CBT without a Therapist: Helpy vs Menthra Compass

CBT without a Therapist: Helpy is a self-help platform centered on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), with materials drawing on DBT and ACT. Its thought journal helps users distinguish facts from assumptions, identify cognitive distortions, and assess how well thoughts fit reality. Helpy’s AI assistant asks clarifying questions and may suggest a thought record, grounding, or breathing practice. The service offers audio and written exercises, along with screening questionnaires for anxiety, mood, sleep, and burnout; results are not diagnoses. An anxiety program is available, with its first module free, while other programs are described as forthcoming. Helpy runs on Android, iOS, and the web. The free plan includes unlimited journal use, limited AI chat replies, the full exercise library with audio, and the first module of every course. Full Access costs $29.00 USD as a one-time payment and includes unlimited conversations and journal entry analysis. Optional end-to-end encryption is off by default. When users request an entry review, its text is decrypted on their side and sent to the AI. Helpy is not medical care, therapy, or a substitute for professional care.

Menthra Compass is a web-based emotional wellbeing platform for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. Its AI companions are available 24/7 and support conversations about anxiety, bullying, academic pressure, identity, and family stress, with age-appropriate conversations for K-12 users. The published crisis process sends Level 2 and Level 3 interactions to a human counselor within 10 minutes during school hours, with on-call escalation overnight. Counselors receive crisis alerts, aggregate wellness insights, and session context. Education integrations include district SSO/LMS, LMS/SIS integration for Growth, and API integration for Enterprise. University offerings list six companion styles, multilingual support, anonymous routine use, and SSO. Menthra says conversations are encrypted in transit and at rest, stored in the United States, and not sold; education data belongs to the institution. The platform is designed to support FERPA and COPPA workflows, including parental consent for users under 13.