Aurora Valley (UTEPFOX)

"The AI Psychotherapist for 8-Minute Somatic Relief."

Aurora Valley is an AI-driven therapeutic agent that democratizes elite UTEP (Unconscious Trajectory Exploration Process) therapy. Designed for somatic anxiety, it translates clinical-grade expertise into an empathetic companion, Hulu the fox, through a “Soft Shell, Hard Core” approach that delivers rigorous medical logic in warm, conversational interactions. Across three professional healing modes, Aurora Valley assesses emotional and pain states, generates post-session insights, and unlocks narrative rewards. Collectible Hulu cards mirror the user’s inner journey, transforming therapy into an engaging path of self-discovery for the modern stress era.

Timeline

2 months (Q4 2025)

Status

Design delivered, currently under developing and expected completion by Q2 2026

Team

PM(1), UX/UI Designers(2), Developers(5), Illustrator(1)

My Role 🧑‍🎨

UX/UI Designer, focus on designing Homepage, Game feature, and Records & Assessment feature, Branding.

The Challenge

How might we translate clinically complex, emotionally sensitive AI therapy into an experience that feels approachable, engaging, and human, without overwhelming users or reducing it to a dry academic tool?

The Goal

To enhance the therapeutic experience by making it more intuitive, engaging, and emotionally resonant, while preserving its medical credibility and original design intent.

Highlight 🤩

How it works

This video demonstrates how Aurora Valley works by showcasing its dialogue modes, in-app gamification, and post-session reports. Through soft visuals and playful interactions, it highlights how clinically rigorous AI therapy is transformed into an approachable, engaging experience, centered on conversations with Aura the Fox.

Executive Summary

Design Process 🔍

01. The Dual-Mirror Toggle

Aligned the companion Aura's narrative journey with the user's somatic recovery milestones. Healing sessions generate insight shards that reveal the companion's lore, transforming medical self-care into an engaging narrative loop.

02. 0 to 1 Gamification: Collect Cards

Users collect healing fragments from Aura the Fox’s stories to unlock life stories cards. Each card reflects emotional insights and personal growth, turning therapeutic moments into meaningful rewards. The sense of progression and collection encourages continued engagement over time, helping users build emotional awareness and resilience through a gentle, story-driven experience.

03. Record & Assessment

Aurora Valley integrates clinically validated scales including PHQ-9 and GAD-7 alongside a pentagon stress index to visualize emotional change over time. These records transform abstract feelings into clear, trackable insights. By grounding each session in quantitative assessment, the feature provides scientific evidence of therapeutic progress while helping users better understand and reflect on their emotional state.