CBT without a Therapist: Helpy vs Noa by Anshap

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.

Noa by Anshap is a mental-wellbeing assistant that uses AI to listen and provide support, built by psychologists and grounded in evidence-based approaches such as CBT. It can connect users with matched, credential-verified specialists; the first consultation is free. The maker says conversations are end-to-end encrypted and personal data is not sold, shared, or used for advertising. Psychologist-hosted Circles are one-hour, audio-only group sessions where participants can listen or type without using their real names. Live channels include WhatsApp, iOS, and Android, while Microsoft Teams is in pilot. For organisations, Noa supports configurable handoffs to EAP providers, internal counselling teams, and Anshap's specialist network, along with region-aware routing to iCALL, Vandrevala, and AASRA crisis hotlines. Live reporting includes a web leadership dashboard, PDF cohort reports, and CSV/API exports of aggregated cohort metrics. Exported reports are cohort-level and anonymised at source. Anshap describes an eight-week organisational pilot with no commitment, designed with the organisation.