When the Script Was My Story: Localizing a Depression Tool with Clinical Insight and Emotional Truth
Moodbuster is a clinically validated digital mental health intervention, grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) principles.
Moodbuster was designed to make structured, evidence-based support accessible beyond traditional clinical settings. Built to support people experiencing depression, it had already shown success in the Dutch context — helping users reintroduce structure, reduce avoidance, and rebuild joy through behavioral activation.
THE CHALLENGE:
As we prepared to launch for Ukrainian refugees, one truth became undeniable:
What works clinically doesn’t always translate culturally.
The tool needed more than translation — it needed transcreation.
The language, tone, and emotional rhythm had to feel real for people navigating displacement, trauma, and deep fatigue.
MY ROLE
Clinical Psychologist Meets Content Strategist
At Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, I was brought on to lead the cross-cultural content adaptation of Moodbuster’s core modules. As both a clinical psychologist and communications expert, I approached the work from two intertwined angles:
Scientifically sound: Maintaining fidelity to CBT principles
Emotionally safe: Ensuring the tone honored the lived experience of Ukrainian users
But the work became more personal than expected.
When the Script Wasn’t Just a Role
As part of the launch, I was invited to star in a testimonial-style video — portraying a Ukrainian user who had benefited from Moodbuster.
One line in the script read: “There were moments when, not knowing where to start, it seemed easier to stay home and hide from the world.”
What the camera didn’t know: I wasn’t acting. That line was mine — lifted from memory.
After relocating to the Netherlands, I too had struggled to find rhythm, energy, and clarity.
Working on Moodbuster helped me rebuild all three.
WHAT I DID
Led full cross-cultural adaptation of Moodbuster’s behavioral activation modules for Ukrainian users
Rewrote all actor scripts for launch videos to ensure credibility, realism, and emotional resonance
Served as both strategist and talent, bringing lived experience into every line of content
Collaborated with researchers and clinicians to bridge clinical accuracy with cultural nuance
So I didn’t just adapt a tool — I humanized it.
RESULTS
Redesigned Moodbuster for Ukraine
Adapted clinical CBT modules to reflect the cultural, emotional, and social reality of displaced users — moving from protocol to personal resonance.Wrote every word with psychological precision
As a clinical psychologist, I didn’t just translate scripts — I rebuilt trust through tone, pacing, and emotional safety.Became the face of the tool — and its voice
Scripted and co-starred in the launch video, delivering lived-experience narratives that now anchor the platform’s outreach.Created clarity across disciplines
Aligned researchers, creatives, and developers with a shared content strategy rooted in both clinical accuracy and cultural nuanceLaid the foundation for scale
Moodbuster’s Ukrainian version is entering clinical trials — shaped by a launch voice built for dignity, not just delivery.
STRATEGIC INSIGHTS
Clinical content needs more than accuracy to land.
It needs pacing. Dignity. A voice that feels like it understands what you’re too tired to explain.
I applied trauma-informed messaging principles, rewired content structures to reflect Ukrainian social and emotional norms, and embedded somatic gentleness into each call-to-action.
Curious how the Moodbuster project came to life? Step inside Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the behind-the-scenes video!
REFLECTION
This wasn’t just a communications project. It was a psychological bridge — from theory to trust, from tool to lived impact.
Being both the scriptwriter and the voice on screen taught me something powerful: “The most effective mental health content is written not just for users — but by those who know what it feels like to need it.”
EXPERTISE IN ACTION:
Clinical Psychology
Cross-Cultural Content Strategy
Digital Mental Health Content Creation
Trauma-Informed Messaging
Psychology-Backed Storytelling
