The idea behind this venture was to give people somewhere they can work on themselves in a fast and scary world. This is reflected in their strapline “Everyday mental maintenance”.
We have worked with Jodie Cariss, The Self Space founder, for some time, having worked with her developing and designing her therapist website, carisscreative.co.uk. So, when Jodie came up with the idea for The Self Space, we were the people she turned to.
Of course, she would need a website for her new business, which would reflect the kind of brand she was creating. However, the new therapist website would also have to give users the ability to make bookings, integrated with a CRM which could handle customers.
We began the process with strategic consultations with Jodie and her team. It was clear from the outset that the booking system would be the most vital component of the site. Jodie wanted everything to flow through the website.
Next, we immersed ourselves in the therapy services CRM marketplace. After reviewing an array of third-party options and bespoke solutions, we settled on MindBody as the CRM. MindBody is the CRM of choice for yoga, Pilates and fitness professionals, but had never worked with a mental health company before. We were thrilled that because of The Self Space, they created an entirely new sector on their platform.
With the CRM in place, it was time to get working on the site. The first step was creating Information Architecture and Wireframes, which were then translated into static images. We used company’s existing branding, full of calming pastel colours, as our inspiration.
Jodie and her team loved our ideas, so the next step was getting it built.
We developed their therapist website using a custom theme in WordPress. The booking system would use the Healcode Widget, which would pull any bookings and registrations directly into the MindBody CRM.
We incorporated gentle transitions and animations of the icons and logo into the design of the site. This would promote a feeling of calm and peace to new and returning visitors. Finally, because we were using MindBody, we could translate our designs to produce third-party iOS and Android mobile apps. This meant that customers could book on the website or through a dedicated app.
The Self Space has been a massive success story. It has been a privilege to be there to help them grow:
The Self Space has been able to do great work, thanks in part to a website and CRM that takes care of all the admin around booking and scheduling.
It gives time back to their therapists, so they can do what they do best; helping people manage their mental health.
Thanks for all your great work on the Self Space website - it looks fabulous! I’m delighted with the project and excited to see to see how much reach it has.Jodie Cariss