BetterHelp | Plant Visual Illustrations for Positive Reinforcement

Role/Impact:

I designed a series of positive reinforcement assets that celebrate meaningful milestones throughout a client’s therapy journey. The goal was to encourage continued engagement by acknowledging progress at key moments, therefore creating a more supportive, meaningful experience.

For the Design Solution I:

  • Included visual assets for several milestone moments, such as before a client’s first therapy session, after early therapy sessions, and when measurable progress is achieved.

  • Ensured the designs were adaptable across multiple areas of the product and remain clear and effective in both larger and more compact formats, with a mobile-first approach.

  • Prioritized that the designs felt cohesive, scalable, and aligned with BetterHelp’s mission of making mental health support feel encouraging, accessible, and rewarding.

  • Introduced more celebratory, supportive moments into the product to help positively reinforce positive actions and motivate clients to continue on their therapy journey without feeling gamified.

  • Create a reusable framework for future needs.

From Concept Sketches to Final Revisions

Primary Goal:

Use a plant growth metaphor to help clients feel seen, encouraged, and supported as they move through early therapy milestones.

Secondary Business Goal:

Build confidence, agency, and perceived value during early therapy, with the longer-term hypothesis that this could support continued engagement and retention.

Challenges:

  • In the initial exploration, my vector shapes were too complex, which hurt the icon's clarity at smaller mobile dimensions. I pivoted toward a cleaner, minimalist aesthetic to maximize legibility. By iterating on the core graphic, I landed on a front-facing silhouette of the flower—optimizing for instant visual recognition so users immediately comprehend the icon at any scale.

Credits:

  • Associate Creative Director: Ryan Fetters

  • Motion Designer: Micaela Munoz

Stage 4 | Fourth Session of Therapy Complete

Stage 1 | First Session of Therapy Complete

Stage 3 | Third Session of Therapy Complete

Stage 2 | Second Session of Therapy Complete

Stage 5 | Fifth Session of Therapy Complete