hand-drawn illustrations
Grainy textures
A warm palette of yellow, beige, and brown tones, contrasted with a vibrant sky blue for highlights
The final result was a brand book that not only informed the product design but also became a valuable asset for the client’s marketing team.
Outcome
Matching time reduced from ~45 minutes to under 2 minutes — the algorithm replaced manual coordinator review, eliminating the biggest operational bottleneck
Clients gained control over therapist selection and scheduling — shifting from a coordinator-assigned model to a preference-based system with self-booking
Platform consistency established through a complete visual identity refresh and brand book that unified web, mobile, and marketing
PART 2: EHR SYSTEM
Overview
Alongside the matchmaking redesign, we started working on another critical challenge: replacing the client’s current internal EHR system. At that moment, they were using a third-party platform customized to their needs. However, several issues made it clear that the system could no longer scale with the business:
High cost per therapist seat
Overloaded interface
Poor usability and outdated interface
Low adoption of the patient portal
Technical limitations and integration issues
User Research
Understanding the Domain and Stakeholder Context
EHR systems can be built from scratch or based on templated solutions. We explored existing platforms and customization options, but after several Q&A sessions with stakeholders and careful analysis, we decided to go with a custom-built system. The existing template-based solution had already led to many of the current issues, and we wanted to avoid repeating them.
User Interviews
To understand how people interacted with the current system and what the new solution should offer, we conducted six in-depth interviews with:
3 therapists
3 supervisors (2 of them also served as therapist coordinators)
Key research findings
6 interviews with therapists and supervisors validated some hypotheses and disproved others — directly shaping the feature set.
Hypotheses confirmation
Confirmed
Therapists need a centralized client overview — they were switching between multiple sections to find basic info
Confirmed
Supervisors' primary task is reviewing and signing notes — they had no efficient way to track pending signatures
Partial
Therapists forget when to send forms, but the issue was manual process, not reminder timing
Partial
Dashboard concept was validated, but not all proposed sections were useful — we scoped down
Disproved
Internal calendar was unnecessary — therapists preferred their existing external tools for scheduling
These findings shaped the final scope: centralized overviews per role, streamlined note signing, automated form delivery — and no built-in calendar.
Wireframing & Visual Design
Wireframing and Design System Expansion
The EHR system required three distinct permission levels — we mapped therapist, supervisor, and admin workflows before designing any screens.
3
Platforms
Web, Mobile, EHR
The system spanned web, mobile, and an EHR platform — each serving therapists, supervisors, and admins with role-specific permissions. We identified 20+ shared components across roles during wireframing, which reduced design and dev time by ~30%.
Since we had already defined the visual language in the first project phase, I continued developing and applying the same design system. Consistency was crucial, not just from a branding perspective, but also to deliver a unified and user-friendly experience to therapists and supervisors.
Web App for Patients
The patient platform was created with a focus on clarity and accessibility.
EHR System for Therapists and Supervisors
Session Management for Therapists
Centralized view of upcoming sessions
Quick access to session details and patient history
Note Creation and Signing
Additionally designed patient forms, admin tools, and internal workflows — 60+ screens totalPatient termination and transfer.
Results
Replaced a costly third-party platform with a custom-built system tailored to three distinct user roles, eliminating per-seat licensing overhead
Reduced note approval friction — supervisors could review and sign progress notes directly in the system instead of switching between tools
Designed 60+ screens across 3 user roles in 4 months, delivering a complete system from research through implementation
