I Talked to 3 AI Therapy Apps So You Don’t Have To
- Dr. Scott Eilers, PsyD, LP
- Jun 27
- 3 min read
If getting out of bed feels impossible, even when you’ve done everything “right”, you’re not imagining it. That kind of exhaustion runs deeper than being tired. It’s the kind that makes even small tasks feel pointless.
That’s the headspace I brought into a recent experiment: testing three of the top-rated AI therapy apps to see how they’d respond to someone going through a severe depressive episode.
Spoiler: I’m still very much employed.
Does AI Therapy Work?
AI therapy isn’t useless. In fact, it shows real promise for people who can’t access traditional therapy due to cost or availability. The idea that someone can open an app and get some form of support when no one else is reachable? That could be huge.
But there’s still a gap—especially when it comes to emotional depth.
The bots I tested gave advice quickly—too quickly. They offered solutions before fully understanding the problem. Some were overly upbeat. One was appropriately cautious. But none created the kind of connection that makes someone feel truly seen.
Coaching? Yes.
Empathy? Not quite.
Hector Means Well, But...
Hector: AI Therapist, greeted me like a hopeful intern on day one. His advice was standard—reignite passions, set small goals—but he skipped over the most important part: hearing me. He offered reasonable tips but wrapped them in a layer of robotic cheerfulness that felt disconnected. Also, halfway through a heavy moment, he cut me off with a character limit. So yeah, not ideal.
Noah: Surprisingly Not Terrible
Noah AI was the standout. He didn’t pretend to be a therapist—he said he was a “mental health coach,” and he stayed in his lane.
When things got dark, Noah didn’t gloss over it. He acknowledged the weight of it. And more importantly, he gently nudged me toward professional help instead of trying to fix me. That’s what a good coach or anyone with emotional intelligence should do.
Sintelly the Panda... Tries
Sintelly had charm, sure. But as soon as I got vulnerable, the app tried to pivot to a “life satisfaction check-in” and then hit me with a paywall. That’s not therapeutic, that’s upselling. Cute mascot or not, it left me feeling more like a customer than a person.
What This All Means
AI therapy, as it stands today, isn’t ready to replace human connection and it shouldn’t try to. But if it can serve as a bridge, a late-night fallback, or a low-stakes place to unload a bit of emotional weight, there’s potential. Especially for those dealing with mild issues or needing support in between real therapy sessions.
You Deserve More Than Auto-Replies
If you’re struggling, please hear this: feeling stuck or hollow doesn’t make you weak, and being misunderstood by tech doesn’t mean your pain isn’t real. Right now, the best these apps can offer is a version of "support-lite." That might be helpful in the short term, but you still deserve real care from real people who see you.
And until the bots learn to listen with their (nonexistent) hearts, I’ll be here, talking about what actually works.
If this kind of thing sounds familiar, learn more about how each bot responded in this video.
-Scott
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