Why Life by Design exists
Most people navigating a major life transition — a divorce, a job loss, a death, an identity shift — don't need more information. They need a thinking partner. Someone to help them process what's happening, clarify what they actually want, and figure out what to do next.
That's expensive. A licensed psychologist charges $200–$400 per hour. Sessions happen once a week. The rest of the time, you're on your own.
The method
Life by Design is built on two evidence-based frameworks:
Positive Psychology, developed by Martin Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania, is the scientific study of what makes life worth living. It focuses on strengths, meaning, and flourishing — not just the absence of disorder. Unlike toxic positivity, it takes suffering seriously and doesn't pretend difficulty away.
Life Design, developed by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans at Stanford's d.school, applies design thinking to life planning. It treats your life as a prototype to be tested, not a plan to be executed. The core insight: most people are stuck not because they lack options, but because they're solving the wrong problem.
We also draw on the grief recovery work of David Kessler, the values clarification tradition in acceptance and commitment therapy, and behavioral activation from cognitive-behavioral therapy.
What the AI does — and doesn't do
The AI on this platform is trained on Dr. Morgan Ellis's methodology and supervised by her directly. It's designed to ask the right questions, reflect patterns back to you, and help you apply these frameworks to your specific situation.
It is not a therapist. It cannot diagnose, treat, or manage mental health conditions. If you're experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, or other clinical issues, please seek professional support. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988.
Who built this
Life by Design was created by Dr. Morgan Ellis — a licensed psychologist with a PhD from UC Berkeley, 14 years of clinical and coaching practice, and certifications in Positive Psychology, Stanford Life Design, and Grief Recovery.
All content on this platform — articles, assessments, AI prompts — reflects her methodology and is reviewed by her personally. See our editorial policy for details.