Client: The Black Dog Institute
ClearlyMe, a free CBT app for teens going through a tough time
- One step at a time
- Crisis support built in
- Personalised resources
Organisation
- The Black Dog Institute
My role
- Lead UX designer within a wider consultancy team
Years
- 2022 to 2023
Sector
- Mental health
The brief
ClearlyMe is the Black Dog Institute's free app for teens aged 12 to 17 who are experiencing depressive symptoms or psychological distress, or "going through a tough time". It is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and offers short activities, coping strategies, mood checks and stories from other young people. Teens can use it on their own or with help from friends, parents or mental health professionals. According to the Black Dog Institute, it was co-designed with young people, carers and mental health professionals. ClearlyMe is a Black Dog Institute product and is not a crisis support app.
The challenge
Teens going through a tough time may be stressed, unsure whether they need help, or put off by anything that feels clinical. A mental health app for them has to feel calm and approachable, make support easy to find, and work for people with very different levels of confidence.
What I did
I was the lead UX designer within a wider consultancy team that worked with the Black Dog Institute. The app, its therapeutic content and its research belong to the Black Dog Institute.
Clear pathways to crisis support
Clear pathways to crisis support, built in rather than added on. ClearlyMe is not a crisis support app, so it points people to support services.
One manageable step at a time
One manageable step at a time, instead of everything at once.
Short activities based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Short activities, coping strategies, mood checks and stories from other young people.
Personalised resources
Personalised resources, so people see what is relevant to them.
The result
The Black Dog Institute reports that it tested ClearlyMe in a trial with 569 teens, and that over 90% of the teens who used the app agreed it was easy to understand and easy to use.
Tools and deliverables
Lead UX design within a wider consultancy team: one step at a time flows, crisis support pathways and personalised resources.
What I'd bring to a clinic site
- Ask less at once
- Make urgent help obvious
- Show people only what applies to them
Talk to me about your practice website.
Related work
Want to know what we'd fix on your site?
Get a free, plain-English website report. No obligation.
No website yet? Book a short call