Anthony Taglianetti
142 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
142 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
# 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
|
|
|
|
From the ai-therapy-kit folder, run:
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
claude
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Claude will walk you through setup conversationally:
|
|
- What to name your AI therapist
|
|
- Communication style (warm, direct, coach, or grounded)
|
|
- Which therapeutic approaches to use
|
|
- Where to store your session files
|
|
- Whether to import existing notes (optional)
|
|
|
|
**Importing existing notes:** If you've been using ChatGPT or another tool for therapy, you can import that history. Claude accepts:
|
|
- ChatGPT exports (Settings → Data Controls → Export gives you a ZIP file)
|
|
- Markdown or text files
|
|
- PDFs
|
|
|
|
Your AI therapist will read these to understand your background and update your profile automatically.
|
|
|
|
This creates your personalized therapy folder with a `CLAUDE.md` file that shapes how your AI therapist behaves.
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
## Step 4: Start a Session
|
|
|
|
At the end of setup, Claude will ask if you want to start your first session right away. Say yes!
|
|
|
|
For future sessions, you have two options:
|
|
|
|
**Option A: Launcher script (easiest)**
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
**Option B: Terminal**
|
|
```bash
|
|
cd ~/sage && claude # replace with your folder name
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
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 didn't start**
|
|
- Make sure you're in the `ai-therapy-kit` folder when running `claude`
|
|
- Check that `CLAUDE.md` exists in the repo
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
## 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)
|