How Visuals Change Conversations
When people think of activism, they often imagine protest signs, speeches, legislation, or social movements. Rarely do they think about fonts, colour palettes, or Instagram posts. But here’s what I’ve learnt through years of designing in the health and wellness space:
Visuals change conversations.
And when we design with intention especially for people who are often overlooked, misdiagnosed, or mistreated, design becomes a form of advocacy.
Not just for awareness. But for access.
For representation.
For safety.
For truth.
The Unseen Power of Visual Language
Every visual element you put into the world communicates something even before a single word is read.
The font you choose signals tone.
The layout creates (or blocks) access.
The colours can soothe, energise, or exclude.
The imagery you use either reflects the audience (or erases them)
In health and wellness, where people are often vulnerable, overwhelmed, or in distress, visual design becomes a tool of emotional navigation.
Do I feel safe here?
Do I feel seen here?
Do I trust this?
These are emotional questions and design helps answer them.
Design as a Tool for Advocacy
I’ve worked with therapists, coaches, disability providers, support workers, and wellness professionals. Many of them are doing radical work. Care work, community work, cultural work. But their visual presence? Often outdated, unclear, or inaccessible.
Not because they don’t care but because no one taught them that design is part of their advocacy. If your mission is to create safety, dignity, and empowerment, your brand needs to do the same. Because design either reinforces systems or challenges them.
So how do you design for activism and what does it look like?
1. Branding that centres lived experience
Not everyone fits the “wellness” stereotype of green smoothies and yoga pants. Design as activism shows real bodies, real stories, real struggle and not just curated calm.
💡 Example: One of my clients is a trauma-informed therapist who chose a colour palette inspired by earth and ash. They needed grounding, not pastels. Their site includes sensory considerations and an opt-out from animation to avoid triggering PTSD symptoms. That’s design that protects.
2. Accessibility by design not as an afterthought
Design should never be a gatekeeper. Accessible design practices (like readable typography, high-contrast colours, mobile-friendly layouts, and alt text) aren’t “nice extras” but rather human rights.
💡 Example: When I designed a resource site for a disability support service, we structured the content for different reading styles: visual tiles, plain-text options, and downloadable PDFs in dyslexia-friendly fonts. The result? Clients actually used the resources because they now could.
3. Deconstructing medical authority through visual tone
Not all healthcare should feel clinical. In fact, for many especially queer, disabled, or marginalised folks, that tone can trigger fear or mistrust. Design can soften those barriers.
💡 Example: A queer creative I worked with wanted their brand to feel bold, honest, and raw. We ditched sterile stock images for hand-drawn icons, imperfect textures, and custom illustrations. It helped clients feel like they were entering a conversation and not a clinic.
4. Holding complexity through visual systems
Health isn't linear. Healing isn't polished. Sometimes, your brand has to hold multiple truths: messiness and growth, rage and rest, chaos and clarity. Design can carry that nuance.
💡 Example: When I was in burnout and designing for other burnt-out practitioners, I realised that minimalism alone wasn’t enough. We needed warmth. We needed softness. We needed flexibility. So I started designing with “emotional room” through white space, soft edges, inviting hierarchy. It helped people breathe.
Why Visuals Shape Perception (Especially in Health)
When someone is seeking support for their health (mental, physical or emotional), they are often scared, ashamed, or self-protective. That means every element of your brand must work to:
Build trust
Reduce overwhelm
Invite connection
Reflect back safety
If someone can’t read your content, they won’t feel safe. If someone can’t see themselves in your images, they won’t feel seen. If someone feels aesthetically alienated, they won’t stick around.
Your visuals become the first point of care. Design is how your values show up in the world.
You don’t have to shout to be an activist. Sometimes design activism looks like:
A calm, welcoming homepage for someone navigating anxiety
A PDF resource that’s readable for someone with cognitive fatigue
A logo that nods to cultural identity rather than erasing it
A social media post that explains trauma in plain language with affirming visuals
A brand colour palette that doesn’t trigger sensory discomfort
These might seem small, but they add up. They say: “I see you. I’ve thought about you. You belong here.”
That’s design.
That’s activism.
If you work in health, wellness, therapy, social care, or advocacy, your brand is not just a marketing tool. It’s an invitation. A container. A signal. And you get to decide what it signals.
Design has the power to:
Humanise systems
Challenge stigma
Make invisible needs visible
Protect energy
Build community
Redefine what “professional” looks like
Bring beauty into hard spaces
I didn’t start Angell Designs to make pretty brands. I started it to change conversations. Because when design is used with intention and care, especially in health spaces, it becomes more than communication.
It becomes TRANSFORMATION.
Want to build a brand that advocates for what you believe?
If you’re a practitioner, wellness brand, support worker, or changemaker ready to build a brand that reflects your values and protects the people you serve, I’m here to help!
📞 Book a discovery call to talk about your project
