At Behind the Brand, we spotlight the thinkers, creators, and leaders shaping the world’s most impactful brands. This series is a deep dive into the minds of designers, branding experts, marketers, and founders who are using purpose-driven creativity to spark growth and connection.

In this edition, Fani Mateska sat down with Isabel Kloiber, founder of Auxylia, a pioneering platform that blends psychotherapy and AI to transform the mental health journey. As a practising psychotherapist herself, Isabel brings a rare blend of clinical experience and product vision to the table. Auxylia is not just another mental health tech startup—it’s a human-centred brand built on empathy, innovation, and a deep understanding of what vulnerable people truly need.

From brand authenticity and user-led innovation to long-term impact, Isabel shares powerful insights into building a brand that supports people meaningfully, while staying grounded in purpose through every stage of growth.

Read on for the full conversation:

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind founding Auxylia? What problem are you hoping to solve?

Mental health challenges are widespread, and yet access to quality support remains limited. As a psychologist and psychotherapist, I’ve witnessed the power of therapy—however, I also recognize that the process can be long, and financially demanding for many.

AI has emerged as a promising tool to increase accessibility. In some cases, chatbots offer a more affordable alternative. However, research suggests that people tend to share less openly with machines than with human practitioners. As a result, these interactions often lack emotional depth, which can diminish their impact.

Auxylia was created to address this gap. It combines the depth and trust of human therapy with the reflective support of AI. After every therapy session, the AI provides insights based on the conversation, helping the client process their emotions, explore patterns, and engage more fully with their own content.

The aim is not to replace therapy, but to enhance it—making it more insightful, more accessible, and ultimately more effective.

When you think about brand purpose, what do you believe makes it authentic rather than performative?

Authenticity comes from lived experience and a genuine understanding of the people you’re trying to support. For me, the fact that Auxylia was created by a psychotherapist makes a meaningful difference. Over the past month, I’ve tested a number of AI-based mental health tools, and it’s often clear, especially to someone working in the field—that many were not designed by individuals with real-world therapeutic experience.

People struggling with their mental health are in a deeply vulnerable position. It’s essential that the tools we offer meet them with care, empathy, and a nuanced understanding of what it means to be in that space. Auxylia is built with that sensitivity at its core. It doesn’t treat people like business targets—it meets them as human beings. That, to me, is what makes our purpose authentic.

How do you balance innovation and technology with human-centred purpose in your brand and product?

At Auxylia, innovation only has value if it enhances the human experience. Technology isn’t the starting point—people are. The purpose of the smart insights we provide is to support the emotional journey that unfolds within the relationship with a therapist. Auxylia is designed to complement therapy by offering structured, reflective insights after each session, helping clients engage more meaningfully with their own process.

Balancing innovation with human-centred design means constantly asking: Does this feel respectful? Is it useful in a vulnerable moment? That’s the lens through which everything is built. The goal is not just to be intelligent, but to be genuinely supportive.

How do you approach building a brand that’s designed to evolve and grow with your audience?

So far, our clinical trials have played a crucial role in shaping Auxylia around the real needs of both clients and therapists. We’re working closely with those involved in the trials, and their ongoing   feedback has been invaluable in helping us fine-tune the experience from both perspectives.

This collaborative approach allows us to stay in tune with how Auxylia is perceived and how it performs in real therapeutic settings. Once the trials are complete, our goal is to maintain this level of connection—continuing to build strong relationships with users and adapting based on their feedback. For us, evolving with our audience means staying open, responsive, and deeply committed to the people we’re here to support.

What does long-term brand success look like for you?

For me, long-term success means truly helping people who are struggling with their mental health and doing so in a way that makes therapy more affordable, accessible, and effective. If Auxylia can contribute to making high-quality mental health support available to more people, while also helping them get deeper value from their sessions, then that’s success.

It’s not just about growth or recognition, it’s about meaningful impact in people’s lives. If we can continue to evolve while staying rooted in empathy, innovation, and integrity, I believe Auxylia can become a lasting force for good in mental health care.

As a founder, how do you stay connected to your ‘why’—especially in high-pressure moments?

I still work with a few private clients, and with some of them, I already use Auxylia. Staying in the field keeps me connected to the realities of what people are going through and reminds me why this work matters. Seeing firsthand how powerful Auxylia’s support can be helps me maintain focus on what we’re building and the impact it can have on others.

In high-pressure moments, it’s that connection that grounds me. It’s not just a product—it’s something that can genuinely make a difference in someone’s life. That’s what keeps me going.

What advice would you give to other aspiring founders looking to build with purpose from day one?

Make sure that what you’re building deeply matters to you. Purpose isn’t something you add on later—it has to be part of the foundation. When things get difficult, and they inevitably will, it’s that personal connection to your work that will keep you going.

If you genuinely care about the people you’re building for, and you stay close to their needs, your decisions will be clearer—and your product will reflect that integrity. Purpose isn’t about big statements—it’s about staying aligned with what really matters, even in the small, everyday choices.

Isabel Kloiber’s journey with Auxylia is a powerful reminder that the most impactful brands are born from lived experience, deep empathy, and a commitment to meaningful change. In a world where technology often risks replacing the human touch, Auxylia stands apart—using innovation to enhance, not override, the therapeutic relationship.

Her insights highlight what it truly means to build with purpose: putting people first, staying grounded in your ‘why’, and allowing your audience to shape your evolution. For founders and brand leaders alike, Isabel offers a blueprint for creating something that not only grows, but genuinely makes a difference.

At Behind the Brand, we’re proud to share stories like these, where strategy meets storytelling, and purpose drives progress.

Want to learn more about how we can support your next project? Get in touch with Fani Mateska to explore how The Work Crowd can deliver the right talent, right when you need it.