For research, I looked into existing platformers with a mental health theme. Some were directly addressing the topic, while others were more subtle and used metaphors such as ‘climbing a mountain = overcoming your anxiety’. If I take this game idea further I’d like to try to achieve a balance of both so that it isn’t too abstract but also not extremely direct about therapy. A platform style seems to be common for addressing mental health issues - possible because there is a lot of creative opportunity to design unique maps and assets that capture the theme effectively.
https://www.mightier.com/hiwage/
These Games Explore the Struggle to Seek Psychological Help