The Play Doula
Working with Maya was a deeply collaborative and purpose-driven experience. Together, we explored the intersection of creativity, spirituality, and self-expression to shape a brand and social media presence that speaks directly to those feeling disconnected from themselves. This project was more than visuals. It was about building a brave space for transformation where Maya could empower others to reclaim play, expression, and emotional truth. Every element was intentionally designed to reflect The Play Doula’s bold, heart-led mission.
Year: 2025
Client Background
The Play Doula is a creative therapist who blends expressive arts and spiritual exploration to help individuals reconnect with themselves. Their work is grounded in the belief that play, creativity, and courageous self-reflection are powerful tools for healing and growth. Maya supports people who feel stuck, burnt out, or disconnected, offering various programs and spaces that empower them to embrace their inner world and express their truth.
Positioned at the intersection of creativity and personal development, The Play Doula needed a brand that could hold depth, boldness, and softness all at once, speaking to an audience ready to break free from old patterns and step into something more expansive.
Branding Guide
Creating the branding guide for The Play Doula was a process rooted in depth, intention, and emotional clarity. From the outset, it was clear this brand wasn’t about aesthetics alone. It was about building a grounded identity that could hold space for transformation, self-expression, and bravery. Maya’s work called for visual and verbal language that could speak to both softness and strength, intuition, and structure.
We began by exploring their core values, offerings, and audience blocks (particularly around burnout, self-doubt, and desire for creative freedom). Through various techniques including audience personas, we clarified the brand’s emotional tone: playful and honest. This tone became the foundation for the visual elements we developed: earthy yet vibrant colour palettes, expressive type combinations, and symbol rich motifs that evoke healing and inner growth.
The final branding guide brought it all together, offering The Play Doula a cohesive system that included brand voice guidelines, tone of voice examples, audience insights, colour specifications, typography, logo usage, and content direction. Designed not just as a reference document, but as a living, breathing reflection fo their mission, the guide empowers Maya to show up consistently across platforms while staying aligned with the soul of their work.
Social Media
The social media design work focused on translating their mission into a consistent, recognisable presence. It was something that could hold both softness and intensity without losing clarity. I created a cohesive visual system through stills, carousels, and reels (including video editing) for posts that support Maya’s messaging while giving them flexibility to share offerings, education, reflections, and community-led content without starting from scratch each time.
The design approach prioritised strong visual hierarchy, readable typography (within brand guidelines), and intentional spacing so the content feels grounded. Each post was built to carry emotion without sacrificing usability. The outcome was a content suite that looks like The Play Doula brand (not a bunch of random posts), helping them show up online with confidence, consistency, and a voice that feels unmistakably them.
