All work

Helpguide

A Digital Revamp for Mental Wellbeing

Date

2022 - Present

Location

United States of America

Services

Brand Design
UI Design
UX Design
Design Strategy

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The Brief

Overview

Helpguide.org is a revered independent nonprofit and a global authority in mental health support, offering evidence-based guidance and tools to millions seeking to improve their mental health and well-being.

Challenge

The organisation faced the challenge of revamping its digital presence to stand out amidst competitors, aiming to enhance user trust and accessibility while preserving its established reputation as a reliable mental health resource.

Solution

Through comprehensive UX research and wireframing, followed by a brand refresh that married professionalism with approachability, Helpguide.org successfully redefined its digital identity, offering users worldwide a more accessible and dependable platform for mental health support.

In Their Words

“Working with the Estrela team on the HelpGuide rebrand has been a true pleasure. Their design approach is strategic, thoughtful, and truly user-centric, and we couldn't be more pleased with the results.”

Colour, Mood, and Meaning

For HelpGuide.org, we carried out extensive research and testing on photography styles and colour palettes, exploring their psychological links to mood and tone.

Since the platform focuses on mental health, it was essential that every visual element fostered calm, trust, and accessibility. The outcome was a comprehensive visual guide that detailed how different palettes and imagery should be applied, giving the team a clear framework for creating content that consistently supports users’ emotional wellbeing.

Shaping Space for Digital Wellbeing

We undertook a comprehensive redesign of HelpGuide.org, interrogating every aspect of usability to ensure the site felt like a place to rest your eyes — calm, intuitive, and supportive. Our aim was to create an environment where users could feel both comforted and guided, with a clearer structure and more accessible pathways through content.

Working closely with the director, we expanded the platform to be more feature-rich, introducing meditations, interactive surveys, and restructured articles that prioritise readability and accessibility. The result was a website that not only looks and feels welcoming but also empowers users to engage more deeply with the resources available.

Designing for Purpose

This project is especially close to our hearts. As strong advocates for mental health, we felt privileged to contribute to a platform that provides such meaningful support to its users. Working in the NPO space is something we value deeply, and we feel truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to help shape HelpGuide.org into a resource that continues to make a positive impact.

Our Role

Product Strategy

We began with in-depth UX research, including competitive analysis, wireframing, and in-depth workshops. This allowed us to interrogate what users needed most, and how the overall structure could better support them. The outcome was a clearer product strategy rooted in accessibility and user well-being.

Website UI Design

We redesigned the site experience with a focus on calm and usability, creating layouts that felt restful on the eyes while guiding users with clarity. Every design decision was made to strike the right tone: supportive, approachable, and easy to navigate.

Brand Design

Alongside the redesign, we refreshed the HelpGuide identity, revisiting the logo, modernising the colour palette, and evolving the overall tone of the brand. Our goal was to give HelpGuide a more contemporary, trustworthy presence while retaining the warmth and empathy at the heart of its mission.

Results

+23%

Increased av. time on site

The average time spent on the site increased from approximately 1 minute and 15 seconds to approximately 1 minute and 47 seconds.

+44%

Increased av. time on site

Engaged sessions per user increased from 0.49 to 0.71 (this means the ratio of users who visited the site and meaningfully engaged with it has significantly improved).

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