I’m Lindsay!
I work at intersections, using visual thinking, clinical training, play, research, and my own human vulnerability to create work that is accurate, resonant, and accessible.
I figure two types of people click on my about me page: people who are curious about me, my journey, and my process, and folks who wonder just what makes me qualified to write and illustrate on the topic of mental health. In either case, here’s what you’re looking for:
AS SEEN IN:
My Mission
I believe art can demystify therapy, help give people tools to seek care, and can help us care a little bit better for ourselves and others. I believe that presenting information in a visual format increases accessibility and equity.
My ethos as a creator is to make my art as freely accessible as possible, while remaining sustainably able to create more art. This is why some of my art is available as a free download (thanks to the support of Patrons) and why some of my art requires a small licensing fee to download.
Patrons have helped me create and release new art regularly since 2018.
ABOUT ME
I grew up riding bikes on gravel and playing softball in hayfields in rural Kansas. I fumbled my way through a bachelor’s degree in English in 2000, while navigating my own mental health challenges related to neurodivergence and PTSD. My 20’s were spent diving deep into the work of recovery- guided first by a horse that I now remember as “my first therapist” and then by actual professionals who have offered skilled care through a transformative journey. Before my career shift into the mental health field, I spent a decade working in tech. I launched several niche e-commerce companies including, eventually, my own.
MY PROCESS:
My current work is informed by my experience growing up as a young artist in a rural under-served area, a career as a tech entrepreneur, and my time working as a mental health professional in a world that struggles to locate hope. In fact, these experiences deeply influenced the piece I created for the Museum of Modern Art in 2022. I live in urban Saint Louis and create from a small brick storefront in a historic neighborhood. Learn more about my studio.
MY CREDENTIALS:
I hold a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. Before branching into private practice I was based in a community mental health clinic in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of South Seattle, where I worked with teens and adults with diverse challenges. In 2020 I closed my private practice in Seattle to relocate to Saint Louis and be a full time artist.
My therapy practice remains closed as I focus my energy on creating new art, building community in Saint Louis, and doing DIY projects on my studio space in Saint Louis’ quirky Cherokee Street neighborhood.
Giving Back
- I built and maintain St Louis’ only Little Free Art Supply Library.
- Through Patron support, I’m a financial supporter of:
- Freedom Arts & Education Center which provides after-school arts programming and mentorship to school-age kids in North St Louis.
- House of Figs, a queer-affirming spiritual community for the Cherokee Street neighborhood and beyond.
- The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology Benevolence Fund, which benefits therapists-in-training in seasons of crisis.
- Art Place Initiative, a non-profit that helps low- and middle-income artists become homeowners while also stabilizing high-vacancy Saint Louis neighborhoods through art-based community.
- and the Thomas Dunn Learning Center, a community center in South St Louis’ Dutchtown neighborhood.
Let’s work together!
While I’m not currently able to take on commissions, I love hearing from you. If you’d like to suggest an idea or share an article, podcast, or book you’d like me to see, drop me a line.
HELP ME MAKE ART THAT CONNECTS US.
- I summarize emerging research in the mental health field into what I call “visual soundbytes” – fun to read and easy to remember slides that keep patrons up-to-date on emerging research without slogging through research journals.
- I create worksheets to help you (or the folks you work with) track, manage, and self-advocate around mental health concerns.
- I reformat all my art as high-resolution printable PDF’s for patrons. These PDF’s can be printed, framed, gifted, or used in 1:1 professional work as an educational resource.
And because the modern internet thrives on concrete information presented clearly, here’s some specific details about me:
Lindsay Braman Mental Health Illustrator
Lindsay Braman MA LMHCA is a therapist and mental health illustrator who creates engaging visual representations of complex topics in psychology and mental health. Lindsay's work seeks to increase accessibility to mental health education in order help everyone care a little better for ourselves and others. Lindsay's work has been featured by the Museum of Modern Art and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as Forbes, Buzzfeed, The Mighty, and more. Lindsay creates from a lovingly restored 100-year-old service station in Saint Louis, Missouri's Cherokee Arts District.
Email: lindsaydirect682@lindsaybraman.com
Address: 3409 Iowa Ave, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63118, USA
Gender: female
Job Title: Mental Health Illustrator