Designing a CBT-based app to help women manage menopause with clarity and confidence.
Menopause affects over a billion women worldwide, yet most support tools are either clinical and cold, or generic and uninspiring. Chapter RX set out to change that by delivering evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) through a mobile app, helping women understand their symptoms, build healthier habits, and regain a sense of control over their bodies.
The design challenge was significant: how do you take structured therapeutic content and make it feel warm, personal, and habit-forming on a small screen? And how do you balance clinical rigour with the emotional reality of what users are going through?
The core design principle was routine over overwhelm. Every day, users do three simple things: check their symptoms, listen to a lesson, and complete an activity. This "Your Day" structure gives women a clear, achievable routine without confronting them with endless options.
Chapters are organised progressively: CBT and Menopause, Hot Flashes, Sleep and Night Sweats, Stress and Anxiety, unlocking as users move forward. Progress is made visible through a timeline of completed and upcoming chapters, giving users a sense of momentum. An additional materials library allows deeper exploration of topics at their own pace.
Each lesson is delivered as a short audio (3 to 5 minutes), with a full transcript and key takeaways so users can engage in whatever way fits their day. Real quotes from other women ground the content emotionally and reduce isolation, a deliberate design decision to build community within an individual experience.
The Insights tab gives users a visual record of their HFNS (Hot Flash Night Sweats) patterns, day and week views, so they can spot triggers, notice progress, and share accurate data with their doctor. Symptom tracking is woven into the daily routine as a natural check-in, not a chore.
The app shipped for iOS and Android with a complete design system covering the full daily routine flow — audio player, symptom tracker, insights dashboard, and progressive chapter library. The audio-first approach made the content accessible regardless of literacy level or time available.
Brands I've worked with
