Investigating Therapist Needs to Design a Better Therapy Provider Directory

Winnow is a new Austin startup founded to improve the process of finding a therapist. Countless companies are trying to recruit therapy providers to serve the growing number of Americans who are seeking professional mental health support. (According to one 2021 survey, nearly 30 percent of Americans have seen a therapist during the pandemic, and 86 percent say it’s helped them cope.) By surveying 28 therapists and interviewing five, I discovered the needs and concerns of the types of therapists Winnow hopes to recruit. I also performed a competitive analysis to help identify the must-haves and opportunities in the mental health startup space. My goal: help Winnow build a strong foundation of user research insights from the start, so that the final product is usable and addresses real needs.