Intro
Janet Nestor is a licensed counselor and spiritual book author whose presence feels like receiving a warm hug—she naturally radiates the peace and compassion that define her therapeutic approach. For her Mindful Pathways website, I created a digital home that serves as both a platform for her articles and books and an introduction to her healing philosophy for prospective clients seeking her guidance.
Working in WordPress with Beaver Builder, I designed a simple, elegant site that embodies Janet’s essence. The custom lotus logo in soft sage green captures her commitment to helping people find peace, while the hero message—”I Believe the BEST MEDICINE FOR BODY AND SOUL IS LOVE”—immediately communicates her heart-centered approach to healing. The design is soft, natural, gentle, and feminine, reflecting Janet’s deep connection to nature and especially her love of the natural world.
The challenge was creating a space that feels as nurturing and welcoming as Janet herself—a site where visitors immediately sense they’ve found someone who understands their journey toward wholeness. Through thoughtful design choices and an intuitive layout, Mindful Pathways serves as an authentic extension of Janet’s beautiful soul, inviting readers and potential clients into her world of compassionate, nature-inspired healing.
The Process
The project began with the logo, which then became the foundation for the entire website design. Janet had a lotus flower logo from years prior that she cherished, and wanted to carry that beloved symbol forward into her refreshed brand. To find the right form, I sourced several stock references of lotus flowers for her to choose from, then hand-drew the flower myself. I scanned my drawing and brought it into Adobe Illustrator to develop the final logo.
From there, I presented Janet with a range of green shades — her preferred color — as well as a variety of font options, allowing her to select the combination that felt most like her. Having worked with Janet over the years, I had a deep sense of her aesthetic and personal style, which guided my research and curation. I also explored a wide range of websites and typography to ensure the final design captured exactly the right feeling — soft, natural, and uplifting.
The website was then built outward from the logo, carrying its palette and sensibility into every design decision. Janet was fortunate to have beautiful professional photography that genuinely captured her warmth and personality, which brought the site to life in a truly special way. Janet wrote her own copy, which I edited and helped shape into its final form.
Through many thoughtful conversations, we reviewed the full range of what she offers and I decided on how to lovingly distinguish her holistic and spiritual services from her licensed counseling practice. I structured and sectioned her services with care, and set up e-commerce functionality so she could offer her holistic and spiritual offerings directly through the site, alongside an event calendar for scheduling.
Content hierarchy was also an important part of the process. Janet was clear about her priorities: her books first, followed by her long-running blog of over ten years, and then her work as a holistic counselor. The site structure and layout were designed to honor that order, ensuring visitors encountered her as an author and thought leader before discovering her therapeutic practice.
Janet’s deep love of nature also played a meaningful role in the design. Her connection to the natural world is truly profound, and while I gently guided her toward a balanced approach, I made sure that spirit was woven throughout. For her “Creating Peace” section — which links to her prayer for peace and an interview on building a more loving, peaceful world — I used one of her own photographs of light streaming through trees as the background. It was a small but heartfelt way to honor Janet’s love of nature. Overall, the site is look peaceful reflecting Janet’s entire life’s work of helping people cultivate peace, both within themselves and in the world around them.
