Inner Dialogue

A private, persistent AI therapist that lives on your computer.

Your sessions stay local. Your AI remembers everything. Works with Claude, GPT, or any AI.

View the website | Get Started | Changelog

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Why This Exists

If you've used ChatGPT or Claude for emotional support, you've probably hit these problems:

• Sessions disappear. Start a new chat, lose all context.
• Privacy concerns. Your deepest thoughts on someone else's servers.
• Platform lock-in. Build a relationship with one AI, then it changes or goes away.
• Inconsistent quality. Sometimes helpful, sometimes generic.

This toolkit solves all of them.

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What You Get

Your AI remembers — Sessions and insights accumulate in files on your computer. Your AI therapist remembers everything, forever.

Real privacy — All files stay on your machine. Optional password protection for shared computers.

Portable — Works with Claude, ChatGPT, or any AI that can read files. Switch anytime without losing your history.

Evidence-based — Built-in therapeutic approaches (CBT, ACT, DBT, and more). Real frameworks, not just conversation.

Customizable — Choose your therapist's name and communication style. Make it yours.

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Get Started

Ready to set up your AI therapist? See the Getting Started Guide for step-by-step instructions.

Setup takes about 10 minutes and requires:

• A computer (Mac or Windows)
• Claude Code (included with Claude Pro, or pay-per-use)

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Features

Communication Styles

During setup, you choose how your AI therapist communicates:

Style	Description
Warm 4o-Style	Like a good friend who asks insightful questions
Direct & Challenging	Will push back, asks probing questions
Warm & Supportive	Gentle, validating, and nurturing
Coach	Action-oriented, goal-focused, accountability
Grounded & Real	Down-to-earth, honest, uses humor
Contemplative & Spacious	Calm, unhurried, invites awareness over analysis
Philosophical & Existential	Meaning-focused, engages with deeper questions warmly
Creative & Playful	Metaphor-driven, imaginative, uses storytelling

Therapeutic Approaches

Your AI therapist uses evidence-based approaches — choose any combination during setup:

Approach	Description
CBT	Identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns
ACT	Values-based action, mindful acceptance
CFT	Self-compassion, shame work, emotion system rebalancing
DBT Skills	Emotional regulation, distress tolerance
IFS	Parts work, Self-leadership, internal system mapping
Lifespan Integration	Body-based trauma integration
Motivational Interviewing	Ambivalence exploration, change talk, autonomy
Narrative Therapy	Externalization, re-authoring, preferred stories
Polyvagal-Informed Work	Nervous system states, safety, vagal toning
Psychodynamic	Understanding patterns from the past
SFBT	Solution-focused, strengths-based, future-oriented
Somatic Experiencing	Nervous system awareness and regulation

How Sessions Work

Your AI therapist:

• Remembers everything from previous sessions
• Takes notes at the end of each conversation
• Updates your profile as new insights emerge
• Follows up on anything you committed to try

Your Files

Everything is stored as simple text files you can read anytime:

your-therapist-folder/
├── CLAUDE.md           # Your therapist's personality
├── profile.md          # Your ongoing profile
├── sessions/           # Session notes (YYYY-MM-DD.md)
│   └── ...
└── .therapy/           # Framework components (auto-updated)
    ├── version.json
    ├── safety-protocol.md
    ├── commands.md         # Customization commands
    ├── persona.md
    ├── session-structure.md
    ├── modalities/         # Your active modalities
    │   ├── cbt.md
    │   └── ...
    └── library/            # All available options
        ├── personas/
        ├── modalities/
        └── structures/

The .therapy/ folder contains the therapeutic framework—safety protocols, modalities, and session structure. These can be updated independently without touching your personal data.

No special software needed to view your own notes.

Importing Existing History

You can bring in notes from ChatGPT, journals, or other AI conversations during setup. Your therapist extracts key patterns into your profile and converts conversations into session history.

For details, see Importing Existing Notes in the Getting Started guide.

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Safety & Limitations

This tool is for self-reflection and emotional support. It is not a replacement for professional mental health care.

Your AI therapist:

• Cannot diagnose mental health conditions
• Cannot prescribe or advise on medication
• Will connect you to crisis resources if needed
• Will recommend professional help when appropriate

If you're in crisis:

• 988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text, US)
• 741741 — Crisis Text Line (text HOME)
• 911 — Immediate emergencies
• findahelpline.com — International

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Privacy

All your files stay on your computer. Nothing is uploaded by this toolkit.

When you chat, your messages go through the AI provider you're using (Claude or ChatGPT). Their privacy policies apply, but API access is more private than their consumer chat apps—your conversations aren't used to train their models.

Want more privacy options? See SECURITY.md for:

• Password-protected folders
• Running a fully local AI (nothing leaves your computer)

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Known Limitations

AI Safety Filters

All major AIs (Claude, ChatGPT) have built-in safety filters that can affect therapy conversations:

Topics where the AI may seem hesitant:

• Sexual trauma and assault
• Abuse (especially detailed descriptions)
• Self-harm specifics
• Violent experiences

What this looks like:

• Generic responses instead of engaging deeply
• Redirecting the conversation
• Extra disclaimers or suggestions to seek professional help

This is not the AI judging you. It's hitting automatic filters it can't control.

What helps:

• Focus on feelings and impact rather than graphic details
• Rephrase: "I want to process how this affected me emotionally"
• Know that some trauma processing needs a human therapist who can hold space for the full story

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FAQ

Can I use ChatGPT instead of Claude? Yes. Copy the contents of your CLAUDE.md file into ChatGPT's Custom Instructions or create a GPT with it. You won't get automatic session saving, but the therapeutic framework works the same.

What if I'm already seeing a therapist? This tool works well as a supplement between sessions. Consider mentioning it to your therapist.

Can I customize my AI therapist? Yes. You can edit the CLAUDE.md file directly to adjust the approach, style, or focus areas.

How do I get updates? Just say "update my therapist" or "check for updates" during a session. Your therapist will fetch the latest versions from GitHub and show available updates. Your personal data (profile, sessions) is never touched.

What if I need more than self-reflection? This is designed for everyday emotional support. For severe symptoms, trauma, or crisis situations, please work with a professional. Your AI therapist will also suggest this when appropriate.

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Contributing

Issues and PRs welcome. See CONTRIBUTING.md.

Areas of interest:

• Additional modalities (with clinical grounding)
• Improved crisis detection
• Local LLM integration guides
• Translations

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License

MIT License. See LICENSE.

Support

This is a free, open-source project. If you find it helpful, consider supporting continued development:

• Buy me a coffee
• Sponsor on GitHub

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Acknowledgments

Built with inspiration from the r/therapyGPT community and their creative workarounds for AI therapy persistence.

This project incorporates principles from evidence-based therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

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Take care of yourself. 💚