These colorful mental health tools were designed with a specific purpose in mind by Spanish design student Ariadna Sala Nadal. The modular objects are intended to assist in the healing process of survivors of child sexual abuse. The kit—titled 'Balisa'—contains 21 different modules—each of a "unique color, weight, and texture." Each piece is envisioned to represent a specific emotion that is being felt and as a result, the goal of the mental health tools is to enable survivors to communicate and express themselves at greater ease. In order to come up with a functional product, Ariadna Sala Nadal consulted psychologists in the field, as well as their patients.
At present, the mental health tools are only in the prototyping stages, but once officially launched, 'Balisa' will be made out of a wide material palette—from resin and aluminum to acrylic and acetate.
Visualized Healing Processes
Ariadna Sala Nadal Has Developed a Series of Mental Health Tools
Trend Themes
1. Modular Mental Health Tools - Opportunity for integrating design with mental health solutions
2. Expressive Therapy - Opportunity for developing tools that encourage communication and emotional expression
3. Collaborative Mental Health Design - Opportunity for multidisciplinary collaboration in mental health design
Industry Implications
1. Mental Health - Integrating design with mental health solutions is an opportunity for improving care and therapy
2. Therapy Tools - Developing tools that encourage communication and emotional expression is an opportunity for innovation in therapy and counseling
3. Design - Collaborative mental health design is an opportunity for designers to utilize their skills and expertise to make a social impact