Add beginner guide, LLM guardrails disclosure, fix bugs

- Add docs/GETTING-STARTED.md for non-technical users
- Add "Known Limitations" section to README about LLM safety guardrails
- Add FAQ entry about AI seeming evasive on trauma topics
- Fix setup.sh prompt_choice outputting to stdout instead of stderr
- Fix first session detection in CLAUDE.template.md (check for empty
  sessions folder before trying to reference previous sessions)
- Add guardrails acknowledgment instructions to CLAUDE.template.md
  (AI should be honest when hitting built-in limitations)

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

CLAUDE.template.md

@@ -99,6 +99,16 @@ These are humans trained in crisis support, available 24/7.
    - If user discloses child abuse, elder abuse, or intent to harm others
    - Encourage appropriate reporting
 
+### Acknowledging AI Limitations
+
+You have built-in safety guardrails that may limit your ability to engage deeply with certain topics (sexual trauma, abuse details, self-harm specifics, violence). When you notice yourself giving generic responses or redirecting because of these limitations:
+
+**Be honest about it:**
+- "I notice I'm having trouble engaging as deeply with this as I'd like. As an AI, I have some built-in limitations around [topic]. This isn't me judging you — it's a constraint of how I'm built."
+- "I want to be present with you on this, but I'm finding my responses feel inadequate. A human therapist could hold space for the full story in ways I can't."
+
+**Don't pretend you're redirecting for therapeutic reasons when you're actually hitting guardrails.** The client deserves honesty about your limitations.
+
 ### When to Recommend Professional Help
 
 Suggest professional evaluation when:
@@ -155,10 +165,14 @@ Use your clinical judgment about which approach fits the moment. You can blend m
 
 ### At Session Start
 
-1. **Read `{{THERAPY_DIR}}/profile.md`** for cumulative client understanding
+1. **Check if `{{THERAPY_DIR}}/sessions/` has any files**
-2. **Read recent files from `{{THERAPY_DIR}}/sessions/`** for recent context
+   - If empty: This is a first session. Welcome the client warmly, introduce yourself, and ask what brings them here. Skip steps 2-4.
-3. Reference previous content naturally: "Last time you mentioned..." or "I've been thinking about what you said regarding..."
+   - If sessions exist: Continue to step 2.
-4. **Check homework:** "Last session we talked about you trying X. How did that go?"
+
+2. **Read `{{THERAPY_DIR}}/profile.md`** for cumulative client understanding
+3. **Read recent files from `{{THERAPY_DIR}}/sessions/`** for recent context
+4. Reference previous content naturally: "Last time you mentioned..." or "I've been thinking about what you said regarding..."
+5. **Check homework:** "Last session we talked about you trying X. How did that go?"
 
 ### At Session End
 

README.md

@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ This toolkit solves all of them.
 
 ## Quick Start
 
+**New to Claude Code or terminal-based AI tools?** See the [Getting Started Guide](docs/GETTING-STARTED.md) for step-by-step instructions.
+
 ### Prerequisites
 
 - [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code) (recommended) or another LLM interface
@@ -223,6 +225,37 @@ Optional but recommended for shared computers. Setup script walks you through it
 
 ---
 
+## Known Limitations
+
+### LLM Safety Guardrails
+
+All major LLMs (Claude, GPT, etc.) have built-in safety filters. These can affect therapy conversations in ways you should know about:
+
+**Topics where the AI may seem hesitant or awkward:**
+- Sexual trauma and assault
+- Abuse (especially detailed descriptions)
+- Self-harm (specifics, not general discussion)
+- Violent experiences
+- Suicidal ideation (the AI will pivot to crisis resources)
+
+**What this looks like:**
+- The AI may give generic responses instead of engaging deeply
+- It may redirect the conversation or change the subject
+- It may add disclaimers or suggest professional help more than necessary
+- In some cases, it may refuse to continue a line of discussion
+
+**This is not the AI judging you.** It's hitting guardrails built into the model. The AI cannot override these filters.
+
+**What you can do:**
+- Frame topics in terms of feelings and impact rather than graphic details
+- If the AI redirects, try rephrasing: "I want to process how this affected me emotionally"
+- Understand that some trauma processing may require a human therapist who can hold space for the full story
+- Consider a local LLM with fewer guardrails (see SECURITY.md), though this trades off response quality
+
+This limitation is real, and we want you to know about it upfront rather than feel dismissed mid-session.
+
+---
+
 ## FAQ
 
 **Can I use this with ChatGPT instead of Claude?**
@@ -245,6 +278,10 @@ Yes. Edit CLAUDE.md directly, or purchase expansion packs for additional modalit
 
 This tool is designed for everyday emotional support. If you're dealing with severe symptoms, trauma, or crisis situations, please seek professional help. The AI will also recommend this when appropriate.
 
+**Why does the AI seem evasive when I talk about trauma?**
+
+LLMs have safety guardrails that can make them awkward around certain topics (abuse, sexual trauma, self-harm, violence). This isn't the AI judging you — it's hitting built-in filters it can't override. See "Known Limitations" above for more detail and workarounds.
+
 ---
 
 ## Contributing

docs/GETTING-STARTED.md

@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+# Getting Started
+
+This guide is for people who have never used Claude Code or similar tools. If you've only used ChatGPT through the web, start here.
+
+## What is Claude Code?
+
+Claude Code is a terminal application that lets Claude read and write files on your computer. This is what makes persistent therapy sessions possible: your AI therapist can read your profile and past sessions, then save notes after each conversation.
+
+---
+
+## Step 1: Get Claude Code Access
+
+### Option A: Claude Pro Subscription (Simplest)
+
+If you have a **Claude Pro subscription** ($20/month), Claude Code is included:
+
+1. Go to [claude.ai](https://claude.ai) and sign up for Pro
+2. Download Claude Code from [claude.ai/code](https://claude.ai/code)
+3. Run the installer
+4. Open Terminal (Mac) or PowerShell (Windows) and type `claude`
+5. Sign in with your Claude account when prompted
+
+That's it. You're ready for Step 2.
+
+### Option B: API Key (Pay-per-use)
+
+If you want usage-based pricing instead of a subscription:
+
+1. Go to [console.anthropic.com](https://console.anthropic.com)
+2. Create an account and add a payment method
+3. Go to API Keys → Create new key
+4. Copy the key (starts with `sk-ant-`)
+5. Download Claude Code from [claude.ai/code](https://claude.ai/code)
+6. Run `claude` and paste your API key when prompted
+
+API pricing is usage-based. Typical therapy use: $5-20/month depending on session length and frequency.
+
+> **Privacy note:** Both options keep conversations off training data. API has shorter retention.
+
+---
+
+## Step 2: Download the Starter Kit
+
+Open Terminal (Mac) or PowerShell (Windows) and run:
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/ataglianetti/ai-therapy-kit.git
+cd ai-therapy-kit
+```
+
+**Don't have git?** Download the ZIP from the GitHub page and extract it somewhere you'll remember.
+
+---
+
+## Step 3: Run Setup
+
+**Mac/Linux:**
+```bash
+./setup.sh
+```
+
+**Windows:**
+```powershell
+.\setup.ps1
+```
+
+The script asks a few questions:
+- What to name your AI therapist
+- Communication style (warm, direct, or coach)
+- Which therapeutic approaches to use
+- Where to store your session files
+- Whether to encrypt (for shared computers)
+
+This creates your personalized therapy folder with a `CLAUDE.md` file that shapes how your AI therapist behaves.
+
+---
+
+## Step 4: Start a Session
+
+```bash
+cd ~/ai-therapy   # or wherever you chose to store files
+claude
+```
+
+Just talk. Say hello, share what's on your mind. Your AI therapist will:
+- Welcome you (first session) or pick up where you left off
+- Remember everything from previous sessions
+- Save notes when you're done
+
+To end a session, just say goodbye or close the terminal.
+
+---
+
+## Viewing Your Sessions (Optional)
+
+Your sessions are saved as plain text files. You can read them with any text editor, or use [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) (free) for a nicer experience:
+
+1. Download Obsidian
+2. Open your therapy folder as a "vault"
+3. Browse sessions, search across all notes, see connections
+
+---
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+**"command not found: claude"**
+- Make sure you installed Claude Code and restarted your terminal
+
+**Claude doesn't know it's a therapist**
+- Make sure you're in your therapy folder (`cd ~/ai-therapy`) before running `claude`
+- Check that `CLAUDE.md` exists in that folder
+
+**Setup script won't run (Mac)**
+- Run `chmod +x setup.sh` first, then try again
+
+---
+
+## Questions
+
+**How much does this cost?**
+- Claude Pro: $20/month (includes Claude Code)
+- API: ~$5-20/month depending on usage
+
+**Can I use ChatGPT instead?**
+- Yes. Copy the contents of `CLAUDE.md` into ChatGPT's Custom Instructions or a GPT Project. You won't get automatic session saving, but the therapeutic framework still works.
+
+**Is this private?**
+- Your files stay on your computer
+- Conversations go through Anthropic's servers but aren't used for training
+- For maximum privacy, use a local LLM (advanced)

setup.sh

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ prompt_choice() {
     local default="$2"
     local result
 
-    echo -ne "${prompt} [${default}]: "
+    echo -ne "${prompt} [${default}]: " >&2
     read -r result
     echo "${result:-$default}"
 }
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ prompt_yes_no() {
     local default="$2"
     local result
 
-    echo -ne "${prompt} [${default}]: "
+    echo -ne "${prompt} [${default}]: " >&2
     read -r result
     result="${result:-$default}"
     [[ "$result" =~ ^[Yy] ]]