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Add missing reference files and streamline documentation

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- Add missing modality files: lifespan-integration, somatic-experiencing, psychodynamic
- Add missing persona file: grounded-real
- Refactor docs to reduce overlap and clarify focus:
  - README: overview and why (removed install steps, links to other docs)
  - GETTING-STARTED: step-by-step setup only
  - SECURITY: privacy options with friendlier language
- Simplify language for non-technical audience
- Remove duplicate FAQ, crisis resources, and privacy explanations

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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Anthony Taglianetti
2026-02-01 21:27:44 -08:00
parent 301dfd3c1e
commit 783fd4a5ae
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SECURITY.md
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# Security Guide
# Privacy & Security Guide
This guide covers privacy and security options for your AI therapy data.
This guide explains your privacy options—from the basics to maximum protection.
**Quick summary:** Your files already stay on your computer. For most people, that's enough. If you share a computer or want extra protection, read on.
---
## Security Tiers
## Choose Your Level
| Tier | What It Does | Best For |
|------|--------------|----------|
| **Standard** | Local files, no sync | Most users |
| **Encrypted** | Password-protected folder | Shared computers, privacy-conscious |
| **Maximum** | Encrypted + local LLM | High-stakes privacy needs |
| Level | What It Means | Good For |
|-------|---------------|----------|
| **Standard** | Files on your computer, no extra steps | Most people on a personal computer |
| **Password-Protected** | Files locked behind a password | Shared computers, extra peace of mind |
| **Maximum** | Password + offline AI | When privacy is critical |
---
## Standard Security (Default)
## Standard (Default)
Your therapy files are stored locally in plain markdown. This is sufficient for most users on a personal computer.
Your therapy files are stored on your computer as regular text files. This is already more private than keeping notes in a cloud app.
**What's protected:**
- Files never leave your machine (unless you sync them)
- `.gitignore` excludes sensitive files from version control
- No telemetry or data collection
- Files never leave your computer (unless you sync them somewhere)
- No tracking or data collection by this toolkit
- You can delete everything by removing the folder
**What's not protected:**
- Anyone with access to your computer can read the files
- If your computer is compromised, files are exposed
- Cloud backups (iCloud, OneDrive) may sync the folder
**What to be aware of:**
- Anyone who uses your computer could open the files
- Cloud backup services (iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox) might sync the folder
**Recommendations:**
- Use your OS login password
- Enable full-disk encryption (FileVault on Mac, BitLocker on Windows)
- Exclude the therapy folder from cloud sync
**Simple steps to improve privacy:**
- Use a login password on your computer
- Turn on disk encryption (FileVault on Mac, BitLocker on Windows)—this protects everything if your computer is lost or stolen
- Don't put your therapy folder in a cloud-synced location
---
## Encrypted Storage
## Password-Protected Storage
For shared computers or heightened privacy needs.
If you share a computer or want extra protection, you can put your therapy files in a password-protected folder.
### macOS: Encrypted Disk Image
### Mac: Built-in Encryption
macOS includes built-in encryption. No additional software needed.
Macs have this built in—no extra software needed.
**During setup:** Select "Encrypted" when prompted for security level. The script creates an encrypted sparse bundle automatically.
**How it works:** Your therapy files go inside an encrypted "disk image." When you want to use them, you enter a password and the folder appears. When you're done, it locks back up.
**Manual setup:**
**To set up manually:**
```bash
# Create encrypted disk image (500MB, grows as needed)
hdiutil create -size 500m -encryption AES-256 -type SPARSEBUNDLE \
-fs "APFS" -volname "TherapyVault" ~/therapy-vault.sparsebundle
1. Open **Disk Utility** (search for it in Spotlight)
2. Click **File** → **New Image** → **Blank Image**
3. Name it something like "TherapyVault"
4. Size: 500 MB (it grows as needed)
5. Encryption: **256-bit AES**
6. Click Create and choose a password
# Mount (prompts for password)
hdiutil attach ~/therapy-vault.sparsebundle
**To use:**
1. Double-click the disk image file to open it (enter password)
2. Your files appear in a folder called TherapyVault
3. When done, right-click the folder in Finder and choose "Eject"
# Your files go in /Volumes/TherapyVault/
# Unmount when done
hdiutil detach /Volumes/TherapyVault
```
**Daily usage:**
1. Double-click `mount-therapy.command` on Desktop (created by setup)
2. Open Claude Code: `cd /Volumes/TherapyVault/ai-therapy && claude`
3. When done, double-click `unmount-therapy.command`
**Password recovery:** Not possible. If you forget your password, your data is gone. Use a password manager.
**Important:** If you forget your password, your files are gone forever. Use a password manager.
### Windows: VeraCrypt
VeraCrypt is free, open-source, and provides strong encryption.
Windows doesn't have built-in folder encryption, but VeraCrypt is free and works well.
**Install:** Download from [veracrypt.fr](https://veracrypt.fr)
**To set up:**
**Create encrypted container:**
1. Download VeraCrypt from [veracrypt.fr](https://veracrypt.fr)
2. Open VeraCrypt and click **Create Volume**
3. Choose **Create an encrypted file container**
4. Pick a location and size (500 MB is plenty)
5. Choose a strong password
6. Click Format to create it
**To use:**
1. Open VeraCrypt
2. Click **Create Volume**
3. Select **Create an encrypted file container**
4. Select **Standard VeraCrypt volume**
5. Choose location: `C:\Users\[you]\therapy-vault.hc`
6. Encryption: AES (default is fine)
7. Size: 500MB or more
8. Password: Choose a strong one
9. Format the volume
**Mount the volume:**
1. Open VeraCrypt
2. Select a drive letter (e.g., `T:`)
3. Click **Select File**, choose your `.hc` file
4. Click **Mount**, enter password
5. Your files go in `T:\ai-therapy\`
**Unmount when done:**
1. Select the mounted drive in VeraCrypt
2. Click **Dismount**
**Auto-mount script (optional):**
Create `mount-therapy.bat`:
```batch
@echo off
"C:\Program Files\VeraCrypt\VeraCrypt.exe" /v "%USERPROFILE%\therapy-vault.hc" /l T /a /q
echo Therapy vault mounted on T:
pause
```
2. Pick a drive letter (like T:)
3. Click **Select File** and choose your container
4. Click **Mount** and enter your password
5. Your files appear in the new drive letter
6. When done, click **Dismount**
---
## Maximum Privacy: Local LLM
## Maximum Privacy: Offline AI
For users who need data to never leave their machine.
For when you need your conversations to never leave your computer at all.
### Why Local?
### What This Means
Cloud LLMs (Claude, GPT) process your messages on remote servers. Even with good privacy policies, your words pass through their infrastructure.
When you use Claude or ChatGPT, your messages travel to their servers to be processed. Even with good privacy policies, your words pass through their systems.
Local LLMs run entirely on your computer. Nothing is transmitted.
With a "local" AI, everything runs on your computer. Nothing is transmitted anywhere.
### Trade-offs
### The Trade-off
| | Cloud LLM | Local LLM |
|---|-----------|-----------|
| **Privacy** | Subject to provider policies | Complete |
| **Quality** | State-of-the-art | Good, not quite as capable |
| **Speed** | Fast | Depends on hardware |
| **Hardware** | Any computer | 16GB+ RAM recommended |
| | Claude/ChatGPT | Local AI |
|---|----------------|----------|
| **Privacy** | Good (not used for training) | Complete (never leaves your computer) |
| **Quality** | Excellent | Good, but not as nuanced |
| **Speed** | Fast | Depends on your computer |
| **Requirements** | Any computer | Newer computer with 16GB+ RAM |
### Setup with Ollama
### Getting Started with Local AI
[Ollama](https://ollama.ai) is the easiest way to run local LLMs.
**Easiest option: LM Studio**
**Install:**
```bash
# macOS/Linux
curl -fsSL https://ollama.ai/install.sh | sh
# Windows: Download from ollama.ai
```
**Pull a capable model:**
```bash
# Good balance of quality and speed
ollama pull llama3.1:8b
# Better quality, needs more RAM (16GB+)
ollama pull llama3.1:70b
# Smaller, faster, less capable
ollama pull llama3.1:3b
```
**Use with your therapy setup:**
Option 1: Ollama's built-in chat
```bash
cd ~/ai-therapy
cat CLAUDE.md # Copy this as system prompt
ollama run llama3.1:8b
# Paste your CLAUDE.md content when prompted
```
Option 2: Use a local LLM frontend like [Open WebUI](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui)
**Limitations:**
- No automatic file reading (you may need to manually paste session context)
- Less capable than Claude/GPT for nuanced therapeutic responses
- Slower on modest hardware
### Setup with LM Studio
[LM Studio](https://lmstudio.ai) provides a GUI for running local models.
[LM Studio](https://lmstudio.ai) gives you a simple app for running AI locally.
1. Download from lmstudio.ai
2. Search for and download a model (Llama 3.1, Mistral, etc.)
2. Search for and download a model (try "Llama 3" or "Mistral")
3. Load the model
4. Paste your CLAUDE.md as system prompt
4. Paste your CLAUDE.md contents as the system prompt
5. Chat locally
---
**More technical option: Ollama**
## API Privacy Comparison
[Ollama](https://ollama.ai) runs from the command line and offers more control.
If using cloud LLMs, understand their policies:
1. Download from ollama.ai
2. Open Terminal and run: `ollama pull llama3.1:8b`
3. Start chatting: `ollama run llama3.1:8b`
4. Paste your CLAUDE.md content when prompted
### Claude API (Anthropic)
### Limitations of Local AI
- **Training:** Data not used for training by default
- **Retention:** Prompts retained for 30 days for trust & safety, then deleted
- **Policy:** [anthropic.com/privacy](https://www.anthropic.com/privacy)
### OpenAI API
- **Training:** API data not used for training by default (since March 2023)
- **Retention:** Data retained for 30 days for abuse monitoring
- **Policy:** [openai.com/policies/privacy-policy](https://openai.com/policies/privacy-policy)
### Key Difference from Consumer Products
API access (what Claude Code uses) has different policies than consumer chat interfaces:
- Consumer ChatGPT may use data for training (unless opted out)
- API access typically does not
- Less capable than Claude or ChatGPT for nuanced therapeutic conversations
- No automatic file reading (you may need to paste context manually)
- Requires a reasonably powerful computer
- Setup is more hands-on
---
## Excluding from Cloud Sync
## Understanding Cloud AI Privacy
If you use iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, or similar, exclude your therapy folder:
When you use Claude or ChatGPT through their regular websites, your conversations may be used to improve their AI (unless you opt out).
### iCloud (macOS)
**Claude Code and API access are different.** When you use Claude Code (what this toolkit uses), your conversations:
- Are **not** used to train the AI
- Are kept for about 30 days for safety monitoring, then deleted
- Are handled under stricter privacy policies
Don't store therapy files in `~/Documents` or `~/Desktop` if they sync to iCloud.
This is true for both Claude (Anthropic) and ChatGPT (OpenAI) when using their APIs.
**Recommended locations:**
- `~/ai-therapy` (outside synced folders)
- Encrypted disk image anywhere (iCloud can't read encrypted content)
### OneDrive (Windows)
Right-click the therapy folder → **Free up space** or move outside OneDrive folder.
**Recommended locations:**
- `C:\Users\[you]\ai-therapy` (not in OneDrive folder)
- Encrypted VeraCrypt container
### General Rule
Store therapy files outside any cloud-synced folder, or use encryption.
**Bottom line:** Using Claude Code is more private than chatting on claude.ai or chatgpt.com directly.
---
## Backup Recommendations
## Avoiding Cloud Sync
Even private data needs backup. Options:
If you use iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive, be careful where you put your therapy folder.
### Encrypted Backup
**The issue:** These services automatically upload files to the cloud. Your therapy notes could end up on their servers without you realizing it.
1. Keep your encrypted container/disk image in a backed-up location
2. The backup is useless without your password
3. Consider a separate backup of the password in a password manager
**Simple fix:** Put your therapy folder somewhere that doesn't sync.
### Manual Export
**Mac:** Avoid putting it in Documents or Desktop if they sync to iCloud. Instead, create a folder directly in your home folder (like `~/Sage`).
Periodically copy your therapy folder to an encrypted USB drive stored securely.
**Windows:** Avoid the OneDrive folder. Create your therapy folder directly in `C:\Users\YourName\` instead.
### What NOT to Do
- Don't backup unencrypted therapy files to cloud services
- Don't email yourself session notes
- Don't store passwords in plain text alongside encrypted files
**Or:** Use password-protected storage (see above). Even if the encrypted file syncs, no one can read it without your password.
---
## Threat Model
## Backing Up Safely
Consider what you're protecting against:
Your therapy notes are valuable. Here's how to back them up without compromising privacy:
| Threat | Mitigation |
|--------|------------|
| Casual snooping (family, roommate) | Encryption |
| Device theft | Full-disk encryption + container encryption |
| Cloud provider access | Local storage, no sync |
| LLM provider access | Local LLM |
| Legal subpoena | Consult a lawyer; encryption helps but has limits |
| Sophisticated attacker | Beyond scope; seek professional security advice |
**If using password protection:**
Your encrypted container can be backed up anywhere (even cloud storage). Without your password, it's unreadable.
For most users, encrypted local storage with a cloud LLM provides excellent privacy.
**If not using password protection:**
- Back up to an encrypted USB drive you keep somewhere safe
- Don't email session notes to yourself
- Don't back up to cloud services without encryption
**Important:** Store your encryption password in a password manager, not in a file next to your therapy folder.
---
## Security Checklist
## Quick Privacy Checklist
**Minimum (everyone):**
- [ ] Store therapy files locally, not in cloud-synced folders
- [ ] Use your OS login password
- [ ] Enable full-disk encryption (FileVault/BitLocker)
**Basics (everyone should do these):**
- [ ] Put therapy folder outside cloud-synced locations
- [ ] Use a login password on your computer
- [ ] Turn on disk encryption (protects if your computer is lost/stolen)
- Mac: System Settings → Privacy & Security → FileVault
- Windows: Search "BitLocker" in Settings
**Recommended (shared computer or privacy-conscious):**
- [ ] Use encrypted container (built into setup)
- [ ] Unmount encrypted volume when not in use
- [ ] Use a password manager for your encryption password
**For shared computers:**
- [ ] Use password-protected storage (see above)
- [ ] Lock the folder when not in use
- [ ] Store your password in a password manager
**Maximum (high-stakes privacy):**
**For maximum privacy:**
- [ ] All of the above
- [ ] Use local LLM (Ollama, LM Studio)
- [ ] Air-gapped computer for sessions (extreme)
- [ ] Use a local AI instead of Claude/ChatGPT
---
*Questions about security? Open an issue on GitHub.*
*Questions? Open an issue on [GitHub](https://github.com/ataglianetti/ai-therapy-kit/issues).*