Overview
Many people suffer from mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and stress. Often, these people cannot get the help they need because therapy can be expensive, hard to access, or they feel embarrassed.
Digital solutions, like mobile apps, can provide help whenever and wherever it is needed. My project aims to use these ideas to offer therapy techniques in an easy-to-use app for daily self-care.
Main Research Questions
This project was driven by three core questions:
How can we design a CBT-based app that is both effective and user-friendly?
How can smart devices and wearables enhance the accuracy and usefulness of mental health data?
How can the app support better collaboration between users and therapists through clear data sharing and reporting?
To explore these questions, I conducted interviews with clinical psychologists, reviewed academic research on digital mental health, and defined two main user personas:
– Individuals managing their mental health
– Therapists seeking structured, visual insights into their patients’ progress
key features
Daily Tracking
Users can log their mood through intuitive icons ranging from happy to sad. Quick daily check-ins include sleep quality, anxiety levels, and medication adherence. When connected to wearables, data like heart rate and sleep metrics are automatically synced, helping build a more complete emotional and physical health profile.
Icons and other graphical elements are of the same consistent, line-based style here, along with human-like characters, with smooth, simple outlines. Simple, smiling faces or calming gestures show up at mood logging for added positivity and empathy to reassure users as if the app were reassuring them.
Data Reporting & Therapist Sharing
All tracked entries are summarized into easy-to-read charts and mood trends. The app generates professional PDF reports that users can securely share with their therapists — encouraging more informed, personalized therapy sessions.
CBT Exercises & Thought Records
The app guides users through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) exercises designed to help challenge and change negative thought patterns. It includes a thought record section where users can reflect, analyze, and track recurring cognitive distortions.
AI-Powered Analysis
AI scans the user’s thought records to detect negative patterns and offer personalized CBT exercise suggestions. If the system detects language indicating severe distress, it can prompt the user to seek professional help or contact a crisis line.
Activity & Emotion Overview
The app’s entry section gives users a complete history of their emotions, exercises, and activity. The “Days in a Row” feature highlights engagement streaks, promoting consistency and helping users stay motivated.
Tools & Methods
Research interviews with clinical psychologists
Literature review on digital CBT and AI in mental health
Persona creation for patients and therapists
Figma prototyping
Wearable device data integration plan
Outcome
The result is a thoughtful, human-centered mental health app that bridges the gap between personal reflection and professional care.
By combining daily self-tracking, structured CBT tools, AI-powered insights, and therapist-friendly reporting, the app empowers users to take control of their mental well-being while giving professionals the clarity they need to provide better support.
The final design balances emotional sensitivity with functional clarity, offering a calm, intuitive experience that feels both personal and clinically meaningful.
