Case Study: Curious Things

A Visual Alchemy Brand + Web Design Project

When Rae first reached out to me about Curious Things, I knew instantly this wasn’t a “typical therapist” branding project.

She’s a licensed therapist, yes — but she’s also a talented performer, a creative, and a community builder. Her vision wasn’t about fixing people, or funnelling them through a standard, sterile clinical process. She wanted to build something softer. Stranger. More creative, and more human.

A space where therapy could coexist with art, movement, curiosity, and collective healing.

My role was to help her translate that vision into a brand and website that could actually hold it, call in her people, and become the foundation of her new practice.

The Vision

Curious Things is an inclusive mental health and expressive arts collective based just outside Baltimore, MD. It exists at the intersection of licensed therapy, creative exploration, and community care.

Rae described it to me as a sanctuary for the seekers, the feelers, and the outsiders. A place where healing doesn’t only happen on a couch, but through conversation, performance, paint, movement, and shared experience.

She didn’t want to shrink her work into something digestible or “professionalized.” She wanted a brand that felt like a discovery — a little magical, a little rebellious, and deeply safe.

The Challenge

Rae already had the heart. What she didn’t yet have was the structure and language to support it.

Her DIY attempts didn’t reflect the depth of what she offered. It felt too small, too simple, and too disconnected from the emotional experience she was actually creating for her clients.

She told me she wanted Curious Things to feel like:

A cozy, handmade, moody space
A thrift-store treasure you stumble upon
Something that feels lived-in, loved, and human
Therapy that doesn’t feel cold, clinical, or intimidating

Most importantly, she wanted visitors to land on the site and immediately think:

“I feel seen here.”

That became our north star.

Strategy First

We began by grounding the brand in its emotional truth. Through deep-dive questionnaires and identity work, we clarified the core pillars that already existed beneath the surface:

Curiosity. Creativity. Empathy.

We defined Curious Things not as a therapy practice that happens to be creative, but as an inclusive collective where creativity is an essential part of healing.

We also clarified who this space was truly for: queer, neurodivergent, artistic, and identity-exploring individuals who often feel “too complex” for traditional therapy environments.

This wasn’t about appealing to everyone.
It was about making the right people feel unmistakably welcome.

Messaging
& Positioning

Rae’s language was already poetic. My job was to shape it into something clear, confident, and repeatable without sanding down its edges.

Together, we a built messaging foundation that felt warm, grounded, and gently rebellious. Language that didn’t over-explain or sanitize the work, but invited curiosity instead.

Key phrases emerged naturally:

“You don’t need to be fixed. You need to be explored.”
“A safe space for the strange and sacred.”
“Therapy that feels human”

The positioning became clear:
Curious Things offers therapy that honors the full spectrum of human experience — tender, weird, creative, evolving — and treats healing as something lived, not prescribed.

Visual Identity & Website Design

Visually, the brand pulls from folk art, esoteric symbolism, and handmade textures. Imperfect lines. Organic linocut shapes. Earthy tones with moments of contrast.

The goal wasn’t polish for the sake of polish. It was presence.

I designed the website to feel like an extension of the physical space Rae dreams of building — a place where you can arrive early, stay late, sip tea, and breathe.

We focused heavily on:

Clear service explanations without clinical coldness
Transparent pricing and accessibility information
Copy that feels invitational rather than transactional
Navigation that feels intuitive and calming

Every decision asked the same question:
Does this make someone feel safer in their body?

The Result?

Curious Things now exists as a fully realized brand, that just finished their first year in business. One that reflects Rae’s integrity, creativity, and care without compromise.

The website feels less like a marketing tool and more like a doorway. It speaks directly to people who have never quite felt at home in traditional therapeutic spaces and reassures them that their complexity is not a problem to solve, but a story worth exploring.

While it’s still early in the launch, the impact is already being felt:

Rae feels deeply confident describing her work and offerings
Inquiries feel more aligned and ease-filled
The brand is resonating within queer and neurodivergent communities
A strong foundation is in place for future growth, collaboration, and a physical studio space

Most importantly, the brand sounds and feels like her.

VISIT THE WEBSITE