Polly Banerjee Counseling

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

Project Type: UX/UI Design for B2C Healthcare Website

Duration: 2 weeks

Role: Solo UI/UX Designer & Consultant

Platform: Squarespace

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

Location: Remote (Client based in Colorado)

The Challenge

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

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

  • Communicate her unique therapeutic approaches

  • Streamline the consultation booking process

  • Bring credibility while maintaining approachability

Original Website:

The original website was not able to establish trust through cohesive design and clear information architecture. Visitors also 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

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

  • There was lack of clear calls to action for initial consultations

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

Design Opportunities: Based on these findings, I saw a clear path 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)

  • SEO 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

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