Mapology Guides was co-founded in 2015 by Tina Bernstein, designer and creative entrepreneur. She has been described as a ‘cartographer of emotions'.

Tina has a BA Honours degree in Graphic Design from Central Saint Martins and has worked as a designer and business consultant for the creative industries.

At 26, whilst in a high-powered job that took her on regular flights around Europe, Tina had a full-blown nervous breakdown. People often ask what a nervous breakdown is. The answer is different for everyone. In Tina’s case, she developed agoraphobia, claustrophobia and depersonalisation disorder - periods of feeling disconnected or detached from one’s body and thoughts.

Whilst in long-term psychotherapy, both one-to-one and group therapy, Tina realised that what she was missing was creative and visual stimulation when it came to the learning tools on offer. Apart from self-help books and black-and-white photocopies of workshop notes, there was little design, no graphics and not even a bit of colour!

Mapology Guides grew from Tina’s desire to ‘give back’, combining her longstanding interest in psychology with her belief that there are many different ways to learn, grow and make sense of life.

Her love of creativity, design, maps and illustration gave her the idea for the format: beautifully illustrated fold-out maps that make big, sometimes complicated subjects more accessible, engaging and enjoyable to explore.

Since then, Mapology Guides has grown into a collection of 15 maps exploring subjects ranging from overthinking and gratitude to boundaries, relationships, creativity and decision-making. Tina works with different writers and illustrators to bring each subject to life and has also created bespoke Mapology Guides for organisations.

That's the why! As for the how, Tina’s original vision was for Mapology Guides to become the Ladybird books of the 21st century: a growing visual library for navigating life.

It’s a big vision, and Tina is happy for it to take time. She believes in vocation and purpose, in doing meaningful work and in building something with longevity rather than chasing quick fixes.

Tina also champions holistic health and plant-based food. She likes inspiring people to find inner fulfilment, think for themselves and live life according to their own rules.

You can learn more about Tina by listening to her episode (45) on Holly Tucker's podcast 'Conversations of Inspiration'.

Over the years, it has become something of a tradition for Tina to share the life lessons she has learned along the way.

Now in her early 60s, she has revisited them once again. Read her updated life lessons.