Sondr -- A Self-Care Companion for the Mind and Soul

Overview

Sonder is a mental health management app created to help users living with conditions such as schizophrenia, anxiety, or depression develop mindful, self-paced routines. Designed with empathy and softness, Sonder offers a calm digital environment where reflection, rest, and self-awareness come before productivity.

Role: End-to-End UX/UI Designer
Tools: Figma, Canva
Timeline: May – June 2025

The Challenge

Most mental health apps feel either too clinical or too busy. For users experiencing psychosis, anxiety, or depressive episodes, overstimulation can make these tools unusable. I set out to design an app that feels like a quiet friend — intuitive, judgment-free, and comforting on even the hardest days.

Research

Since I couldn’t conduct in-person interviews, I turned to mental health communities like Reddit and HealthUnlocked to understand user needs. I also studied accessibility research focused on neurodivergent design.

Recurring themes included:

• “I forget to take care of myself.”

• “Some days I can’t even open my apps.”

• “I need space — not judgment.”

From this, I defined two personas:

• Haylee (26) — a Toronto-based artist managing schizophrenia who needs gentle reminders and emotional safety.

• Jules (33) — a part-time barista with GAD who prefers subtle, on-her-own-time check-ins.

Solution

Sonder centers on a Morning Check-In Flow — a simple, four-step routine that guides users through:

1. Mood Selection: Express emotions through emojis 🌤️

2. Need Identification: Choose needs like rest, therapy, or social connection

3. Gratitude Log: Optional reflection space

4. Summary: See your day’s emotional plan at a glance

Additional features include a Mood Slider, Daily Journal, Crisis Tools (SOS + calming techniques), and a Weekly Summary Tracker to visualize progress.

Design Approach

I applied a MoSCoW method to prioritize what mattered most: simplicity, accessibility, and emotional tone. The interface uses soft pastel hues — lavender for calm, mint for lightness, baby blue for clarity, and rose for warmth. Typography combines Poppins (gentle structure) with Inter (clean readability). Large buttons and rounded edges make interactions friendly and non-intimidating.

Feedback & Insights

After sharing prototypes with mental health advocates and design peers, feedback highlighted the app’s emotional tone and approachability:

“I love that it doesn’t shame you.”
“That emoji slider is way better than a number scale.”

Based on feedback, I replaced numeric mood scales with emoji sliders, added an Evening Wind-Down mode, and included positive affirmations after check-ins — gentle reminders like “Showing up counts.”

Impact

Sonder was praised for its warmth and accessibility, particularly by users with anxiety and low-energy conditions. The design encourages reflection without pressure — turning self-care into a supportive dialogue rather than a checklist.

Next Steps

• Expand features to include Home, Calendar, and Crisis Mode screens.

• Partner with mental health professionals for testing and validation.

• Launch a marketing site for early sign-ups and community feedback.

Reflection

Sonder taught me that emotional design is as critical as functionality. Designing for mental health means designing for grace — for days when opening an app feels like too much. Through Sonder, I learned how UX can embody empathy, creating experiences that whisper instead of shout.

💌 Let’s connect: denisepbusiness@gmail.com | LinkedIn