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.

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.

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)

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, organized into named sections so it stays readable over time
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.

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

Privacy

Your files stay on your computer. Session notes, your profile, and therapeutic framework components are never uploaded anywhere by this toolkit.

Your conversations do pass through AI servers. When you chat, your messages are sent to whichever AI provider you're using (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, etc.) for processing. This is how all AI tools work, including ChatGPT and Claude.ai.

The difference is what happens after:

Platform	Data Retention	Used for Training?
Claude Code (API key)	7 days, then deleted	No
Claude Code (Pro/Max plan)	30 days (up to 5 years if you opt into training)	Only if you opt in
Claude.ai	30 days (up to 5 years if you opt into training)	Only if you opt in
ChatGPT	Indefinitely unless you delete	Only if you opt in
Local models	Never leaves your machine	No

API access (what Claude Code and similar tools use) is meaningfully more private than consumer chat apps. Your conversations aren't stored long-term and aren't used to train models.

For full details, see Anthropic's privacy policy and OpenAI's data retention policy.

Want even more privacy? See SECURITY.md for:

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

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

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.

Contributing

Issues and PRs welcome. See CONTRIBUTING.md.

Areas of interest:

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

License

MIT License. See LICENSE.

Support

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

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.

Take care of yourself. 💚