design is therapy sits at the intersection of design, therapy, and behavior.

The inspiration for this project came conversations with designers and the communities we work with. This project’s goal is first to share techniques from counseling, psychotherapy, and behavioral economics—a little less Mike Monteiro, a little more Tara Brach— since therapy is the most widely understood and accessible metaphor for working inside a human system that cannot be forced to change. On top of that, it’s a space to share learnings from behavior modification, interviewing, prioritization, and reaching consensus.

Manifesto

• When we can articulate our values, we can live in congruence with them better
• For that reason, we must identify helpful and harmful beliefs about the practice of design
• Getting design done is often about relationships, power, and alignment, and failing to account for that makes us less successful
• Therapy and counseling offer a strong foundation for holding a “clear mirror” up to the work we say we’re doing
• We must revisit and (re)frame our rituals as our field shifts