BACKGROUND: Therapy with Maggie is a private practice offering relational, trauma-informed therapy for adults and reflective parent coaching for caregivers of young children.
Maggie was transitioning out of a group practice to grow her solo practice across two states (California and Minnesota) and needed a brand and website that reflected who she is. DESIGN PROBLEM: Maggie's first site was busy, copy-heavy, and full of stock photos that didn’t resonate. Her practice is non-judgmental and person-forward, and this identity didn't reflect her warmth, humor, or point of view. She wanted something bold and calming at the same time, a brand that conveyed authenticity and personality.
The goal was to build something that communicated all of the above without defaulting to generic therapeutic softness. We wanted to avoid pastels and serif fonts that typically dominate the space.
SKETCHES
DESIGN PROCESS: I started with her references (folk art, Small Hours, Olauto) and immediately understood her specific vision and taste. Compared to generic therapy rebrands, this direction would have to be confident while still feeling grounded in safety and professionalism. The logomark came from natural elements of trees, roots, and branches. I landed on an abstracted tree ring, drawn in Procreate, made to be intentionally imperfect and rough. it references memory, layers, and growth, all which are key to the therapeutic experience.
The palette came from the moodboard she responded to most, with deep browns, warm neutrals, and a pop of red-orange.
DESIGN SOLUTION: The final identity is built around the tree ring logomark paired with a clean, confident wordmark typed in Lulo Bold One.
The site is a five-page Squarespace redesign with lean navigation, no generic stock photos, and shape-driven design that lets the brand breathe. The overall system reflects what Maggie wants her clients to feel from the first glance: seen, safe, and in good hands without any of the visual clichés that usually come with it.
“Thank you so much for working with me on this project. In addition to branding and web design, I feel like you managed to facilitate an important process of professional self-reflection for me. It was a really great opportunity to reflect on my practice identity, using colors and images to clarify my values and the emotional tone of my company. This was such a fun process! I will be talking up your services everywhere.”