Zorg Zonder Grenzen
A platform that helps immigrants and newcomers access culturally sensitive mental health care.
Users can find mental health professionals who share their language, culture, and values, making it easier to connect with the right support.
My role
Product designer
Timeline
2 months (2025)
Responsibilities
Ideation, user research, wireframing, prototyping
Tools used
Figma, Illustrator, Photoshop
overview
Problem
For immigrants and newcomers, the process of finding the right mental health care is often more difficult because of cultural differences and language barriers.
Without culturally sensitive support, people may feel less understood, making it harder to seek help and get access to the right care.
The goal
The aim is to create a platform that makes mental health care more accessible and inclusive.
The platform connects people with therapists who understand their cultural background and language, making it easier to build trust and feel understood during treatment.
Solution
A platform where the user can...
01
Find a therapist or practice
02
Get help with a step-by-step guide
03
Use resources for mental health
04
Translate the website using machine translation
Aimed at immigrants and newcomers.
Key features
Directory
Users can filter therapists by language, distance, cultural background, specialisation, and approach.
The therapist card shows essential details, making it easier for users to choose a therapist based on their preferences and explore profile pages.
Profile page
Helps users quickly understand the therapist’s key information.
Users can decide whether the therapist is a good fit by their introduction, skills, experience, education, credentials and practical information.
Step-by-step guide
Explains how the Dutch mental health care system works in a clear and accessible way.
Helps users understand where to start, what referrals are needed, how to find the right therapist and how costs and insurance works.
Resources
A library of helpful resources, tools, and articles to support users in better understanding and managing their mental health.
Final design
research
Methodologies
Research online
Interviews
Personas
Target users
Immigrants (first and second generation)
Refugees
Expats
Research online
By doing research online, I looked at the importance of culturally sensitive mental health care.
I gathered valuable insights about the challenges different communities face when trying to access effective mental health care.
Most important findings
A
Immigrants, refugees and expats are a large part of the Dutch population.
As of January 1, 2024, 28% of the Netherlands' population consisted of individuals either born abroad (first generation) or born in the Netherlands to at least one parent born abroad (second generation) (CBS). As of January 1, 2025, there are 260.000 refugees in the Netherlands.
B
Immigrants and newcomers often receive less mental health treatment than nonimmigrants.
A study shows they encounter a lot of challenges in accessing care. These include understanding mental illness, fear of stigma, lack of awareness of services, attitudes toward formal treatment, language barriers, and the attitudes and skills of providers.
C
Research has shown that language and cultural understanding are important factors in effective therapy.
Culturally sensitive and personalised care is essential for treating people from different backgrounds. Traditions, languages, beliefs, and cultural viewpoints can affect how people understand and experience mental health.
Interviews
During the research phase of the project, I conducted informal interviews with 3 potential users to understand their pain points about taking the step to talk to a therapist.
This helped shape design decisions based on authentic pain points and practical needs.
Common pain points
1
Language barriers
Difficulty expressing emotions or complex experiences in Dutch or English.
2
Cultural mismatch
Worry that therapists may not understand their cultural norms, values, traditions, religion, or family dynamics.
3
System complexity / overwhelming
Confusion about how to access care, referrals, and insurance in the Dutch healthcare system.
4
Accessibility
Difficulty finding therapists who speak their native language.
The challenge
“How might we make mental health care in the Netherlands more accessible for immigrants and newcomers by reducing stigma, simplifying the system, and connecting them with therapists who understand their language and culture?”
Personas
Based on research and informal interviews, I created two personas. These personas represent typical users who face barriers such as language, stigma, cultural mismatch, and difficulty navigating the Dutch healthcare system.
Yuxuan
Age: 62
Family: widower, 2 children (age 29 & 33)
Occupation: unemployed
"I feel like I'm lost every day. I just want to find my way again."
About
Yuxuan is a widower trying to figure out his life after the loss of his partner. His two children are living on their own. Having recently lost his job, he is trying to find purpose and stability, while adjusting to life on his own. He feels a mix of grief, loneliness, and uncertainty about the future.
Goals
Process his grief and find emotional support to cope with loneliness.
Rebuild his life and regain stability.
Connect with a therapist who speak his language and understands his cultural background and values.
Finding help to navigate the Dutch mental healthcare system.
Frustrations
Feels isolated and struggles to adapt to life without his partner.
Has difficulty expressing emotions in Dutch or English.
Is concerned that cultural differences may prevent therapists from understanding his experience.
Finds it difficult to ask for help or share emotions openly because of cultural norms.
Amina
Age: 24
Family: single
Occupation: student
“I’ve lived here all my life, but sometimes I still feel like I don’t fully belong in either world.’’
About
Amina is a student working on her master’s degree. She grew up in the Netherlands but often feels pressure navigating between her family’s cultural traditions and Dutch society. She avoids seeking mental health support due to fear of being judged or misunderstood within her family or community.
Goals
Help managing identity struggles and family expectations.
Find a therapist who understands what it means to balance different cultural identities and understands Islamic values.
Access professional help to explore her mental health issues.
Learn to manage stress and anxiety related to her studies.
Frustrations
Feels caught between two cultures: Dutch society and family’s cultural/religious expectations.
Is hesitant to seek therapy because of the stigma around mental health in her community.
Worries a therapist may not understand her faith or the importance of religion in her life.
design
Ideation
Concept
Clarity and simplicity at the core
Intuitive navigation
Key features
Find a therapist or practice
Extensive search filters
Clear information displayed on the therapist cards
Detailed overview of therapists in profile pages
Ability to save therapists/practices to favourites
Step-by-step guide
Easy to navigate
Clearly defined steps
Straightforward and reliable information
Resources
Simple and accessible layout
Clear overview of helpful information and tools
Key additions
Integrated machine translation to support multiple languages
Website search functionality for easy navigation
User accounts with the ability to save preferred therapists and practices
Wireframes
User testing insights
Sign-up button
Make the sign-up button more prominent to guide new users
Landing page
Make the landing page more visually engaging
Resources
Organise resources by adding clear categories and coloured tags
Visual identity
Concept
A platform that feels both trustworthy and accessible.
Finding a balance between:
• professionalism
• clarity
• approachable
Logo
Color palette
Typography
Figtree Regular
Figtree SemiBold
Final design
Mobile design
Desktop design
retrospective
Reflection
This was my first time designing a website, which made the process both exciting and challenging. I found it difficult to define a visual identity, since the design could go in so many directions. In the end, I learned how important it is to stay focused and consistent when creating something for such a diverse userbase.
Next steps
I’d like to look at the following steps:
• Continue user testing and gather feedback from immigrants and newcomers.
• Improve accessibility across the platform.
• Refine the visual identity of the platform so it feels more consistent and welcoming.
thanks for reading!
