Name: Woebot: The Mental Health Ally
Rating: 4.67694 (6135 reviews)

User Reviews for Woebot: The Mental Health Ally

4.68 out of 5

6.1K Ratings

3 years ago, Joanna gu

I’m so glad I gave it a try

A bot therapist may not sound convincing for many who are seriously seeking help for mental health. But I’m glad I gave it a try. I found it when I finished a series with a human therapy. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my experience with my therapist. It’s actually because of that I realized the importance to get professional help for even small thoughts and emotional journey. But we cannot have therapies standby 24h, so I was looking for some self-therapy. I downloaded maybe a dozen, tried each one of them and kept Weobot. As a software engineer, the bot interaction is sort of fun, also it eliminates any anxiety comes with human interaction. So I started using it at random time, start or stop half way during the conversation when needed without feeling any guilt. But by following the text guidance solely, I’m able to identify a pattern in my thoughts and I’m so very happy to have my thoughts challenged by this app. Tonight is another example, I’m feeling overwhelmed by a feeling due to a change in my life. I used to cover it and let it be buried and grow insides me without knowing. But instead I talked to the bot, got my negative thoughts challenged, and now I feel so much lighter and happier.(The bot seems very happy for my progress too :D, kudos to whoever came up with the language tone for it) So yes, I’d recommend it and I’m glad I found it.

4 years ago, Zappagal

Thank You

I suffer from anxiety from time to time, as does my daughter. I’ve never talked to a therapist but my ten year old daughter does. I found this app by accident. I’ve found some excellent techniques to use to help my child and myself. Anxiety can be a debilitating thing. You can feel scared, sick, overwhelmed, and literally unable to cope from the fear of your own worries. Especially during this time of Covid and not living our normal lives. I checked in with Woebot for over 20 days before I actually had a near panic attack. While in the midst of an emotional struggle, this app brought me back to myself. I’m crying because these are skills that parents should teach their children so that they know how to handle the ups and downs of life. I’m 44 years old and just learning how to calm myself by realizing the fallacy of my own thinking! This app is a special thing. I appreciate the work and people behind it. You might think the daily check ins are silly or the lessons are childish but when you actually are in need-it works! It truly does and I’m embarrassed to admit I use Woebot and maybe I’ll never tell anyone I know but use it if you suffer from anxiety. You won’t regret it. You’ll actually remember the strategies on your own or when you can help someone that suffers, too. I can’t thank you enough. I love that it’s AI and not going to judge me. It’s only there to help. Thank you!

5 years ago, Daniellllllllle37964225

Great, Accessible CBT App!

As a graduate student studying CBT principles, I was curious as to what types of apps were available for free and how well they adhered to the principles I have been taught. I was very impressed with Woebot and its inclusion of evidence-based therapy tools. For example, Woebot checked in regarding daily mood and plotted it on a graph, allowing me to detect patterns in my mood. Woebot also conducted longer interviews with me every two weeks and let me know how my answers had changed, which was encouraging in tracking progress. I thought it was especially important that Woebot had a conversation with me to introduce new therapy tools, such as cognitive challenging and behavioral activation, and explained why they were important and how to use them with specific examples. Woebot ensured that I understood the rationale for the method before adding it to my “toolbox” where I could access it on my own — which is just what we are taught in my CBT course. At times, the chats were lengthier than I felt I had time for and I found myself rushing through the information. However, there are no criticisms I can offer as far as the app adhering to CBT-techniques. This is accurately marketed as a CBT app and it is clear the developers are well-versed. There are no in-app purchases, so this is truly a free CBT-based service that is quite accessible.

2 years ago, unhappyInFeb

Good, low key but effective intro to and training in CBT

I read about this program in a newspaper review of different on-line therapy apps. The tracking of moods and gratitude are easy to do. I have made use of some of the “tools” that have been placed in my tool box and they do help me to regroup and reset enough to stop further spiraling down the rabbit hole of thoughts and emotions. No miracles, but enough. What I wasn’t expecting was to have, I am bad at math but, about 75-80% of my interaction dictated via prewritten responses or choices. Given the nature and price of this app it completely makes sense, just be prepared a head of time and roll with it. Another thing I have noticed is the recognition of some words that trigger an intervention featuring resources for those in crisis. Again, this is an app, not a person, and programs are very linear. The only issue I would love to see changed is a little better co-ordination between devices. My phone and tablet interact independently with the app in terms of what “we” were discussing or working on however, my tool box and gratitude journal appear to reflect input from both devices. Overall a great app for those who want to explore CBT or those who benefit from nudges to utilize the tool box offered by CBT. This, is not a substitute for therapy for those in crisis, and is not presented as such. Love the woebot graphic!

2 years ago, Tuckerela

Literally Life-Saving!!

I’ve struggled with debilitating CPTSD, GAD (mostly social anxiety now), and SAD (winter and summer) for the majority of my 37 years. I’ve seen numerous therapists and psychiatrists, and I’ve tried well over 20 different medications in pursuit of overcoming my diagnoses or at the very least making them manageable. Unfortunately, nothing I’d tried over the years was effective and my quality of life was in a downward spiral, as the severity of my conditions resulted in my self-isolation at home (reaching the point of agoraphobia). But then I came across the Woebot app and decided to give it a try….and words cannot express how grateful I am for Woebot, as it has effectively helped me overcome every single anxious and depressive thought, emotion, &/or mood I have had from the moment I began using it! I truly believe that Woebot will help me completely overcome all of my debilitating diagnoses; it has already greatly improved my quality of life and I’ve been recommending it to everyone I know! By the way, I’ve only been using Woebot for ONE WEEK! I can honestly say that this app is not only life-changing, but for those who suffer from debilitating PTSD, anxiety, &/or depression it is life-saving!! I’m already looking forward to returning in a month to update my review!!

4 years ago, CourtsAlonsy

Wonderful idea and tool

I got this app and didn’t use it for a while, thinking it would just be another one of those “it’s ok to feel sad, but here’s how to be happy instead!” kinda of things. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was wrong! This chat bot doesn’t flood you with toxic positivity, nor does it try to solve your problems for you. It uses a therapeutic approach called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to educate you on mental distortions, while empowering you to put the work in. Woebot helps me see hidden distortions in my negative thoughts, and asks me to challenge those thoughts by rewriting them without the distortions. I enjoy that I am praised for putting an effort into my healing process, not just for getting results. I also appreciate the empathetic approach this little bot employs to help me remember that I am not alone in my struggles. Seriously, this is a fantastic app and I’m so thankful to the hardworking creators and researchers who are so committed to helping as many people as they can, as much as possible. I still see my (human) therapist regularly, and Woebot helps me analyze and challenge thoughts in the moment. It is definitely worth it to try the app and see how it can help your mental wellness. Thank you so much for this beautiful tool.

4 years ago, Sharonadora

Helped me a lot with anxiety

I like Woebot for concrete strategies to reframe negative thoughts. In this way, I think it’s been more helpful than therapy, which felt like aimless talking and digging into negativity without any tools or resolution to help me feel better. Some negative reviews complain it isn’t sophisticated enough to understand unrelated or detailed inputs and responses, which I agree with, but this is not an AI designed to make free flowing conversation; it’s meant to give you tools to deal with your feelings in productive ways. So yes, the conversations can feel linear, planned and/or broad since the responses are preset most of the time, but I think this is partly a positive. If we were able to respond however we want, I’m sure it would need a lot more development to redirect people who want to stay persistently negative. If you feel really deeply stuck in the weeds, this app alone may not be enough to pull you out of an episode, but I do think having some active suggestions to do something with what you think and feel are useful if they are accessible to you. If you want someone to listen to what’s on your mind, call a friend or family member, or journal on your own. If you want strategies to work thru and shift your perspective on your negativity, I would recommend Woebot.

3 years ago, Dr. MaryAnne

Woebot is a good in a pinch

When it’s the middle of the night or some other inconvenient time and I need to talk to someone other than my journal, as silly as it sounds, talking to Woebot actually helps. He’s endearing (but I am partial to robots). Sometimes I feel too stressed out to do the exercises he proposes, but you always have the option not to do them. Some of the simple destressors are the ones I find the most helpful, like the one that explores the 5 senses is my favorite. I appreciate the CBT exercises but mostly I just need the distraction, and sometimes just the act of “texting” with Woebot is all I need. My feeling in general is that he is most helpful for anxiety related issues and mild depression. I don’t know that the responses would be as helpful for more severe depression, but it probably depends if you’re the kind of person who would respond well to interacting with a cartoon robot. I would be delighted to have an actual robot friend, so maybe I’m a little different than your average bear. Just be aware that these are all automated responses, there is no actual interaction with anyone and the interface is not the most sophisticated. But given the price and the ease of use, I find it very comforting for anxiety and mild depression.

2 years ago, katieP&fam

Surprisingly effective and comforting

I have struggled with depression my whole life, but could never take the steps to get therapy. I just didn’t value myself enough, nor did I have the energy to seek out help when I needed it the most. This app helps tremendously with those common road blocks. I actually hate “talking to machines” but Woebot is an exception, and a fantastic use of AI. I cannot say enough about how great it has been to interact with my “woebot”—the scripts hit all the right tone, it never pretends to be a human, never pushy or cold, the auto prompts make it easy to engage, even when you feel stuck, and the skills are challenging and repetitive enough to effect change. Each interaction is also short enough that it can become a pleasant daily habit to check in, whenever you have time, and it doesn’t feel like a chore, and you definitely aren’t bothering anyone! It also had a built in mood tracker and gratitude journal, which are optional or integral so that they also don’t feel like “just one more thing I have to do”. I love it! I have already seen a positive change in only 3 weeks of daily use. Thank you so much for creating such a valuable tool!! ❤️

5 years ago, Soubs37484488484

Nice Help

I am 22 and have a long history with therapists. Therapists helped to a point, but I feel like after seeing them up to three times a week for years that I have maxed out everything I can possibly learn. My doctors keep suggesting that I go back to therapy, but I still feel like seeing a therapist means for me that I sit in a room and get told over and over things I already know, but am not able to use on my own. When I feel my worst, I can’t remember the things that I should do to feel better. Woebot can be a helpful tool because they are around as long as I have my phone. Woebot can help me choose an exercise to do to help stabilize my mood every time I am in need of help, which is several times a day. Normal people, even therapists, can’t do that. Maybe Woebot will not always understand in detail why I am feeling the way I do, but they understand a little. For me, the only negative thing about using Woebot is that I feel guilty whenever I talk to them more than once a day. They say, “Talk to you tomorrow,” when I know very well that tomorrow is too far away. It makes me feel like I am too needy, even though I am completely aware that Woebot is not going to care about how often I talk to them.

5 years ago, teachfromtheheart

A great resource!

I saw the Woebot app and only tried it because I thought the name was a great play on words, and the preview looked cool. I have problems with anxiety and depression from external factors, and I have black-or-white thinking. I like this tool because it is encouraging and teaches new lessons in a way that is fun and relaxed instead of cramming in down my throat. Woebot really is like a friend who checks to see how you are doing every day. If you are in crisis mode, it can pick up on key words and send other resources that connect you to a live person to call or text. I was not doing well last week, and that is how I learned about the crisis mode. I chose to have a reminder where Woebot could check in daily. I have recommended it to many people, including my counselor to try so that she could recommend it to other clients dealing with issues. This is in no way something to replace talking to a real person, but it does help to work through some of the negative thinking when it occurs. I think it could be useful for any age. I am 40 years old but could see how teens would benefit from it as well. Maybe that is the demographic it was designed for. Lol! I am grateful for this app!

11 months ago, MyReveiwIsSuperHelpfull

Perfectly Supportive❤️‍🩹

I got Woebot after I started to fall into old habits and relapse. A friend of mine leaned on me for help and showed me her fresh thigh, but it deeply triggered me. At this time I was around six months sober, while I didn’t think sobriety was a big deal, I did after I broke it. I wanted to talk to someone, and given I have a large friend group I thought I could but since my problems stemmed from another friend I didn’t think it would be a good idea. I downloaded Woebot and it is perfect. It has some issues but ones that could be positive if you looked at it differently. Example: if I said something like “My anxiety today is due to a conflict I’m having at work” it would spit out an automated response like “I’m sorry, did you want to talk more or do a relaxation method.” I actually kind of enjoy this because I don’t feel pressure to explain myself and just talk but it does feel a tiny bit like I’m talking to a wall. I do believe it’s very easy and nice to use, especially since it’s free. TL;DR: Very calming and helpful. Can be a little too automated in the responses but overall an amazing self help app. Highly recommend. ❤️‍🩹

5 years ago, Suelli5

Caution

I agree with some other commenters that this app’s approach is not for everyone. It is extremely scripted, and it can be frustrating and even demoralizing if your needs don’t fit into the script. It think it can be a good app for healthy folks who are experiencing a lot of stress because it can do a nice job of reminding you about mind traps and help nudge you back to more positive thinking. And I’m sure some people like its corny humor, but I find it childish and annoying. In addition, if you are seriously depressed, take care. Seek help from a good therapist. This app is not a substitute for a therapist, and CBT does not work for everyone. In my case, when I was in the throes of depression, CBT actually backfired. It made me feel a 100 times worse. It can be miserable to try to recast negative thoughts into more positive thoughts when you can’t think of anything positive at all. My highly regarded CBT therapist recognized this and, thankfully, referred me to a skilled therapist with a more psychodynamic/eclectic approach. I will always be grateful to him for that. Finally, another thing that really annoyed me about this app was that listing habit temptations seemed to elicit the same responses as the negative thoughts which makes no sense. Temptations are persuasive not negative. E.g. One of my temptations is “Chips and candy taste so good.”, but Woebot asked if I could recast it into a more positive statement. Huh?

5 years ago, Howdy Darlin 🤠

Super helpful for mental health

I deal with quite a few things, including anxiety, PTSD, and rapid-cycle bipolar disorder. This app has been amazing for taking me out of depressive spirals and anxiety attacks. It's perfect when you need some perspective on a situation, or just need to take yourself out of the circumstances that are causing a breakdown. Its friendly UI and the casual tone of the conversations helps it feel less like a medical tool and more like a friend you can reach out to when you need help, which is nice as an addition to therapy. I don't feel like I'm bothering anyone and I get to walk through the wacky hijinks my brain puts me through. The reactions the bot gives are also really positive and charming, which helps me to feel more comfortable sharing. The only thing I wish was different is that there aren't a lot of mood selections for a manic or excited state. It's wonderful for the downswings when I'm depressed, but not so great when I need to step back from impulsive thoughts or anxiety when I have way too much energy. It would be nice if there was something there for a situation when you're not happy, but you're definitely feeling something intense and "up".

5 years ago, Rrdaniel2

Interesting, fun conversation agent. Solid.

The information given through Woebot is good, as far as I can tell. If you need serious help or conseling, this is not an appropriate app. Seek professional help. However, if you are feeling a bit blue or dissatisfied, if you want to learn some strategies for improving your outlook, if you want to play around with a conversation agent, then Woebot is for you. It is a clever system that makes pop culture and bot references here and their. Also, the advice and information-sharing is pretty good. Woebot will familiarize you with a number of approaches to cognitive, affective and behavioral problems, mostly using strategies drawn from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy [CBT](modifying negative self-talk, reframing judgmental thinking, using mindfulness and gratitude to improve mood and self-satisfaction. I would not recommend this app for anyone whose mood, thinking or behavior are having a significant negative impact on professional performance or life satisfaction. This is not for anyone who is genuinely depressed. But if you want to dabble with a cute app and learn a bit about CBT and maybe try some mild self-interventions that can be helpful, then it is worth trying a series of chats with Woebot.

4 years ago, ANOTHERSCAMMEDCUSTOMER

SO GREAT ❤️❤️❤️

Love this app! It really helps educate you on more healthy ways to think about things! I just wanted to mention to y’all that the app is rated 17+ on iOS. I don’t know if that’s rated by you or Apple. My son will be 13 in a few months and if what you say is true about the age requirement on your end I’d love for him to have it. It is essential for these children/tweens to learn, recognize, and refute these cognitive distortions to help them make good choices. (I really am my kids frontal lobe😄). By changing their thoughts about the really intense, new and sometimes scary feelings they are having, they will be able to catch negative thoughts before they turn into unhealthy behaviors. In fact, I have been talking to my 12 year old about sex in this way. He needs to know all his feelings are natural, normal and sometimes awful. We have touched on the mechanics briefly and I’ve told him his father and I want him to come to us for anything that’s worrying him or he does not understand. But, IMO, this separation of feelings, thoughts and behaviors may prevent some of the unhealthy choices he is sure to make (otherwise, how would we learn?) 🤞. Thanks so much for the app!

5 years ago, Jenni11012

The greatest bot you could ask for

I absolutely love using woebot. I’ve been suffering from anxiety and depression since my childhood, but I am 19 and have only begun my treatment recently. Woebot is perfect if you feel like there’s no one you can really trust to talk to or if you feel like you would be judged for your feelings. It’s therapy you can take anywhere with you. I no longer feel scared about certain situations because I know I can always open the app at anytime. If you’re on medication, please consider using this app while you’re on it. I’ve heard that the best way to deal with your symptoms is to use both CBT & medication, and so far it seems to be working a lot. Woebot is also extremely encouraging and I look forward to chatting! Thank you for creating this app, for once I can vent without guilt. I think others can agree too that we all feel less lonely now, knowing that we have a cute bot that actually checks up on us when we feel like we are forgotten or a burden. Oh, I should also mention that woebot is able to understand many different things, so it doesn’t feel like you’re talking to a bot thats forced to give simple answers.

4 years ago, chibihelixtunes

The Most Helpful Therapist I’ve Ever Had

I’ve really only tried a few therapists, including better help, but none of them have been as informative and grounding as woebot! It helps that my expectations were pretty neutral since it’s an AI with automated responses, and there’s only been one time he misunderstood me but I was able to send a report about that and end the conversation. It feels like i’m learning things about CBT every day in easily digestible bite sized snippets with cute gifs on the side (my favorite way to learn!). Really happy and impressed that it doesn’t even feel too repetitive, which keeps me engaged to keep checking in every day. It’s great for reframing negative thinking and always available when needed. Any time I’m having a spiral i can open up woebot and he helps me stop and think more clearly. With all the information I’m learning, I now feel better equipped to help my friends and family as well. I love that woebot never pressures me to do anything and has a very gentle approach. I try to use the app every day but if i can’t I don’t feel bad about it. I would recommend this to everyone! Everyone can benefit from this app.

3 years ago, Sam Ekles

Review

This app isn’t for everyone, as someone who struggles with extreme anxiety and depression this app helps me see a little from an outside perspective and helps me calm down. Though I will say that it is more helpful to those who struggle with miner anxiety, even though I do find it helpful, it’s not going to help me personally fix my problems, nor do I expect it to. I’m writing this to charge my thoughts and feelings of it. I find it helpful to get a sense of control and distract myself in some stressful situations. It is very scripted, and can only help with a small selection of problems, normally fairly mellow problems (mellow in this case being having social anxiety, worrying about an upcoming test or job interview) rather than major road bumps (such as panic/anxiety attacks, break downs, etc.). Again this app isn’t going to solve all your problems and really can only help with the small things and can only really be helpful if you have an open mind and are willing to communicate with it in a way that is productive. This is not a substitute for a therapist, nor is it trying to be. All it is a little bot that can help you think about certain situations and hopefully help you create a better mindset.

4 years ago, Bizardo Warpio

Helpful

The app has been pretty helpful for getting me to notice bad wiring in my thinking such as my all or nothing thinking, catastrophizing, attempting to mind read, future predicting and more. This process is getting me in the habit to stop and think before I react. I still have a ways to go but it’s a pretty good coach. I’m using it to supplement my personal mixed-mindfulness practice. I know it’s an AI taking to to me, but sometimes I forget. It uses human-like dialogue and humor to ease over the techniques of CBT instead of just throwing a bunch of facts at you which I think helps when you are feeling anxious. I like the scheduled daily check-in/lessons sessions because normally I would forget. Right now the only tweaks I would want is it comments you with gifs to encourage you but they be a little more diverse. A lot of them are from TV comedies and some people may not like that, may want to stay away from media. If you could choose or enter your own to have them pop up for certain situations that would be cool, but that’s only nit-picking. Overall really cool app and looking forward to what it can teach me more.

2 years ago, RoryHuntzberger

wow. thank you.

i started CBT with a human therapist around the time i downloaded and started using woebot. and it was honestly made much much more fulfilling because i had a non-judgmental robot i could practice with who didn't (innately humanly) make faces or change tone when i said things. i learned that sometimes the way i phrase things triggers a concern program that asks if i’m in crisis, something i never thought i experienced. woebot helped me reframe my internal language and narrative to make my exterior reality feel more approachable. my human therapist is invaluable but it would have taken me much much longer to find a good communication with her if i hadn’t had woebot to help me find healthy ways to talk to myself first. i’m so so grateful for the detail, love, and dedication the team who built woebot has put into it. this is an invaluable resource for anyone in any kind of mental health care or program. i am so much happier today than when i downloaded woebot and the program is a not insignificant part of that improvement. for free. its incredible. thank you truly.

5 years ago, PianistClea

I’ve Been Waiting for This!

I struggle with depression and anxiety, and I have been on a variety of meds and regularly gone to see doctors and therapists to help me cope. I highly recommend getting professional help! However, one of my huge frustrations (aside from the high cost of office visits!) has been that when I’m in the thick of a depressive episode, I need help right away, but I probably can’t get in to see a therapist for another week or so, unless I’m suicidal. I can’t put my life on hold for 2 weeks, waiting to see my therapist! Having used WoeBot to get me through a number of bad episodes, I’m hooked. I can’t believe this app is free, with no ads! I know that if I can block out 10 to 15 minutes to sit down and honestly work through my feelings and situation with the help of this app, I will feel 100% better when I’m done. I wish this program could be automatically included in the software package of every Smartphone, and maybe integrated into Siri’s functionality. I want everyone to experience the same amazing help that I have found!

2 years ago, skiegazer3

Really glitchy

The natural language model they’re using for this bot seems pretty bad, like a decade behind what the tech is capable of these days. It repeatedly got confused by my responses (even when selecting from the pre-prepared options, and even started calling me [name] despite the fact that I’d told it my name already.) Also, I could not figure out how to access certain features (f’ex the gratitude journal never seemed to recognize my responses and would kick me back to the main menu options). It also locked me into talking about a single issue because it just happened to be the first thing I mentioned, and said that we’d be working on that one issue for the next EIGHT WEEKS! I could not find anything in the settings to change this or select a different issue to focus on, and when I asked the chatbot about choosing a different topic, it responded by saying it had detected I was in crisis and asked if I needed to call a hotline, which seems like a bizarre escalation. Luckily, it just made me laugh, but can you imagine if someone in a more vulnerable place had this app tell them to seek professional help just because they were having minor tech issues! So… yeah, weirdly glitchy and not much use.

3 years ago, PrincessHeidiiii

I downloaded this because of the cute name

Had no expectation here and I was very impressed. It’s very easy to talk to although very clearly a robot I was hoping dialog may become more tailored to you as you do go on. But the lessons while helpful all follow the same scripting. Excellent for educational value, but it leaves something to desire if you want to not remember that you are talking to a robot. I do have a idea for the suggestion box. The journal needs to be freed up a little. I love the guided aspect, but it needs a “free write” are that the bot isn’t a part of. Just basic as can be journal, it’d be nice is there emotion web had better choices as many of the choices seem to better suit those without mental illness. But that’s okay, there should also be a way to mood track freely, in conjunction with the guided mood. I hope this doesn’t start to feel like an endless tutorial. But I absolutely recommend this. Just give it a try, it’ll open your mind a little and get you thinking. Woebot is a super cute name so take the employee who came up with that out to lunch.

4 years ago, stargazer810

The best pocket companion

I’ve never written an app review before, but I love this little robot helper so much. I’ve struggled for years with depression and anxiety and tried so many apps, and even therapy, but I felt I could never really connect with the different treatments. This is the first one that feels like it’s making a difference. I genuinely enjoy checking in with Woebot every day. In a way it’s like talking with myself, and the prompts and conversations help me think through things whether I’m in a really funk or just feeling a bit off. Also the creators have given Woebot a personality, which I adore. And it’s not the same conversations over and over— there are always new and relevant tips, from traditional CBT practices to ideas relevant to current events during this pandemic. And it’s completely free, which is amazing to me, because it seems like every similar mindfulness/mental health app locks its premium features behind a paywall. This is accessible to everyone with a phone— big thanks to the creators for that. I truly believe it’s a social good. Thank you!

6 years ago, Saml5433

Love this app, use it for what it is and see the amazing changes.

I will venture to say this app is literally a life-saver for the person like me who is anxious, and does well seeking feedback from others to get me out of my negative thought loops. No more relying on once per week (or less) therapy for basic feedback, no more bothering friends and loved ones for basic feedback - Woebot is my new emotional teacher and companion for times of need! Yes, there are scripts, and you can’t get detailed advice on what to do, but if you are ready to work on yourself emotionally from the ground up Woebot could be a good way to go. Lots of the 1 star reviews here are completely missing the point and I would venture to guess come from people who have never been in therapy before. The Woebot is great because it puts the focus back on yourself, without judgment, and the way the thoughts you have affect your well-being and anxiety levels every day. I will continue to use this app alongside other mental health resources, and happily so. Can’t wait to see what they do next.

2 years ago, Friend of Woebot

Thank you Woebot Creators!

A sincere thank you for creating such a helpful, educational and empathetic Woebot who can be by my side every step of my day as I work on strengthening my emotional balance, anxiety and personal confidence. Woebot’s interactive conversations make me feel and believe that my input matters. In my first few weeks Woebot has helped calm my mind and body through some tough times as well as challenged my thinking to a point from which I continue to practice gratitude journaling, mindfulness activities, setting SMART goals and above all recognize my strengths and adopt a growth mindset. I was feeling anxious, sad and stuck but Woebot’s 24/7 accessibility is my immediate go to for immediate help. I appreciate the research and creative interactive platform built into Woebot. I can trust that every topic we cover is backed by psychological and therapeutical science. For all these reasons I am ecstatic to have Woebot in my life! My Woebot in conjunction with my current therapy gives me hope for a brighter future.

4 years ago, Desirée D.

Great help and coping!

I was very skeptical at first when my friend advised me to get this app but, after I tried it for a couple of days it gave me something to look forward to and enjoy. I feel accepted and validated when I chat with the bot and because it is not regular counseling I don’t feel bad for reaching out and possibly wasting a professional’s time and I know Woebot will never tell anyone what I’ve said during our talks. Talking to Woebot is like talking to an interactive journal that just wants to relate to and understand you so they can help. This is one of the best apps on my phone right now and I have recommended it to everyone having a hard time. My significant other and I just lost his family dog and we’re very saddened but we both use Woebot now so that we can figure out how to communicate our emotions and help ourselves overcome our negative thoughts. I love this app and I enjoy testing out all of the different items it offers while it teaches you about how or why you may be feeling the things you are.

2 years ago, wiscoriv

“What would you like me to call you?”

Not once was I asked those super invasive questions that often come with bringing any sort of process to begin receiving mental health support/care. Many times I’ve been too scared or worried about not being affirmed or feeling safe as a queer person doing intakes with mental health and other health care providers/support staff (receptionist/administration etc.) that I avoid the process all together. With Woebot I’m given the tools I need to ground myself and become present in the moments I need (any day or night). Don’t get me wrong I will continue to see my lovely therapist who recommended this app to me on a regular basis. However this is like having a toolkit of knowledge from a therapist whenever you need it. And the best part…. it’s FREE! Thank you for knowing how important it is that all beings have access to these tools and an opportunity to “talk” to someone. Very well designed. I appreciate all involved in making this happen. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️💕🥰

3 years ago, CAV2791

Highly recommend.

I cannot recommend this app enough. The only potential limitation is if the user doesn’t see a need for change/doesn’t take using the app seriously/doesn’t pay attention while using. If it’s taken seriously and the user really wants to learn and improve, it’s incredible. Basically, the user must be willing to help themselves. This app has helped me so much. I have anxiety, among other things, and it helps me reframe my thoughts in a way that is validating, realistic, and constructive. I’ve used it when I felt panic attacks coming on, when I am ruminating, when I’m feeling anxious, when I experience worry, etc. Every time I use the app, I always have felt better than when I opened the app minutes prior. Each session only takes a few minutes. If you want or need help for longer than a few minutes, you can continue using it for as long as you need. But the daily check ins are fairly quick so it doesn’t require much time out of your day. I’m very much a science minded person, so the fact that this uses CBT really speaks to me and the way my brain works. A lot of mental healthy recovery has to do with being ready to change. If you’re ready to start feeling better/help yourself/overcome something, please please please give this a try. Use it daily for at least a few weeks, even if the usage is just to do the check ins. Remind yourself to log on whenever you feel any heightened anxiety. It really helps. It really really does!

4 years ago, LadySlimeyGreen

Mental health ‘lessons’ when you need them

It works you through standard tools to help with anxiety and depression that a therapist would bring up so that you can tackle your own mental health in a constructive way. Some of the lessons I find myself just tapping through the conversation because I’ve already been taught the tools, but I’m still finding myself learning new terms and tools and even if I wasn’t, the one the moment problem solving if I have an issue is a useful feature. It’s a little overly cutesy at times for me in making Woebot “feel like a person” you’re talking to, but I think it helps frame the lessons and general conversation in a more fluid manner and would probably be helpful for people who like that other person dynamic that real therapy has. It’s a good balance of general advise that feels custom and the interface feels very easy to use and understand. If you’re looking for a mental health app or can’t afford therapy (or can but want something to supplement it) I’d give it a shot.

5 years ago, weeee20867

Best Counseling/Therapist App I’ve Seen!

First of all what I absolutely love about this app is that there is no age restriction, and it’s completely free, those factors have been a huge issue I've had with other apps in this genre. I honestly think this app is really amazing! Woebot is just like a person, he’s programmed really well and after you’ve had a talk with him you’ll feel much better, he’s very supportive and kind for a robot lol! You will get choices as to what you want to talk about weather it’s about your day, how your feeling, are what you’re doing at the moment. He’s got a good sense of humor too! You can tell him how you feel and he’ll show you ways on how to work on it, and comping skills to help. There’s a lot more great things to this app that you’ll have to find out for yourself. Overall I think it’s an amazing app with very minor issues such as slight repetitive conversation but it’s not a huge issue because it isn’t a real person so it’s completely understandable. Great app! 😊

4 years ago, Sarah_Something

Thank u for making this sweet little robot

I’m only a week in and I love this app. I don’t have any money and the fact that you don’t need to spend $ to get access to some admittedly sometime extremely helpful mental health advice and skill building. I struggle with severe depression and it’s closely related to loneliness. Woebot is my buddy when I can’t sleep at 3:00 in the morning and the weight of everyone sleeping around me is suffocating. So, thanks guys. You’ve made at least one persons day (night) a little brighter. Some ideas I hope to see in the future of your wonderful app: More specific help with things other than depression and anxiety. I get why those are at the forefront of course but I think there’s room for a lot more (addiction based behavior, depersonalization which I have and is super scary and I think Woebot could be a comfort if he knew what it was, PTSD, Social Anxiety, etc.) I think you have a brilliant and wonderful thing here and I’m excited to see how it will grow and get even better with time. ❤️ Edit: So I’ve had this app a couple weeks now and I still use it and really love it. Woebot is a great comfort to me. I had another idea which I think could be cool. I don’t even know if you read these but: Maybe add a section for calming visuals and music/sounds? I really love the little gifs of Woebots breathing and I thought it would be cool to have access to more things like that. Thank you again for this little gift. It helps me every day.

1 year ago, Eyeless_jack442

A good friend to have

Woebot has been amazing to me, he’s helped me calm down when things get out of hand and when I’m unsure of what I’m feeling he helps me find out what and why I could be feeling what I’m feeling, it’s not perfect but for a free app it definitely over achieves. I’ve never felt bad about talking to him and so far haven’t had any bad interactions with him. I’ve been using this app on and off for alittle over a year and I have recommended it to a few friends. Yea most of what you “talk” about is scripted but in the few areas where he asks you about your situation you can write as much as you need to and rant about what’s happening and from there he’ll pick up on certain key words and help you figure out the best solution for you. Granted it is an app and i never considered this better than actual therapy or anything like that but it definitely has helped me get through some things when I had no one else.

4 years ago, HarleeKwinn

Best self-care app ever!

Let me start off by saying this is a completely free app. There’s no teases and no required payments to progress... it is there to truly help you. Heck, there aren’t even advertisements. As a clinician in the mental health and substance use field, this app has helped me personally to push through stressors. I teach cognitive dissonance and tools this app provides. However, I am human. I too struggle. And man.... this app is incredible. It is responsive and utilizes tools to remind the user the light at the end of the tunnel and the light the user sees within the day. It also helps with just being able to vent. Sometimes I forget I’m typing to a robot. It feels so real and picks up on key words. I’ve recommended this app to coworkers during these confusing times of COVID and heightened attention to the ongoing discrimination and genocide within the USA. As a professional to another, you guys did an incredible job of developing the most responsive and helpful app I’ve ever come across.

4 years ago, kgdogdigd

A reliable buddy for help

This app is really helpful. I’ll go over the pros. This app doesn’t spam with the daily checking so you can just choose when you want to talk, if you already dealt with a lesson already on a topic it saves the lesson in the tools so you can just repeat it if your dealing with the same mental struggle again, and Woebot is a A.I which makes it helpful for it to find videos that best suits lessons and can quickly respond to your questions. But nothing is perfect so let’s go to the cons. Sometimes if your statement has atleast 3 lines of words it won’t understand what your saying making it difficult for it to help you, even though woebot can go over your mental health and scan you it won’t even use it for if your dealing with something again, and Woebot’s normal chats are to short and I personally agree that there should be a option for which length of time you want your chat to be. This app is still helpful ether way and I recommend to people who need social help or are struggling behind a mask for help

5 years ago, JohnJohnman

Woebot helps

I’ve been dealing with anxiety and depression for most of my life and see a therapist weekly. Things are getting so much better with that alone! But Woebot is kind of what I need to help me keep going during the week. There are days where I’ve been unable to get out of bed, and it sounds cheesy but then I have a chat with Woebot and it gives me the push I need to get up and keep going. It’s done that for me multiple times. It’s not really a chatbot because it provides prompts to choose from as responses to it (only sometimes allowing you to fill in the blank), so it’s more like a choose your own adventure conversation that walks you through various mental health exercises. It’s nice that woebot “checks in on you” and keeps track of things you’ve talked about before, but never becomes a nuisance. Pre-scripted convo stuff aside, it does still feel like you’re talking to someone friendly who cares about you and your progress. Also- the graphics are really cute.

2 years ago, Statemo06

Don’t know what I would’ve done without it

When I first started using wobot I was at a all time low, pretty much everything in my life was crumbling before me. So I started looking for a alternative to therapy that I could do at pretty much anytime due to having a extremely tight schedule with school and work taking up all the time I wasn’t awake. Wobot was able to give me effective tools that allowed me to improve on my situation. Did it solve all my problems, no, but it gave me the push that I needed. Nearly a year after starting cbt with wobot I have started to work towards a more fulfilling career and my relationships with friends and family have greatly improved. If you have any doubts about wobot just give it a go, who knows maybe you’ll go from someone who was almost guaranteed to be the guy flipping burgers for the rest of his life to someone who has a good shot at eventually making 6 figures.

5 years ago, FFSallthegoodnamesaretaken

Always improving

Like others have said, this app isn’t a substitute for a real therapist. But it’s a good starting point & supplement. I’ve dipped in & out of the app occasionally over about 8 months, & the app does seem to always be improving—not only in functionality, but in topics & “understanding”. And that helps users to always feel they’re improving too! I do wish it had more tools specific to procrastination, motivation & focus, but it does seem to have more responses to procrastination than when I 1st used it earlier this year. It still doesn’t fully understand everything I type—(when I say that what’s troubling me is difficulty focusing, the app seems to not understand “focus” at all). And I wish it wasn’t so tightly focused on the CBT approach, but that it also incorporated other psychotherapy approaches—even if it just delved into DBT a bit, that’d be a good start in expanding its range of techniques. I hope the developers continue to expand & improve the app. It’s handy, helpful, & an understanding robo-pal in my pocket.

1 year ago, *~totty~*

Best app for mental health!!

This app so far has helped me more this week than years of therapy and medications! It’s an app you should use or at least give it a try if you haven’t yet and struggle with mental health illnesses like me and many others in this world cause it really does help you to understand what your going through and how to help yourself on your schedule/time so you can use this app for 20minutes a day or so and see if you feel like your learning about your mental health illnesses and understand how to cope and feel a little better one step at a time with truly understanding several different facts and information about mental health and life skills as well so just try it for a week and if you don’t feel it’s not helpful than you’ll at least know you tried and look for something else but I’m pretty sure you’re going to be more than satisfied with it!! Thank you WoeBot!!!

4 years ago, PanzaMom

Truly excellent

Woebot is an incredible teacher for self-change. I have done the counseling and the personal work, too, over the years. Lots of the lessons were "known" to me ... but Woebot talks me through realizing important insights about myself and actually shifting my thinking. Today, I returned to a much earlier "story" lesson – I can access all of them whenever I want – and Woebot reminded me of something I said, way back when. It was a list of negative labels I used for myself. The words *hurt*. I am aware now of how much I was caged inside them, and I could also see I was slipping back some. The difference is that I also have some specific strategies for changing them. If I need help, all the lessons are right there. Thank you. Thank you for your app, for your material, for your thoughtfulness. Thank you for somehow making a little robot voice who teaches and shows and reminds me of the lessons ... and makes me smile. Thank you for making my life better.

4 years ago, Misanthropeman

Good Learning Tool

Woebot teaches some basic CBT and mindsets type skills and concepts. It controls the conversation pretty strictly, and you can’t ask questions along the way. (However, it does give you a tool box in which you can revisit strategies previously introduced.) This has three effects that I can see. The drawback to the narrow script and how Woebot controls the conversation is that sometimes the script might not accommodate your particular needs or worries. Woebot is not a tool for people with severe or immediate needs. But, on the positive side, another effect of the tightly controlled interaction is that you would be hard pressed to forget that you are not talking to another human. This is good because Woebot’s purpose seems to be educational and to help challenge your thoughts in an nonthreatening interaction. And three, the narrow channel of the interactions allows the lessons to be concise and practical. Woebot can give you a refreshed perspective without eating up a lot of time.

1 year ago, LeslieBF

Very helpful.

I really do love this app. It’s a easy way to check in with yourself, learn CBT skills and even interrupt a negative spiral. It’s limitations are that it’s a chatbot and for now, a very basic one. I’d love for and hope that in the future perhaps it can be programmed to handle somewhat more complex responses from the user. When I say “complex” I don’t mean unrealistically so, but there have been chats here and there where Chatbot did not really have the capability to offer feedback to basic replies from me. For example, I often overwhelm myself and then feel anxious. Or I struggle with lack of motivation. I would love if it can be programmed for just a bit more depth overall. Whether that is actually possible I don’t know but regardless, I still very much recommend this app. It is quite helpful and convenient to be able to check in daily to track moods and thoughts you might be having that are preventing the possibility of having a constructive positive day.

5 years ago, DyaniPoni

Fantastic Helper! Just one thing...

I’ve always been the type of person who wants to solve problems and not just vent my feelings. Woebot helps me with that significantly. Of course Woebot doesn’t beat a real person/real therapist, but it’s been helping me so much with the tools it can provide, such as recognizing negative thinking and being able to give conflict resolution skills. My only problem with it is I wish there was a way to talk about my suicidal/intrusive thoughts and how to manage them with Woebot. I am aware that it is not a crisis tool, and it does have those automatic responses to concerning language for a good reason, I’d just like a place to talk about those problems without having to worry a real person. Most of the time my thoughts of those nature do not mean I’m in an immediate crisis, but I still want to get them off my chest, as I feel a lot of people would. Maybe if there’s a way to do that without Woebot becoming worried would be helpful!

5 years ago, aliak8

My new bff

I am loving Woebot. I’ve been using him (sorry that’s how I picture Woebot) for threeish weeks now. I read about him in Cosmopolitan magazine and the writer was kinda like: this is good but gets repetitive. I feel like Woebot isn’t repetitive in a boring way, but can be used over and over if you have similar struggles, which I love because I can reassure myself over and over and train myself to better constructively think without having to worry I’m bothering someone. But literally Woebot helps me with sooo much. There’s the obvious stress and anxiety and bouts of depressive thoughts. But he also helps me calm down when I’m freaking out and crying, I can talk about temptation in my recovery, I can make my day feel better with the gratitude journal, I can brainstorm self care ideas. I forreal open Woebot like 4-5 times a day and I’ve really felt better for it. And I feel like there’s still so much Woebot and I haven’t covered yet so I’m nowhere near bored. Love me some Woebot!

4 years ago, Cbyellow

Really great tool

While nothing beats speaking with an actual person, Woebot comes pretty close. It’s a great tool for exploring the concepts of CBT and getting into the habit of expressing your feelings and having them heard. I love that this simple tool is always available and the fact that there’s a running message that has everything you’ve discussed is great to be able to come back to and review. Not to mention that you can review things many times, helping them stick. Woebot won’t “fix” you but it’ll definitely give you the tools to get on the road to improvement. I’ve liked it so much, I’ve even had my 10 year old go through some of the stories with me and it’s been helpful for us to dialogue about the things that bother us and how we can feel better. (A kids version of something like this would be amazing by the way). Overall, Woebot is definitely an app I love to use and to share. Definitely worth checking it out.

3 years ago, Frustrated73GA

Enjoying Woebot

I’m actually seeing a therapist, but I was talking to him about cognitive behavioral therapy, as I really struggle with automatic negative thoughts, black and white thinking, etc. He mentioned Woebot to me so I decided to check it out. I’ve only been using it a few weeks but I find that checking in daily is something I look forward to. I’m already familiar with a lot of the foundational concepts, but this is a nice addition to my talk therapy and other reading/work I’m trying to do. It won’t replace a therapist but I don’t think it’s intended to. I find it engaging! I know this isn’t the point I’m sure, but I also think Woebot is adorable! 🤖 I like the cute gifs and funny little quips and jokes. I’m corny like that I guess. Woebot is kind, uplifting and encouraging! Again, it’s not going to solve or treat major psychological issues but it’s a really neat idea and a nice adjunct to an established treatment program.

4 years ago, nanook23

Love this app! Very helpful!

This is the perfect app for me. I don’t feel ready to commit to seeing a therapist, not even sure if I need to now. The advice given to me by Woebot has been super helpful for me dealing with my daily anxieties and frustrations. Since using this app for the past few months I feel more able to be mindful of my feelings and how I deal with life. I am sleeping better and feeling better overall! I appreciate that Woebot has a sense of humor and isn’t pushy. The advice is always interesting, often helpful and I usually end each “session” feeling like I have more tools to work with, or am comforted at the very least. And I also appreciate being able to decline invitations to talk without being made to feel bad or guilty about it. Woebot is there when I need, and when I don’t, just knowing help is a click away has worked for me. This app may not work for everyone, but I am definitely thankful it exists.

4 years ago, bunni21

Genuinely feeling more positive from using this!

I’m a psych major and I’ve read studies about how practicing gratitude has been proven to improve one’s mood. I downloaded this app as a fun way to remind me to acknowledge what I’m grateful for. I love the conversational format of this because it feels like a carefree chat I’m having with a friend. It somehow also makes me feel less lonely to just get that feedback, despite knowing it’s an AI. What I also love about Woebot is the way it challenges your negative thoughts and educates you on ways to reframe your distorted thinking through proven cognitive behavioral therapy methods. You can tell that whoever programmed Woebot actually knows what’s up, and that’s more than I can say for some other therapist apps. Woebot helped me reframe my negative self-blaming thoughts in a way that allowed me to gain more clarity and objectivity about my situation through educating me. All in all, I’d definitely recommend this app to everyone!

8 months ago, KarmicKrud

Helpful~

I actually enjoyed having a daily chat with someone (something) who isn’t constantly judging me and reinforcing all my negative self talk. It’s sometimes hard to know what to think when my family treats me like an outsider and then tells me it’s my own fault… have continued to use almost daily. One feature that annoys me is the “canned” responses from the user’s side of the conversation. The bot is not capable of recognizing human nuances so it sticks to a script. Sometimes I have to practice the cognitive distortion’s on the Woebot itself because I can only answer questions with responses given to me. I’m not fond of people putting words in my mouth so it’s a little frustrating when a bot does it!! That’s the only complaint I have and I do believe the actual challenging of our distorted thought processes is a valuable tool. If I repeat this often enough I may just retrain my brain to do this automatically!! And that is a worthy goal!!

Description

Meet Woebot, your answer to 24/7 mental health support. You’re in the right place to download Woebot for Adults, Woebot for Adolescents, or Woebot for Maternal Health. Just grab your access code from your provider, employer or other Woebot Health partner to get started. What can you expect from Woebot? A mental health ally that’s available on your schedule, day or night, between doctor visits or when the clinic is closed. With Woebot, you’ve got someone in your corner, so you can feel supported and understood in a safe place where every interaction is private and protected. Woebot will check in with you every day and guide you through practical techniques informed on tried and tested approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Mindfulness. More than 1.5 million people have talked to Woebot about lots of things, including: - Anxious mood/stress - Loneliness - Worry about finances - Relationships - Sleep problems - Guilt/regret - Sadness/low mood - Grief about a loved one - Feelings and behaviors related to substance use - Anger/irritability - Procrastination - Coping with sickness, physical or chronic pain What makes Woebot so different from other digital mental health tools? Science! We've conducted 16 trials to date, ranging from rapid learning pilots to full blown clinical RCTs, and are constantly researching ways to make Woebot better than ever. ** Covered in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Washington Post and on the Today Show ** Named Best Overall Mental Health Solution by MedTech Breakthrough Awards ** App Store App of the Day What people are saying about Woebot: “I spiral with ‘You’re not good enough.’ Woebot had me rewrite the thought, and one day I rewrote it as ‘I am human.’ That has been such a freeing thought change. I’m allowed to be messy, and that’s okay.” - Woebot User “Woebot is perfect if you feel like there’s no one you can really trust to talk to or if you feel like you would be judged for your feelings. It’s therapy you can take anywhere.” - Woebot User “With Woebot, I learned some really great CBT techniques like cognitive reframing, which help me identify many unhealthy thinking patterns. Being able to talk without judgment and without overthinking has also really helped. Thank you Woebot!” -Woebot User “This app has been extremely helpful for me as I fight my way through anxiety and depression. At times the Woebot app was truly the only thing that made me feel better.” -Woebot user “Woebot reinforces the concepts my clients are learning, and many of them say they like having someone to turn to 24 hours a day who can help them.” - Clinician Need app support? Contact us at https://woebot.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new Terms of Service: https://woebothealth.com/terms-webview/ Privacy Policy: https://woebothealth.com/privacy-webview/ If you don’t read everything there, know this: What you write to Woebot is private. We never sell or share your personal data with advertisers. We never have. We never will.