Psychology Today Therapist Directory
Background
Psychology Today's therapist directory is one of the largest global platforms for connecting people with licensed mental health professionals. As a user, I found the experience overwhelming and impersonal, which inspired me to redesign the site to feel more human, supportive, and easy to navigate.
Problem
My experience motivated me to investigate whether other users shared the same sentiment. User research confirmed that many found the platform frustrating, confusing, and emotionally unsupportive during an already vulnerable process.
Key pain points included:
● Choice overload: Too many filters and results, difficult to narrow down.
● Unclear/inaccurate information: Mismatched insurance coverage, unclear availability, and hidden pricing.
● Cold, text-heavy profiles: Users described experience as "a bad dating site."
These insights highlighted the need for a simpler, more transparent, and empathetic search experience to help users find a therapist who truly feels like a good match.
Process
I began by conducting research to gain a deeper understanding of users of online mental health platforms—not just Psychology Today. My goal was to uncover what makes this search process confusing or discouraging across different platforms.
Through a user survey and usability test, I uncovered key themes that shaped the direction of my redesign, including the need for more clarity, guidance, and emotional support.
Defined Problem: Users struggle to find a therapist that feels like a good match because of vague information, overwhelming options, and a lack of emotional connection.
Design Objectives: Simplify the decision-making process, highlight clear and reliable information, and create a more welcoming, human-centered experience.
Using that data, I developed two user personas to represent the primary audience. I then examined ways to enhance the experience for both simplicity and emotional engagement.
Next, I drew several wireframe sketches addressing the pain points that were uncovered. This included revamped multi-column therapist profiles, distinct calls-to-action, and a guided therapist match questionnaire.
After that, I took my sketches and put together a prototype in Figma. Finally, I tested the prototype with users and made significant adjustments based on their feedback.
Results
● User retention improved by addressing typical drop-off issues like unclear therapist information and difficulties booking directly.
● The redesign turned Psychology Today’s therapist directory from a cold, text-heavy website into a more approachable, intuitive, and emotionally supportive experience.
● Features such as direct booking, expandable therapist profiles, and questionnaires enable users to make quicker and more confident decisions.
● Use of multi-column layout for therapist profiles and therapist-match questionnaire helps establish Psychology Today as a more reliable and empathetic mental health platform.
