Anthony Taglianetti
0d60229b57
- Offer to create double-clickable launcher script after setup - Allow starting first session immediately without exiting - Update GETTING-STARTED.md for conversational setup - Remove outdated bash/PowerShell script references Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
134 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
134 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
# Getting Started
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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.
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## What is Claude Code?
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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.
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---
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## Step 1: Get Claude Code Access
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### Option A: Claude Pro Subscription (Simplest)
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If you have a **Claude Pro subscription** ($20/month), Claude Code is included:
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1. Go to [claude.ai](https://claude.ai) and sign up for Pro
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2. Download Claude Code from [claude.ai/code](https://claude.ai/code)
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3. Run the installer
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4. Open Terminal (Mac) or PowerShell (Windows) and type `claude`
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5. Sign in with your Claude account when prompted
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That's it. You're ready for Step 2.
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### Option B: API Key (Pay-per-use)
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If you want usage-based pricing instead of a subscription:
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1. Go to [console.anthropic.com](https://console.anthropic.com)
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2. Create an account and add a payment method
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3. Go to API Keys → Create new key
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4. Copy the key (starts with `sk-ant-`)
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5. Download Claude Code from [claude.ai/code](https://claude.ai/code)
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6. Run `claude` and paste your API key when prompted
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API pricing is usage-based. Typical therapy use: $5-20/month depending on session length and frequency.
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> **Privacy note:** Both options keep conversations off training data. API has shorter retention.
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---
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## Step 2: Download the Starter Kit
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Open Terminal (Mac) or PowerShell (Windows) and run:
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```bash
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git clone https://github.com/ataglianetti/ai-therapy-kit.git
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cd ai-therapy-kit
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```
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**Don't have git?** Download the ZIP from the GitHub page and extract it somewhere you'll remember.
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---
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## Step 3: Run Setup
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From the ai-therapy-kit folder, run:
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```bash
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claude
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```
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Claude will walk you through setup conversationally:
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- What to name your AI therapist
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- Communication style (warm, direct, coach, or grounded)
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- Which therapeutic approaches to use
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- Where to store your session files
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This creates your personalized therapy folder with a `CLAUDE.md` file that shapes how your AI therapist behaves.
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---
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## Step 4: Start a Session
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At the end of setup, Claude will ask if you want to start your first session right away. Say yes!
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For future sessions, you have two options:
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**Option A: Launcher script (easiest)**
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If you chose to create a launcher during setup, just double-click `start-session.command` (Mac/Linux) or `start-session.bat` (Windows) in your therapy folder. You can drag this to your Dock or taskbar for quick access.
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**Option B: Terminal**
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```bash
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cd ~/sage && claude # replace with your folder name
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```
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Just talk. Say hello, share what's on your mind. Your AI therapist will:
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- Welcome you (first session) or pick up where you left off
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- Remember everything from previous sessions
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- Save notes when you're done
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To end a session, just say goodbye or close the terminal.
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---
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## Viewing Your Sessions (Optional)
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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:
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1. Download Obsidian
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2. Open your therapy folder as a "vault"
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3. Browse sessions, search across all notes, see connections
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---
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## Troubleshooting
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**"command not found: claude"**
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- Make sure you installed Claude Code and restarted your terminal
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**Claude doesn't know it's a therapist**
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- Make sure you're in your therapy folder (`cd ~/ai-therapy`) before running `claude`
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- Check that `CLAUDE.md` exists in that folder
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**Setup didn't start**
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- Make sure you're in the `ai-therapy-kit` folder when running `claude`
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- Check that `CLAUDE.md` exists in the repo
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---
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## Questions
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**How much does this cost?**
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- Claude Pro: $20/month (includes Claude Code)
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- API: ~$5-20/month depending on usage
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**Can I use ChatGPT instead?**
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- 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.
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**Is this private?**
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- Your files stay on your computer
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- Conversations go through Anthropic's servers but aren't used for training
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- For maximum privacy, use a local LLM (advanced)
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