Summary
Cerebral is a $4.8B mental health startup focused on accessible, affordable therapy and medication. I led their first comprehensive research initiative to understand how customers experienced the product and what they needed most.
Working as a consultant, I interviewed active customers, mapped their journeys, and delivered insights that shaped the next two years of product development. The recommendations led to a 26% increase in customer satisfaction and convinced leadership to build an internal research team.
It was with supreme confidence that I tapped Josh to run my initial research program at Cerebral. It had to both serve as a template and convince critical leadership, and as usual he delivered top shelf work.
Research approach
Participants
I interviewed seven active Cerebral customers who had renewed their subscriptions and recently engaged with clinicians. Each brought unique perspectives on mental health care needs.
Methodology
Starting with stakeholder interviews and customer service data, I identified the most critical questions to explore. The 45-minute sessions used participatory techniques to understand not just what customers did, but why they made those choices.
Key insights
"I can’t do this alone anymore"
Bethany
Wanted to speak to someone, preferably a woman she identified with, because she felt she could no longer handle her situation alone.
Lindsey
Wanted to get access to medication as quickly as possible to treat her already diagnosed condition.
Insight
Cerebral customers are looking for someone to trust.
This vulnerable moment requires empathy and support. Customers arrive with deeply personal goals that go beyond simple healthcare transactions.
Recommendation
Extend a helping hand
Build trust from the first interaction. Show empathetic communication, introduce clinicians personally, and clearly explain how Cerebral can help with individual goals.
"Is this really working for me?"
Jasmyn
Wanted therapy, but is now getting medication she doesn't REALLY want to be on (though it's working).
Callie
Wanted medication, but is also getting (and paying for) counseling she doesn't REALLY want.
Insight
There is no 'one size fits all'
Customers want control over their treatment. They're open to recommendations but may look elsewhere if forced into services they don't value.
Recommendation
Bespoke treatment plans
Create collaborative planning that lets customers shape their care. Explain service benefits clearly and offer flexible options so customers only pay for what they need.
"Finally, someone gets me"
Dawn
Wanted to talk to someone who understands her situation -- a fellow mother and person of color.
Tony
Wanted "answers" and to understand experiences he's had his entire life.
Insight
Connection gives customers hope for the future.
When customers connect with the right clinician or receive a diagnosis that explains their experiences, they gain hope. Both empathy and understanding help people accept themselves and envision improvement.
Recommendation
Facilitate a 'sigh of relief'
Train clinicians to deliver personalized, empathetic responses. Create accessible resources that explain diagnoses in relatable terms and highlight paths to improvement.
Results and impact
Research synthesis
We created a comprehensive journey map documenting customer emotions, actions, touchpoints, and opportunities throughout their Cerebral experience. This became a reference tool for product and design decisions.
For a detailed walkthrough of the journey map, please get in touch.
Company-wide influence
We presented the research findings to teams across the company, from product and design to leadership and customer success. Each presentation sparked different questions, but the core message remained consistent: Cerebral customers needed empathy, flexibility, and genuine connection.
The insights directly shaped how Cerebral prioritized their 2-year product roadmap. Rather than guessing what features to build next, the team could now point to specific customer needs and stories to guide their decisions.
Establishing a research practice
Perhaps most significantly, this research convinced leadership to hire Cerebral’s first dedicated research team. They recognized that understanding their customers wasn’t a one-time project but an ongoing necessity for a company serving such vulnerable moments in people’s lives.
Looking back, I’m proud that this work helped Cerebral move from assumptions to evidence. In mental health care, that shift matters.
