Polly Banerjee Counseling

55% increase in client consultations: AI-enhanced UX design for mental health services

Duration: 2 weeks

Role: Solo UI/UX Designer & Consultant

Platform: Squarespace

Tools: Figma, Claude.ai, Squarespace, Google Analytics

Location: Remote (Client based in Colorado)

An image of a counseling website featuring a woman with dark hair in a green shirt, smiling, with a menu bar and informational sections about online therapy and emotional well-being.

The Challenge

Polly Banerjee, a licensed professional counselor specializing in contemplative psychotherapy and chronic pain management, needed a professional online presence that would:

  • Convey warmth and trustworthiness to potential clients seeking mental health support

  • Clearly communicate her unique therapeutic approaches

  • Streamline the consultation booking process

  • Establish credibility while maintaining approachability

Original Website:

The original website failed to establish trust through cohesive design and clear information architecture. Visitors struggled to navigate the therapist's services and specializations, while the absence of a prominent consultation booking CTA created unnecessary barriers to engagement.

Website homepage for Polly Banerjee Counseling, featuring a blurred background of a field with green and yellow bushes, a logo with a pink lotus flower, navigation menu options, a motivational quote, and a portrait of a smiling woman with dark hair.
A webpage with a white background and black text. The headline reads 'Welcome to the exploration of limitless possibilities.' The page includes a paragraph about therapy and mindfulness, an image of a mountain landscape, and a gold button labeled 'Contact Me'.
Website footer for Polly Banerjee Gallagher website with a pink lotus flower illustration and links to policies and terms

My Role

As the sole designer and consultant on this freelance project, I was responsible for:

  • Conducting AI assisted competitive analysis of therapy practice websites

  • Developing SEO optimized, user centered content strategy

  • Creating calming, therapeutic visual design system (color palette, typography, imagery)

  • Creating wireframes and design concepts

  • Implementing the design in Squarespace

  • Conducting informal testing and gathering client feedback

  • Ensuring the site met accessibility standards and ethical mental health communication guidelines

Design Process

1. Research & Discovery

Competitive Analysis (AI Assisted)
To efficiently analyze the therapy website landscape, I used Claude.ai to synthesize patterns across 8 counseling practice websites in Colorado.

Key Findings:

Visual Design & Emotional Impact

  • Most therapy websites felt clinical and impersonal, missing opportunities to create emotional connection

  • Bright, overwhelming color palettes made sites feel chaotic rather than calming

  • Limited use of authentic imagery and personal narrative to build trust

Navigation & Information Architecture

  • Complex navigation structures made it difficult for anxious users to find essential information quickly

  • Therapeutic approaches and specializations were buried or unclear

  • Insurance acceptance information was difficult to locate or missing entirely

User Friction Points

  • Multi-step booking processes created unnecessary barriers for vulnerable users considering reaching out

  • Lack of clear calls-to-action for initial consultations

  • Missing or unclear information about what to expect in first sessions

Design Opportunities Identified: Based on these findings, I saw clear opportunities to differentiate Polly's site through calm visual design, simplified navigation prioritizing services and insurance information and a low-friction consultation booking process.

2. Design Strategy

Visual Direction
I developed a visual language that balanced professionalism with warmth:

  • Color Palette: Soft, nature-inspired tones (sage green, warm beige) to evoke calm and grounding

  • Typography: Clean, readable fonts that feel approachable rather than clinical

  • Imagery: Natural landscapes and authentic photos to reinforce the contemplative approach

  • Logo: Lotus flower symbolizing growth and transformation

Information Architecture
Simplified navigation focused on user goals:

  • Home (immediate connection)

  • Services (clear therapeutic offerings)

  • About (building trust through personal story)

  • Blog (demonstrating expertise)

  • Contact (easy access to booking)

Design guide with color palette, typography, logo, and button styles. Features black, mint, greyish green, eggshell, moderate orange, pebbles tone, and snow colors, and a logo of a pink lotus flower on water.

3. Content Strategy & Copywriting (AI-Enhanced)

SEO-Optimized Content Development
Working with limited time and budget constraints, I leveraged Claude.ai to accelerate content development while maintaining authenticity:

Copy Editing & Refinement

  • Drafted initial service descriptions based on client interviews

  • Used Claude.ai to refine tone, ensuring warmth without sacrificing professionalism

  • Iterated on calls-to-action to reduce barriers for anxious users

  • Maintained Polly's authentic voice while improving clarity

SEO Optimization

  • Collaborated with Claude.ai to identify relevant search terms for therapy specializations (contemplative psychotherapy, chronic pain counseling, Colorado)

  • Optimized page titles, meta descriptions, and header structure

  • Balanced SEO requirements with user friendly language

  • Ensured content remained accessible and jargon free

Result: Clear, findable, trustworthy content that speaks to users' needs while improving search visibility for local therapy services.

4. Design Solutions

Homepage: Creating Immediate Connection

  • Hero section with warm, professional photo of Polly

  • Clear value proposition about contemplative psychotherapy

  • Prominent "Book a Consultation" CTA

  • Free 20-minute consultation offer to reduce barriers

Services Page: Clear Communication

  • Organized conditions treated in scannable format

  • Three distinct therapy approaches with dedicated sections

  • Visual hierarchy using cards for each therapy type

  • "Learn More" options for deeper exploration

About Page: Building Trust

  • Personal narrative about Polly's journey and qualifications

  • Professional credentials prominently displayed

  • Education and training section for credibility

  • Consistent imagery reinforcing approachability

5. Wireframes & Iteration

Initial Wireframes
[Low-fidelity wireframes showing layout structure]

  • Mobile-first approach ensuring responsive design

  • Clear visual hierarchy

  • Simplified navigation patterns

Design Evolution
Based on feedback from initial concepts:

  • Increased white space for better readability

  • Added more prominent CTAs throughout

  • Incorporated testimonial sections (privacy-compliant)

  • Enhanced mobile navigation experience

Three grayscale webpage wireframes for Polly Banejree Counseling, showcasing therapy services, about section, and contact info, with sections for therapy types like mindfulness, grief, and pain therapy.

6. Testing & Validation

Testing Method

Conducted informal testing with 3 colleagues unfamiliar with the site focusing on:

  • Locating specific therapy information

  • Understanding services offered

  • Booking process clarity

Client feedback and analytics informed refinements:

  • Moved consultation booking higher on homepage

  • Added hours to footer for quick access

  • Clarified virtual-only sessions

  • Included emergency resources disclaimer

7. Final Design

Visual Design Highlights

  • Cohesive color system creating emotional resonance

  • Professional photography balanced with nature imagery

  • Clear typography hierarchy improving scannability

  • Responsive design optimized for all devices

Key Features Implemented

  • One-click consultation booking

  • Clear service categorization

  • Accessible contact information

  • Mobile-optimized experience

  • Fast page load times on Squarespace

Multiple devices displaying a website for Polly Banerjee Counseling, featuring a smiling woman, therapy services, conditions treated, and a 'Book a Consultation' button.

8. Results & Impact

Quantitative Metrics (6-month post-launch analysis)

  • 55% increase in consultation bookings

  • Average session duration: 3:42 (up from industry average of 2:30)

  • Bounce rate reduced by 30%

  • Mobile traffic accounting for 58% of visits

(Source: Metrics tracked via Google Analytics and client reporting)

Qualitative Feedback

  • "The website feels welcoming and safe" - New client

  • "I immediately understood what makes Polly's approach unique" - Site visitor

  • "Booking was so simple, it reduced my anxiety about reaching out" - New client