Accessibility-first website for a mental health professional

Overview

The goal was to create an accessible website that serves two very different audiences: people seeking psychological support and organizations looking for workshops and training on neurodiversity.

From strategy and information architecture to design, development and launch, I was responsible for the entire project. Every design decision focused on creating a calm, trustworthy and cognitively accessible experience helping each audience quickly find the information most relevant to them.

The Challenge

The website needed to support two distinct user groups with very different needs and expectations.

People looking for therapeutic support often arrive feeling overwhelmed, anxious or exhausted. They need reassurance, clarity and an easy path to the right information.

At the same time, universities, schools and other organizations visit the website to learn about workshops, talks and consulting services. They need a clear overview of topics, expertise and collaboration opportunities.

The challenge was to create a single information architecture that supports both audiences without increasing complexity or cognitive load.

My Approach

Understand before designing screens

I started by understanding the client's work, target audience and values before developing the site's structure and visual direction.

Create clarity for different audiences

I designed the information architecture to support two very different user journeys while keeping navigation simple and predictable. Clear entry points, consistent page structures and focused content helped visitors quickly identify the information that was relevant to them.

Reduce cognitive load

Every design decision aimed to reduce unnecessary complexity through clear navigation, generous whitespace, readable typography and a predictable page structure.

Accessibility-first design

Accessibility shaped decisions around color contrast, typography, focus states, semantic HTML, keyboard navigation, screen reader support and responsive behaviour throughout the project.

Design and build as one system

Rather than treating design and development as separate phases, I designed reusable components and implemented them directly in WordPress, creating a simple and consistent design system.

Design Decisions

Calm visual hierarchy

Whitespace, typography and spacing were used intentionally to reduce visual overload and make content easier to scan.

Cognitive Accessibility

Clear page structures, predictable layouts and focused content help visitors process information without unnecessary distraction.

Accessible Color Palette

The color palette was designed to support readability and sufficient contrast while creating a calm and welcoming visual atmosphere.

Clear wording

Content was written and structured to be easy to understand, using plain language, meaningful headings and short, scannable sections.

Flexible Design System

Reusable components and consistent design patterns made the website easier to maintain while ensuring a coherent user experience across all pages.

Outcome

The result is a calm, accessible and easy-to-maintain website that reflects the client's personality while making information easy to find and understand. Accessibility and cognitive clarity became part of every layer, from information architecture to visual design and frontend implementation.

• Created a clear information architecture for two distinct user groups.
• Reduced cognitive load through predictable navigation and focused content.
• Integrated accessibility from concept to implementation.
• Built a modular WordPress website that is easy to maintain and extend.

Reflection

This project reminded me that accessibility goes far beyond technical compliance. Small design decisions: clear typography, generous spacing, predictable navigation and thoughtful content structure can make a meaningful difference for people who already have limited cognitive capacity.

As a neurodivergent designer, my own experiences influence how I think about cognitive accessibility and inclusive design. This project reinforced my belief that reducing complexity doesn't mean removing personality. It means helping people focus on what really matters.