MannSpace: an online therapy platform designed around privacy, trust and the courage it takes to book a first session
A mental health startup wanted to make therapy accessible to people who would never walk into a clinic. We built MannSpace: gentle therapist matching, private video and chat sessions, session notes and care plans for therapists, crisis pathways and subscription billing — with privacy designed into every screen.
The hardest step is the first booking
MannSpace's founder, a clinical psychologist, knew that most people who could benefit from therapy never book a first session. Stigma, cost, not knowing who to trust and fear of someone finding out all stood in the way. She wanted a platform that made that first step feel safe.
“If the app feels like a hospital, people won't open it. If it feels careless, they shouldn't.”
Listening carefully
We ran interviews with people who had considered therapy but never started, and with practising therapists. Potential clients worried about privacy on shared phones, about being matched with someone they did not connect with, and about cost. Therapists wanted good notes, reliable video and a clear process when a client was at risk.
- Privacy on shared phones, including app lock and discreet notifications
- A say in who their therapist is
- Clear pricing before commitment
- A clear path to urgent help if needed
Designing for trust
The app uses calm colours and plain, warm language. Matching asks a few gentle questions and suggests three therapists with short introductions, so clients choose. Notifications are discreet by default, the app can be locked with a PIN, and nothing sensitive appears in previews.
Clinical data is encrypted at field level, therapists see only their own clients, and a crisis pathway — shown clearly but never alarmingly — connects clients to urgent help lines and alerts the clinical lead when risk is flagged.
The team
The founder acted as clinical adviser throughout, reviewing every flow with clinical implications.
Research and launch with the founder.
Calm, trustworthy client experience.
Client app with secure video and chat.
Therapist app and clinical console.
Encryption, access control and privacy review.
6 people in total, working as one team.
Decisions we made
Agreed with the founder and the clinical team.
Algorithmic match or client choice?
- Assign a therapist automatically
- Suggest three; the client chooses
Our call: Suggest three; the client chooses. Choice increased comfort and first-session follow-through.
Standard or field-level encryption?
- Database encryption only
- Field-level encryption for clinical data
Our call: Field-level encryption for clinical data. Clinical notes are among the most sensitive data there is.
Handle crisis in-app?
- Leave it to therapists
- A clear crisis pathway with escalation to the clinical lead
Our call: A clear crisis pathway with escalation to the clinical lead. Risk must be handled consistently, not left to chance.
Every feature, module by module
Everything that shipped for clients, therapists and the clinical team.
- 01Gentle onboarding
A few questions, no pressure.
- 02Therapist matching
Three suggestions with introductions.
- 03Private video sessions
Encrypted video from the app.
- 04Secure messaging
Between-session messages with the therapist.
- 05Mood check-ins
Simple daily mood tracking.
- 06App lock and discreet notifications
Privacy on shared phones.
- 07Schedule and availability
Set hours and manage bookings.
- 08Structured session notes
Encrypted notes with templates.
- 09Care plans
Goals and progress over time.
- 10Risk assessment
Structured risk recording with escalation.
- 11Crisis pathway
Urgent help lines and clinical alerts.
- 12Therapist vetting
Credentials verified before activation.
- 13Supervision tools
Case review for clinical supervisors.
- 14Clinical dashboards
Sessions, outcomes and flagged risks.
- 15Session packages and subscriptions
Clear pricing and flexible plans.
- 16Therapist payouts
Earnings and payouts per session.
- 17Field-level encryption
Clinical data encrypted individually.
- 18Consent management
Consent recorded for care and data use.
- 19Role-based access
Clients, therapists, supervisors and admins.
- 20Access audit log
Every access to clinical records recorded.
Launch
MannSpace launched with a small, carefully vetted group of therapists, then grew as supervision capacity grew. The founder insisted that growth never outpace clinical oversight.
- Weeks 1–3Research
Would-be clients and therapists interviewed.
- Weeks 4–6Design
Calm client journey and therapist workspace.
- Weeks 7–15Build
Apps, secure sessions, notes and billing.
- Weeks 16–17Security and clinical review
Privacy audit and clinical sign-off.
- Week 18Launch
Vetted therapists and first clients.
What we learned
Privacy is a feeling as well as a feature. Discreet notifications and app lock mattered as much as encryption.
Give people choice. Letting clients choose their therapist made first sessions far more likely to happen.
- React Native
- Next.js
- NestJS
- PostgreSQL with field-level encryption
- Encrypted video and chat
- Subscription billing
- AWS Mumbai
