Before & After: A Grief Therapy Training Institute Website Refreshed
When designing a brand and website, how do you capture the depth and nuance of a therapy intervention that supports people through death and loss?
That’s the question César Valdez, executive director of IADC International Institute, posed to me when we met to talk about his custom website design project.
Designing a brand for grief work can be tricky; stock images can quickly appear trite, and choosing colors to communicate depth without feeling depressing can seem impossible.
In this post, I’ll share how we translated the nuanced nature of grief therapy into a polished, comprehensive brand identity and website that inspires hope, trust, and confidence in IADC International Institute.
Before…
IADC, a specialized grief-focused intervention derived from EMDR, has been around since the mid-90s, but has never had a centralized website and unified brand identity… until now.
Here are some things they were struggling with before they hired us to design their brand and website:
Outdated design
Their original site was looking dated, and they had a few different domains they needed to merge into one site. They were looking to start fresh with a modern, cohesive design and unified brand identity.
No unified hub
As public awareness about the modality grew, César and his executive team discovered a need for a formal, professional home for IADC International. They set out to establish a centralized institute that oversees training standards, research, and international coordination.
Complicated logistics
On top of creating a unified look, they also needed to set up a centralized training registration system, an IADC-trained provider directory, and multilingual functionality.
Read on to learn about how we fixed their main problem areas with custom brand and website design!
“The design is beautiful, and you did a great job translating a fairly nuanced and complex vision into something that really feels aligned with the purpose of the Institute.”
— César Valdez, LMSW | Executive Director and Lead Trainer
During…
Over the course of the project, this is what we worked on:
Brand design
We started this project by creating a visual brand identity for IADC International. The executive team wanted their website visitors and trainees to feel grounded and reassured as they interact with the institute, and they wanted the site to convey hope and possibility.
To achieve this, we created a brand identity based in warm earth tones, subtle textures, and organic shapes. We were careful to avoid representational imagery and dark colors, and instead focused on creating a feeling through texture and color.
Logo Design
IADC, as an intervention, involves a feeling of connection with loved ones who have passed on, so we designed a logo that subtly nods to this transpersonal connection while maintaining minimalism and legibility.
Website design
Once the IADC International Institute brand identity was solidified, we designed a completely custom website on Squarespace 7.1.
With easy-to-understand navigation, elegantly designed pages, and a logical site flow, IADC Institute’s website finally had a modern online home base.
In addition to custom site design, we also built out these extra features to help the IADC Institute manage logistics:
Training registration setup
César and the executive team wanted a way to manage training registration directly from the website. They host multiple different types of training events and classes, and needed a way to take payment, send reminder emails, and keep track of attendees.
The best option for their needs was Breely, which we were able to embed directly into their Events page in Squarespace so that attendees can register without ever leaving the IADC website.
We also created a nested catalog of trainings on this page to keep things neat and tidy (and to avoid creating a new page for every new training type). Shoutout to my pal Will Myers and his tabs plugin for making this possible!
Provider directory build
We also created a provider directory on Squarespace 7.1, with the help of the CommunityBox plugin. Now, therapists and therapy-seekers can find an IADC-trained therapist near them directly from the IADC Institute website!
Multilingual setup
The IADC Institute serves people worldwide, so it was important to the executive team to ensure that the site would be accessible to folks who don’t speak English. We used Weglot to help them translate their site into six different languages.
“What I liked best was the combination of strong design and real sensitivity to the nature of the work. I also appreciated how responsive and thoughtful you were throughout, and how willing you were to work through details with me as the site took shape.”
— César Valdez, LMSW | Executive Director and Lead Trainer
After…
Modern design
Now, IADC International Institute has a professional, engaging website that’s more than just an online home base; it’s an authentic representation of their brand that builds credibility and connects with more people.
Logical site flow
After the redesign, everything has a place. Visitors can move through the site easily and find what they need without getting redirected or lost.
Interactive provider directory
IADC’s provider directory features an interactive map with up-to-date information. Visitors can search by language, state/country, or name to find institute-trained therapists near them.
Streamlined event registration
Upon launching their new website, the institute was able to start taking event registrations right away. We provided instructions on how to add new event listings so that the executive team could seamlessly manage their centralized training registration.
“What you created feels both visually beautiful and true to the heart of what the Institute is trying to offer. I not only appreciate that very much, but am genuinely impressed by your ability to translate a vision that was still somewhat unclear and underdeveloped in my own mind into something so coherent, compelling, and beautifully realized on screens around the world.”
— César Valdez, LMSW | Executive Director and Lead Trainer
Now that the IADC International Institute has a modern, professional website, clinicians can find certification and training information, clinicians and clients can quickly find IADC providers, and all visitors can easily find what they’re looking for. Most importantly, the organization’s expertise and professionalism are now front and center.
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