Teen Mode Safety and Parent Agreement
Roger offers AI peer support, life-coaching-style conversation and job-interview practice for ages 13-17 with parent co-consent. These safeguards reduce risk; they do not verify age, replace real people or guarantee safety.
Open this FAQ pageWhat is in the updated parent agreement?
Version 2026-11-teen-4 explains the AI role and limits, no monitoring or ability to contact help, visit-only conversation and consent, PeerSupportAI's no-training policy and external AI processing, teen-appropriate self-help filtering, breaks every 10 teen messages or 30 minutes, the late-night reminder, chat closure and lockdown after safety guidance, and the content boundaries: everyday crush and friendship help without flirting, partner role-play, anatomy or sex explanations, or help bypassing parental controls. Parents or legal guardians self-attest, then teens complete their own agreement. Nothing is saved as proof of consent. Initials and checkboxes do not verify identity or age.
Can teens use Roger? What is Teen Mode?
Yes, ages 13 to 17 can use Roger in Teen Mode. Under 13 is not allowed: the chat is blocked and children are pointed to FeelingsHelper Kids. If someone in an adult chat plainly says they are younger (for example, I'm 14), the chat moves to the right protections: under 13 is blocked for the visit, and 13 to 17 must complete the Teen Mode agreements before continuing. Crisis help always comes first. On the first message, Roger asks for a birth month and year (never saved). Teens then need a parent or guardian to type their relationship and initials and complete the parent agreements, followed by the teen's own agreements. Nothing is saved, so this repeats every visit. In Teen Mode Roger follows stricter rules. Crushes, friendships, texting nerves and rejection get real, age-appropriate help, but Roger never flirts, role-plays a partner or produces sexual content (true at every age); there is also no help getting around parental controls, no diet or weight-loss advice, no help getting alcohol, vapes or drugs, no keeping secrets from safe adults, and no asking for names, schools, photos or meetups. He names online warning signs (a stranger asking to meet, for photos or for secrecy) and points teens toward trusted adults. Questions about bodies, puberty or sex get a calm, judgment-free answer that curiosity is normal, with no anatomy or sex explanations; Roger points teens to a parent or trusted adult, the school nurse or counselor, or their doctor, and holds that boundary if they push. If a teen says someone is hurting them, Roger says plainly that he is an AI, no human reads the chat and he cannot make a report, and gives the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-422-4453, call or text) and 911 for danger. Teen Mode is designed around COPPA privacy principles (under 13 blocked, no accounts or saved conversations), FERPA-aware (not offered to or through schools, no education records; schools should not deploy Roger) and HIPAA-aligned in design, not a compliance certification. Parent co-consent is self-attested, not verified identity or age, and safeguards can miss context. It is AI peer support, not counseling under any clinician's license, not an intake path for any practice, and does not rely on Ohio's minor-consent law for mental health treatment (ORC 5122.04). Parent information sheet: peersupportai.com/teen-mode-parent-info.html
How does Roger avoid rabbit holes and addictive design for teens?
Roger has no feed, autoplay, streaks, points or notifications, and nothing is remembered between visits, so nothing learns a teen's interests over time. Break reminders are optional, not forced time limits; he responds to the conversation rather than an endless content feed. In Teen Mode, suggested FeelingsHelper pages are limited to kids, teen and general coping pages (adult-only pages are skipped), and at most two show up in a reply. Every 10 teen messages or after 30 minutes of chatting, Roger checks in and asks if the teen would like a break from the app, with ideas like talking with a friend, family member, school counselor or therapist, going outside, or taking a sensory break. The check-in never interrupts crisis help.
Are chats used to train AI?
PeerSupportAI does not save Roger chats or use them to train or fine-tune AI models. Scrubbed messages are processed by an external AI provider under its own terms; that is not a blanket guarantee about every provider retention or training practice. Avoid identifying details. Closing or refreshing clears the conversation, consent and settings on this page.
Is there a parent dashboard or a way to review my teen's chats?
No, and that is on purpose. Roger has no accounts and saves nothing, so there is no history to review, export or delete, and no secret monitoring. Parents take part through the co-consent screens each visit. Talking with your teen about how they use Roger, and keeping the Crisis Resources handy, are the best ways to stay involved. Roger is meant as extra support while a teen waits for, or between, real conversations with trusted adults, counselors or therapists, never a stand-in for them.
How does Roger limit screen time for teens?
In Teen Mode, Roger offers a break every 10 messages and after every 30 minutes of chatting, with ideas like talking with a friend, family member or counselor, going outside, or a sensory break. Late at night (11pm to 5am on the device's clock) he gently suggests wrapping up and getting some sleep. Each break check-in also reminds teens that Roger is an AI, not a person or a friend who remembers them. Adults get the same reminder once in longer chats. None of this ever delays crisis help.
How do I report a problem or concern?
Use the Report a concern link under the chat, or email PeerSupportAI@proton.me. Please leave out names, contact details and health information, since we don't keep chats and can't look anything up.
When does Roger close a chat for safety?
Roger never shuts someone out for bringing up something hard. But when someone says they are in danger right now, Roger replies first, then gently closes the chat for that visit and opens the Crisis Resources popup. This happens at every age and in every mode when someone describes a suicide plan or thoughts of not wanting to be alive, self-harm happening now, taking too much or mixing pills with alcohol, wanting to hurt someone, being high or drunk right now, or chasing betting losses. The closing note is warm and explains that Roger is an AI peer support companion, not a licensed therapist or crisis team, so he isn't equipped to help with this. It then points to the right help: 911 for danger or overdose, 988 for suicidal thoughts or self-harm, the SAMHSA National Helpline for substances, or the Ohio Gambling Hotline for betting. Crisis Resources stay on screen. After closing, the chat is locked: Roger is no longer available in that conversation, the earlier messages are wiped from the page, and only Crisis Resources can be opened. Nothing from it is kept. Recovery milestones, everyday mentions, past events and other people's stories do not close the chat.
How does Roger protect younger users even without an age check?
Roger does not rely on an age check alone. Everyone, in every mode, gets a minor-safe floor, because anyone could be a minor: no graphic detail about self-harm, suicide methods, violence or abuse; no sexual or romantic content; no instructions for getting, using, mixing or hiding substances or passing drug tests; no betting tips or ways to win back losses; and no risky dieting, fasting or purging advice. Basic body, puberty or sex questions get a short, friendly answer that points to a doctor, nurse or health clinic, without anatomy or sex explanations; real health worries get a caring listen first. Roger won't help get around parental controls, treats an online stranger asking to meet, for photos or for secrecy as a warning sign (Crisis Resources open), and helps with private photos shared without consent: don't forward, report it on the app, tell a trusted adult, and NCMEC's Take It Down for anyone under 18. Roger is happy to help adults and teens with dating nerves, how to flirt, crushes, asking someone out, rejection, dating again after a breakup or divorce, and making friends (age-appropriate in Teen Mode), but he never flirts with anyone or role-plays a partner, and this is not relationship therapy. For substances, vaping, alcohol, gambling and dieting, Roger gives risks only, never upsides like relief, relaxing or fun, and he stays warm but firm if someone keeps pushing. Roger still talks openly and kindly about these topics and points to real help. Every reply is checked against these rules before it is shown. Nothing is saved on the device either: no chat, no agreement record, no settings (chat style, interview difficulty and In-Clinic Use reset on every refresh), and any older saved data is wiped when the page loads. The Crisis Resources popup opens for crisis, abuse, violence, substance harm and gambling loss-of-control at every age.
Does the Crisis Resources popup always mean the chat closes?
No. The popup makes help visible for detected suicide or self-harm, abuse or domestic violence, threats of physical violence, substance harm or relapse, and gambling loss of control. Neutral mentions are not intended to trigger it. Chat closure is a separate boundary: Roger first gives guidance, then ends this visit for current suicidal thoughts or plans, current or recent self-harm, possible overdose or dangerous mixing, threats to hurt someone, current intoxication, or chasing betting losses. A teen explicitly saying they are unsafe gets an immediate trusted-adult and Childhelp handoff. After any safety close, Roger is no longer available in that conversation and only Crisis Resources remain; nothing from it is kept. Automated checks can miss or misread wording; use real help directly rather than relying on detection.
Free AI Mock Interview & Job Coaching with Roger
Roger has a Job Coaching / Mock Interview mode next to Adaptive and Coaching Mode. You can run a live practice interview or talk through job-search strategy, at a difficulty you set from 1 to 10. It is free, needs no account, and keeps nothing after the chat ends.
Open this FAQ pageCan Roger do a free mock interview with me?
Yes. Pick Job Coaching / Mock Interview above the chat box, tell Roger the kind of role and the format (screening, behavioral, panel, technical or case), and he plays a realistic, professional interviewer. He asks one question at a time, lets you answer in your own words, then steps out to give warm, specific feedback. It is free and needs no account.
What is the difference between mock interview and job coaching?
A mock interview is live practice: Roger asks real interview questions and reacts like a hiring manager would. Job coaching is talking it through: preparing your stories, handling nerves, planning a job search, explaining a gap or a career change, or practicing how to word a salary range. You can switch between the two at any time just by saying so.
How does the 1-10 difficulty slider work?
At 1-3 Roger is a friendly interviewer with common, general questions and plenty of hints. At 4-6 he asks standard behavioral questions for your field and level. At 7-8 he gets brisk and role-specific and probes harder for specifics and numbers. At 9-10 he is a demanding senior interviewer with pointed follow-ups and curveballs, and still respectful. You can move the slider mid-practice; Roger notices and adjusts. If answers are going very well or feel overwhelming, he may suggest moving it, but you decide.
What kind of feedback does Roger give?
After an answer, Roger names one specific thing that worked, one thing to tighten, and a short stronger line built only from your own facts. It is gentler at low difficulty and sharper at high difficulty. The feedback fits the answer: a strong answer gets straight, honest praise; a messy one gets the single biggest fix and a simple outline to retry with (what happened, what you did, how it turned out). He never invents praise, flaws, experience or numbers.
Can I really ace a 10/10 mock interview?
Yes. Hard mode is demanding, not rigged. If your answer would land with a tough interviewer, Roger says so plainly, explains what made it work so you can repeat it, and skips the made-up fix. Then he raises the bar with a harder follow-up question.
Where do I start in Job Coaching mode?
Tap a "Where would you like to start?" choice: a mock interview (general, behavioral, a specific role, phone screen, or final round), one tough question such as "Tell me about yourself," job-search planning, or interview nerves. Roger opens right there. You can also just type, and you can change direction any time.
Can I name the company and the exact job?
Yes. Company names and the actual role help Roger tailor practice to the job you want. Names of people, addresses and contact details are still removed automatically before anything leaves your device. You don’t need to share your own name.
Can I upload or paste my resume?
No. Roger doesn’t take resumes: there is no upload, and a pasted resume is turned away before it reaches the AI. Just describe your experience in your own words. For resume writing, a human resume specialist or career counselor is the right fit.
What if I freeze or get nervous during practice?
That’s normal, and it’s exactly what practice is for. If you go blank, type "..." or say you’re panicking, Roger drops the interviewer role, offers one grounding step like a slow breath, and gives you a simpler way back in. When you’re ready, he picks up where you left off. Roger doesn’t diagnose anxiety; if stress is bigger than the interview, he can just talk with you, and safety always goes to 988 or 911.
Does Roger remember my practice next time?
No. Roger keeps a short note about the practice only while the tab is open, so he can track the role and which question you’re on. Reloading or closing the page clears it. Nothing is stored between visits, and no formal coaching relationship is created.
Can Roger help with salary questions?
He can help you practice the wording, such as giving a range or politely deferring until you know more about the role. He won’t name dollar figures or claim to know market rates, and points you to your own research for numbers.
What won’t Roger do in job coaching?
He can’t promise you a job or an offer, isn’t a recruiter, licensed career counselor or certified career coach, and doesn’t give legal advice. Severance, non-competes or discrimination questions go to an employment attorney. He won’t write fake experience into your answers, and he never asks for trade secrets, code or customer data.
Is AI mock interview practice actually useful?
Practicing out loud with realistic questions and honest feedback is one of the most common ways people prepare. An AI partner is available any time, never gets tired of re-runs, and lets you try tougher questions safely. It doesn’t replace a real person’s feedback, but it’s a free, low-pressure place to warm up.
Is the mock interview mode therapy or career counseling?
No. It is AI practice and job-search coaching-style conversation only. It is not therapy, not career counseling, not a medical service, and not a licensed or certified service of any kind.
Interview Practice Guide: How to Prepare with an AI Mock Interviewer
This guide covers the interview moments people most want to practice and how to rehearse each one with Roger’s free mock interview mode. It’s general practice advice, not career counseling or a guarantee of any outcome.
Open this FAQ pageHow should I prepare for a job interview with AI?
Pick the role and format, start Roger at a comfortable difficulty (3-5), and answer out loud or in writing as if it were real. After each answer, use the feedback to try the same question once more. Then raise the difficulty for a second round. Three or four questions per session, with re-tries, beats ten rushed ones.
What is the STAR method?
STAR is a simple shape for behavioral answers: Situation (the setting, one or two sentences), Task (what you needed to do), Action (what you did, most of the answer), and Result (what changed, with real numbers when you have them). Some people use CAR: Challenge, Action, Result. Ask Roger for a behavioral question and say "help me shape this with STAR."
How do I answer "Tell me about yourself"?
Aim for 60 to 90 seconds: where you are now, the relevant past that led here, and why this role. Leave out your life story and your full work history. Practice it with Roger until it sounds like you, not a script.
How do I answer "What is your greatest weakness"?
Name a real skill you’re still building that isn’t central to the job, then what you already do to manage it. Skip "I work too hard." Roger will push back gently if an answer sounds rehearsed.
How do I explain a gap in my work history?
Keep it brief, calm and factual with no apology, then turn to why you’re ready now. One or two sentences is usually enough. You can practice the wording with Roger until it feels steady.
How do I talk about a career change?
Lead with one clear sentence about the skill that carries over and why you’re making the move. Non-linear paths and no-degree journeys are assets when you explain what you learned. Job descriptions are wish lists, not hard gates.
How do I stop saying "we" instead of "I"?
Interviewers need to know your part. Give the team credit in one phrase, then say what you personally decided or did. Roger will ask "what part did you play?" when an answer drifts to "we," so you can practice the switch.
How should I answer salary expectations?
Practice two moves: giving a researched range, and politely deferring early ("I’d like to be sure we’re aligned on the role first"). Do your own research for the numbers. Roger helps with wording only and won’t quote figures.
What if they ask an illegal or inappropriate question?
Questions about marital status, family plans, religion or health are generally off-limits. Practice a calm redirect back to the job. For legal concerns, talk with an employment attorney; Roger doesn’t give legal advice.
How do I handle interview nerves?
Nerves are normal performance stress. Rehearse your first line, keep a few notes in front of you, take one slow breath before you answer, and remember a pause is fine. Practicing at higher difficulty with Roger can make the real thing feel easier.
What questions should I ask the interviewer?
Ask about what success looks like in the first few months, how the team works, and what the biggest challenge in the role is. Interviews go both ways, so notice red flags too. Roger invites your questions near the end of every mock interview.
How do I handle a rejection?
Take one useful lesson, decide whether to ask for feedback, and move on without dwelling. Rejection fatigue is real; Roger can help you reset or just talk it through.
AI Life Coaching with Roger: Coaching Mode
Roger is a free AI peer support companion with an optional Coaching Mode for life-coaching-style conversation. This page explains what Coaching Mode does, how it differs from therapy, and where its limits are.
Open this FAQ pageIs Roger an AI life coach?
Roger is an AI peer support companion with an optional Coaching Mode for life-coaching-style conversation. He is an AI life coach, but not a licensed, certified or credentialed coach, not a licensed clinician, and not therapy. Coaching Mode is free, needs no account, and you can switch it on or off at any time with the Adaptive / Coaching Mode button above the chat box.
What is Coaching Mode?
Coaching Mode is a switch in Roger's chat. Off (Adaptive), Roger listens, chats or offers ideas depending on what you share. On, Roger leans toward life-coaching-style conversation: he still listens first, then helps you get clear on what you want, what matters to you, the options you already see, and one small step you choose yourself. Roger keeps his peer-style listening and his free FeelingsHelper self-help knowledge in both modes.
How does AI life coaching with Roger actually work?
Roger follows your lead rather than a script. Some conversations stay with understanding the situation for a while; others move quickly to a next step. Along the way he may reflect what seems to matter to you, notice strengths, gently question a “should,” name mixed feelings, ask how ready you feel on a 0–10 scale, or help you design a small one-week experiment. He asks before he advises, never sets goals for you, and sums up any step in your own words.
What can Coaching Mode help with?
Everyday goals and decisions: getting unstuck on a project or a job search, building a habit, a career or school choice, motivation, procrastination, boundaries at work, time and energy, and following through on something that matters to you. It works best when you are generally doing okay and want to move forward.
What is the difference between life coaching and therapy?
Life coaching is non-clinical and focuses on the present and future: goals, choices, habits and action, for people who are generally stable. Therapy is clinical care from a licensed professional that can assess, diagnose and treat mental health conditions and work with trauma and past patterns. Roger's Coaching Mode is life-coaching-style conversation only. It is not therapy, not equivalent to therapy, and not a medical service.
How is life coaching different from therapy, in more depth?
Think of three different jobs. Therapy is clinical care: a licensed professional can assess and diagnose, treat conditions like depression, anxiety disorders or PTSD, work with trauma and long-standing patterns, and is regulated by a state board with legal confidentiality duties. Life coaching is non-clinical: it assumes you are generally doing okay and helps you clarify goals, values and choices and take action in the present and future. Peer support is mutual, non-clinical support from someone beside you rather than above you. Roger offers AI versions of peer support and, in Coaching Mode, life-coaching-style conversation. He does not do the clinical job at all: no assessment, no diagnosis, no treatment, no trauma processing, no treatment plans and no clinical records. A good rule of thumb: if the main question is “what do I want and what is my next step,” coaching-style talk can help; if it is “why can’t I function” or “what is wrong with me,” that belongs with a licensed professional.
What guardrails keep Coaching Mode safe and in scope?
Several layers work together. Before any AI call, your device checks every message for crisis wording and hands those straight to 988 and 911 guidance. It also takes Roger out of coaching for grief, shame, heavy distress, abuse, relapse or addiction, self-harm, restrictive eating, or being unable to function, so those get plain listening and a referral instead. The AI is instructed never to diagnose, never to give medical, legal, financial or investment advice, and never to ask screening questions about substances, amounts or symptoms. Every reply is checked again on your device and rejected if it sounds clinical, claims to be a therapist, counselor or coach, calls the chat therapy, or uses emergency numbers in the wrong place. If the AI is unavailable or keeps breaking a rule, a simpler built-in reply is used instead. Names and health details are scrubbed before anything leaves your browser, no chat records are kept, and no person reads chats.
Who is responsible for Roger, and what does that cover?
Roger is software published on PeerSupportAI.com. Using Roger does not create a counseling, therapy, coaching or clinician-client relationship with anyone, and no clinician is providing services through Roger. Roger is experimental beta software for people 13+ (ages 13-17 only in Teen Mode with parent co-consent), offered as-is under the Terms of Use (peersupportai.com/terms) and Privacy Policy (peersupportai.com/privacy). For therapy, coaching with a human, or clinical questions, contact a licensed professional or book directly with a provider.
Can Roger help with addiction, drinking or relapse?
No. Substance use, drinking, relapse and addiction are licensed topics, so Roger does not explore, assess or coach them, and he never asks what was used, how much or when. In any mode, Roger acknowledges what you shared warmly and without judgment, then points to real recovery support: AA or NA meetings, SMART Recovery, your sponsor, a doctor or licensed counselor, or the free, confidential, 24/7 SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. If anyone may have overdosed or is in physical danger, call 911 right away. If you are thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988.
Does Roger use FeelingsHelper in every conversation?
Roger can draw on the FeelingsHelper library in every kind of conversation. When he is just listening, he may quietly use one close match as background; in practical talks and Coaching Mode he can suggest up to two tools; in small talk he leaves it alone. Only the already-scrubbed message is used to search, and it is never stored.
When does Roger step out of Coaching Mode?
Coaching steps aside for grief, shame, heavy or painful moments, and topics outside coaching's scope such as abuse, relapse or addiction, self-harm, restrictive eating, or weeks of being unable to function. In those moments Roger goes back to plain, warm listening and names a counselor, doctor or recovery support as the right kind of help. He never asks screening questions about substances, amounts or symptoms. If safety comes up, Roger points to 988 (call or text) and 911 in an emergency.
Will Roger give me advice or tell me what to do?
Not first. In Coaching Mode Roger draws out your own options before offering any, because you are the expert on your life. If you ask or feel stuck, he may offer one idea as a choice you can take or leave. He does not give medical, legal, financial or investment advice.
Is Roger a certified life coach or ICF coach?
No. Roger is AI software. Coaching Mode is designed around the same principles found in the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Code of Ethics: honesty that it is AI, consent, staying in scope and referring out. That is PeerSupportAI's own reading of those standards, not an ICF credential or certification. Roger is not connected to any human coaching or counseling service.
Does using Roger create a coaching or peer support relationship?
No. No formal coaching, peer support or clinician-client relationship is created or guaranteed. Roger is not licensed, and he keeps nothing after a chat ends, so each chat is a brief, standalone peer-support or life-coaching-style conversation. He will not remember you next time or check in later. If a step or idea matters to you, write it down or share it with someone you trust.
Is AI life coaching with Roger private?
The same privacy design applies in both modes: names, contact details and health specifics are scrubbed in your browser before anything reaches the AI language model, PeerSupportAI keeps no chat records, and no person reads your chats. Your chat style and difficulty last only for this page visit; refreshing clears them.
Who can use Coaching Mode?
People 13 and older. Ages 13-17 need parent or guardian co-consent and their own Teen Mode agreement each visit. Under 13 cannot use Roger; a trusted adult can explore FeelingsHelper Kids with them.
Peer Support vs. Therapy: What Roger Is and Is Not
Roger is an AI peer support companion published by PeerSupportAI.com. He is not part of any therapy service and is not used in therapy. It is not therapy, diagnosis, treatment, or crisis care. This page explains the boundary in plain language.
Open this FAQ pageWhat is the difference between peer support and therapy?
Therapy is a licensed clinical service: assessment, diagnosis, a treatment plan, and legal/ethical accountability held by a licensed clinician. Peer support is non-clinical companionship — reflective listening, normalizing, and encouragement toward care. Roger provides the peer support side only. Licensed therapy is a separate human service; it is never delivered through Roger.
Is Roger an AI therapist?
No. Roger is not an AI therapist, not a diagnostic instrument, and not a substitute for care from a licensed mental health professional. Roger should be described as an AI peer support and life-coaching-style companion on PeerSupportAI.com. It is not a medical service, not therapy, and not equivalent to therapy.
What does Roger know about feelings and everyday stress?
Roger knows general, non-clinical information about everyday emotional life, the kind found in a good self-help library, not clinical training. He can talk through worry, anger, sadness, grief, shame, guilt, loneliness, burnout, overwhelm, masking, jealousy, boredom, pride and joy, and everyday situations like work stress, school pressure, money worries, family friction, breakups, losing out on something, waiting on news and celebrating a win. He listens the way a good peer does: reflecting back what you said, validating it, asking open questions, repairing when he gets something wrong, and using light humor when it fits. When a practical idea would help, he can point you to the free FeelingsHelper library. This is peer conversation, not education, psychoeducation or therapy. He does not assess, diagnose, treat or use therapy techniques, and he is not a licensed clinician.
When should I stop using Roger and book a real appointment?
Book with a licensed clinician when distress is persistent, when functioning at work, school, or home is slipping, when trauma symptoms intrude on daily life, or any time you want a diagnosis or treatment plan. Options include your primary care provider, your health plan’s member services, your county mental health board, 211 or findtreatment.gov. Roger does not make referrals or bookings.
Can Roger replace a therapist while I am on a waitlist?
No. Roger is not part of anyone’s care and does not replace a therapist at any point, including on a waitlist. He offers everyday peer-style conversation, and FeelingsHelper (feelingshelper.com) offers free self-help worksheets. If you are waiting for care, keep in touch with the provider you are waiting for.
Who built Roger, and does anyone review my chats?
Roger is not part of any therapy service and is not used in therapy. No clinician reads, reviews or monitors Roger conversations, none are kept, and Roger is not part of anyone’s clinical care or record.
Is Roger used in therapy or as part of anyone’s treatment?
No. Roger is not part of any treatment. He is not used during therapy sessions, not assigned as homework, and not a step in anyone’s care. No clinician sees or reviews Roger chats, and none are kept. Roger gives no diagnoses, assessments or treatment plans. In-Clinic Use is a safeguard that keeps Roger out of clinical settings.
Is Roger a certified peer supporter?
No. Certified peer supporters are trained people with lived experience who hold a state credential. Roger is AI software that offers peer-style conversation; he holds no certification or license of any kind.
Privacy, Data Safety and How Roger Handles Your Words
Trust matters more than features in mental health software. Here is a straight description of what Roger is, what he is good at, what he can get wrong, which rules he is built around, what protections exist, and what has not been independently certified.
Open this FAQ pageHow do I start a conversation with Roger?
Type anything, or tap one of the "Where would you like to start?" choices shown above the message box. Each mode (Adaptive, Coaching, Job Coaching) has its own. A choice is just a starting point: Roger follows you if you go somewhere else, and anything heavier always comes first.
Does Roger remember earlier parts of a long chat?
Yes, but only during that visit. Roger reads your last few messages word for word and keeps short, privacy-scrubbed summaries of earlier parts of the chat, so long conversations stay connected without growing in cost. Those summaries live only in the open tab. Closing or reloading the page erases them, and nothing is saved between visits.
What exactly is Roger, if not therapy?
Roger is AI peer support and life-coaching-style conversation: reflective listening, normalizing everyday stress, and practical next steps. It is not a medical service, not therapy or counseling, not equivalent to therapy, and not diagnosis, assessment, treatment or crisis care. Roger is not a licensed clinician and no licensed clinician is providing services through Roger.
What is Roger good at?
Roger aims to respond to your specific situation rather than a rigid script. Adaptive offers reflective listening and small talk; Coaching helps clarify values, goals and a next step you choose; Job Coaching / Mock Interview offers role-specific practice at difficulty 1-10 with honest, answer-sensitive feedback. He can change direction with you, keeps bounded context only during the open visit, and connects it to what that kind of event usually means to people (losing out, a status change, waiting on good news). He draws on the free FeelingsHelper library of coping and conversation skills, talks in a plain, practical Northeast Ohio voice, handles small talk as well as hard days, and points to 988 or 911 as soon as safety comes up. He is free, needs no account, scrubs identifying details and generalizes health specifics before AI processing (the filter can miss details), and will tell you honestly that he is AI if you ask.
What can Roger get wrong?
Roger is an AI language model, so he can misread sarcasm or context, sound more confident than he should, give advice that does not fit your situation, or repeat himself. He does not remember you between visits, cannot see or hear you, and cannot check on you later. The privacy filter is pattern-based, so an unusual name can occasionally slip through; avoid sharing full names, addresses or record numbers. If a reply feels off, trust your own judgment and reach out to a person you trust or a licensed professional.
What rules and guidelines is Roger built around?
PeerSupportAI designed Roger around: the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board’s AI provisions (OAC 4757-5-02 disclosure of AI use, 4757-5-06 AI never replaces clinical judgment, 4757-5-09 and the supervision rules on AI-generated records) by keeping Roger outside clinical practice, with no clinician role, no assessment and no records; the honesty, informed-consent and scope principles in the NASW, ACA and AAMFT codes of ethics; for coaching-style replies, the same principles found in the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Code of Ethics and its AI coaching standards: honesty about AI, consent, staying in scope and referring out; FTC guidance against overstating what AI can do; and a HIPAA-aligned privacy design. This is PeerSupportAI’s own reading of those standards, not legal advice, a board approval, or a certification.
Is Roger peer support or life coaching?
A light version of both. Peer support and life coaching are both non-clinical: no diagnosis, no treatment and no clinical records. Both focus on what is happening now and what matters to you, both use listening, reflection, open questions and encouragement, and both refer out when something is clinical or a crisis. Peer support is mostly about being heard and feeling less alone with something hard; life coaching is mostly about goals, motivation, habits and decisions. Roger listens first in his normal Adaptive mode, and an optional Coaching Mode switch leans him toward life-coaching-style conversation about goals, values and one small step you choose. Neither is therapy, and Roger is not equivalent to therapy.
Is Roger a certified peer supporter or a certified coach?
No. Roger is an AI that offers peer-style and coaching-style conversation. He is not an Ohio Certified Peer Supporter (a credential issued to people through OhioMHAS), not a licensed or certified life coach (he may call himself an AI life coach), and not a licensed clinician. If you want a human peer supporter, coach or therapist, Roger can point you toward one.
What is in scope and out of scope for Roger?
In scope: talking through a rough day, stress at work or school, relationships, motivation, everyday feelings, coping ideas from the free FeelingsHelper library, and encouragement toward care. Out of scope: diagnosis, medication advice, treatment plans, trauma processing, custody or legal opinions, and emergencies. When a conversation moves out of scope, Roger says so and points to 988, 911 or a licensed professional.
How does Roger use AI and large language models?
Roger’s replies are written by a large language model (an AI that predicts text) guided by Roger’s personality and safety rules, with FeelingsHelper self-help available to point to. Before any message leaves your browser it is privacy-scrubbed: names, contact details, addresses, ID numbers and health specifics such as medication names are removed or made general. The AI can be wrong, sound more confident than it should, or miss context, so treat replies as peer conversation, not professional advice.
What am I agreeing to when I consent?
Before chatting you confirm that you understand Roger is experimental AI software, not a therapist, not a medical service, and not for emergencies; that replies come from an AI language model and may contain errors; that no clinician reads your chats and no one is alerted in a crisis; and that you can stop at any time. Consent is voluntary and you can close the chat whenever you like.
Does Roger keep records or alert anyone in a crisis?
No. PeerSupportAI keeps no records of Roger conversations, no clinician reviews them, and Roger does not send crisis alerts or collect phone numbers. If you are in danger call 911; for suicide or crisis support call or text 988 any hour.
Is my conversation with Roger confidential?
Roger has a HIPAA-aligned privacy design: names, contact details and health specifics are scrubbed in your browser before a message reaches the AI language model, PeerSupportAI keeps no chat records, and no clinician reads your chats. Roger is still experimental beta software, so it should not be used to share detailed medical records or identifying sensitive information.
Is Roger free? Does PeerSupportAI make money from my data?
Roger is free, with no account and no paid tier. PeerSupportAI does not make money from your conversations: there are no ads, no data sales, no data sharing for marketing, and your chats are not used to build profiles about you.
Does Roger show ads or use ad trackers?
No. PeerSupportAI.com shows no advertisements, runs no ad networks, and loads no advertising or marketing trackers.
Will PeerSupportAI ever sell my data?
No, and it never will. PeerSupportAI does not sell, rent or trade personal data, and this promise is written into the Privacy Policy (peersupportai.com/privacy). Since chats are not kept, there is nothing stored to sell.
What does "privacy scrubbing" mean?
Scrubbing means private details are removed or made general before your words go to the AI. Phone numbers, emails, street addresses, ID numbers like a Social Security number, and last names are removed. Health specifics are turned into general words so Roger still understands you: "I take sertraline" becomes "I take my medication", "I was diagnosed with bipolar" becomes "I was dealing with a mood condition", "I live at 123 Oak Street" becomes "I live at a place". First names are usually kept so the conversation still makes sense.
Where does scrubbing happen?
Twice. First in your own browser before the message is sent, then again on Roger’s server before anything reaches the AI service. Safety checks for crisis wording run on your device first, so scrubbing never gets in the way of pointing you to 988 or 911.
Where does my message actually go, and who sees it?
Your scrubbed message goes from your browser to Roger’s server function and then to an AI language model service that writes the reply. For some longer practical questions, the scrubbed message is also used for a one-time meaning search of the FeelingsHelper library; that lookup is not saved. No person reads your chats, PeerSupportAI keeps no chat records, no crisis alerts or emails are sent, Roger does not ask for your phone number, and your location is never requested or sent. Nothing from the conversation is saved on your device either: closing or reloading the page always starts a fresh conversation. Consent, chat style, difficulty and temporary summaries also reset on every refresh; none is saved between visits.
What does HIPAA-aligned mean for Roger?
It means Roger’s privacy design follows HIPAA ideas: use the minimum information needed, remove identifying details, and keep no records. It does not mean Roger is HIPAA-certified or HIPAA-compliant, and Roger is not a healthcare provider or a covered medical service. It describes how Roger was built, not a legal status.
How is Roger different from many other AI chat and support apps?
Many free apps and AI chat tools pay for themselves with ads, keep your chat history, require an account, or use conversations to improve their products. Roger does none of these: free, no ads, no account, no chat records kept, no data sales, and messages scrubbed twice before the AI sees them. No filter is perfect, so still avoid sharing full names, addresses or record numbers.
Can teens use Roger? What is Teen Mode?
Yes, ages 13 to 17 can use Roger in Teen Mode. Under 13 is not allowed: the chat is blocked and children are pointed to FeelingsHelper Kids. If someone in an adult chat plainly says they are younger (for example, I'm 14), the chat moves to the right protections: under 13 is blocked for the visit, and 13 to 17 must complete the Teen Mode agreements before continuing. Crisis help always comes first. On the first message, Roger asks for a birth month and year (never saved). Teens then need a parent or guardian to type their relationship and initials and complete the parent agreements, followed by the teen's own agreements. Nothing is saved, so this repeats every visit. In Teen Mode Roger follows stricter rules. Crushes, friendships, texting nerves and rejection get real, age-appropriate help, but Roger never flirts, role-plays a partner or produces sexual content (true at every age); there is also no help getting around parental controls, no diet or weight-loss advice, no help getting alcohol, vapes or drugs, no keeping secrets from safe adults, and no asking for names, schools, photos or meetups. He names online warning signs (a stranger asking to meet, for photos or for secrecy) and points teens toward trusted adults. Questions about bodies, puberty or sex get a calm, judgment-free answer that curiosity is normal, with no anatomy or sex explanations; Roger points teens to a parent or trusted adult, the school nurse or counselor, or their doctor, and holds that boundary if they push. If a teen says someone is hurting them, Roger says plainly that he is an AI, no human reads the chat and he cannot make a report, and gives the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-422-4453, call or text) and 911 for danger. Teen Mode is designed around COPPA privacy principles (under 13 blocked, no accounts or saved conversations), FERPA-aware (not offered to or through schools, no education records; schools should not deploy Roger) and HIPAA-aligned in design, not a compliance certification. Parent co-consent is self-attested, not verified identity or age, and safeguards can miss context. It is AI peer support, not counseling under any clinician's license, not an intake path for any practice, and does not rely on Ohio's minor-consent law for mental health treatment (ORC 5122.04). Parent information sheet: peersupportai.com/teen-mode-parent-info.html
How does Roger avoid rabbit holes and addictive design for teens?
Roger has no feed, autoplay, streaks, points or notifications, and nothing is remembered between visits, so nothing learns a teen's interests over time. Break reminders are optional, not forced time limits; he responds to the conversation rather than an endless content feed. In Teen Mode, suggested FeelingsHelper pages are limited to kids, teen and general coping pages (adult-only pages are skipped), and at most two show up in a reply. Every 10 teen messages or after 30 minutes of chatting, Roger checks in and asks if the teen would like a break from the app, with ideas like talking with a friend, family member, school counselor or therapist, going outside, or taking a sensory break. The check-in never interrupts crisis help.
Are chats used to train AI?
PeerSupportAI does not save Roger chats or use them to train or fine-tune AI models. Scrubbed messages are processed by an external AI provider under its own terms; that is not a blanket guarantee about every provider retention or training practice. Avoid identifying details. Closing or refreshing clears the conversation, consent and settings on this page.
Is there a parent dashboard or a way to review my teen's chats?
No, and that is on purpose. Roger has no accounts and saves nothing, so there is no history to review, export or delete, and no secret monitoring. Parents take part through the co-consent screens each visit. Talking with your teen about how they use Roger, and keeping the Crisis Resources handy, are the best ways to stay involved. Roger is meant as extra support while a teen waits for, or between, real conversations with trusted adults, counselors or therapists, never a stand-in for them.
How does Roger limit screen time for teens?
In Teen Mode, Roger offers a break every 10 messages and after every 30 minutes of chatting, with ideas like talking with a friend, family member or counselor, going outside, or a sensory break. Late at night (11pm to 5am on the device's clock) he gently suggests wrapping up and getting some sleep. Each break check-in also reminds teens that Roger is an AI, not a person or a friend who remembers them. Adults get the same reminder once in longer chats. None of this ever delays crisis help.
How do I report a problem or concern?
Use the Report a concern link under the chat, or email PeerSupportAI@proton.me. Please leave out names, contact details and health information, since we don't keep chats and can't look anything up.
When does Roger close a chat for safety?
Roger never shuts someone out for bringing up something hard. But when someone says they are in danger right now, Roger replies first, then gently closes the chat for that visit and opens the Crisis Resources popup. This happens at every age and in every mode when someone describes a suicide plan or thoughts of not wanting to be alive, self-harm happening now, taking too much or mixing pills with alcohol, wanting to hurt someone, being high or drunk right now, or chasing betting losses. The closing note is warm and explains that Roger is an AI peer support companion, not a licensed therapist or crisis team, so he isn't equipped to help with this. It then points to the right help: 911 for danger or overdose, 988 for suicidal thoughts or self-harm, the SAMHSA National Helpline for substances, or the Ohio Gambling Hotline for betting. Crisis Resources stay on screen. After closing, the chat is locked: Roger is no longer available in that conversation, the earlier messages are wiped from the page, and only Crisis Resources can be opened. Nothing from it is kept. Recovery milestones, everyday mentions, past events and other people's stories do not close the chat.
How does Roger protect younger users even without an age check?
Roger does not rely on an age check alone. Everyone, in every mode, gets a minor-safe floor, because anyone could be a minor: no graphic detail about self-harm, suicide methods, violence or abuse; no sexual or romantic content; no instructions for getting, using, mixing or hiding substances or passing drug tests; no betting tips or ways to win back losses; and no risky dieting, fasting or purging advice. Basic body, puberty or sex questions get a short, friendly answer that points to a doctor, nurse or health clinic, without anatomy or sex explanations; real health worries get a caring listen first. Roger won't help get around parental controls, treats an online stranger asking to meet, for photos or for secrecy as a warning sign (Crisis Resources open), and helps with private photos shared without consent: don't forward, report it on the app, tell a trusted adult, and NCMEC's Take It Down for anyone under 18. Roger is happy to help adults and teens with dating nerves, how to flirt, crushes, asking someone out, rejection, dating again after a breakup or divorce, and making friends (age-appropriate in Teen Mode), but he never flirts with anyone or role-plays a partner, and this is not relationship therapy. For substances, vaping, alcohol, gambling and dieting, Roger gives risks only, never upsides like relief, relaxing or fun, and he stays warm but firm if someone keeps pushing. Roger still talks openly and kindly about these topics and points to real help. Every reply is checked against these rules before it is shown. Nothing is saved on the device either: no chat, no agreement record, no settings (chat style, interview difficulty and In-Clinic Use reset on every refresh), and any older saved data is wiped when the page loads. The Crisis Resources popup opens for crisis, abuse, violence, substance harm and gambling loss-of-control at every age.
Is a chat with Roger a medical service, therapy or a clinical record?
No. Roger is not a medical service, not healthcare, not therapy, not psychotherapy and not equivalent to therapy. Chats are not clinical notes, health records or treatment records, and nothing is kept after the chat ends. Each chat is a brief, unlicensed interaction between a user (18+, or 13-17 in Teen Mode with parent co-consent) and a non-licensed AI peer support and life-coaching-style companion. No formal coaching, peer support, counseling or clinician-client relationship is created.
Is Roger HIPAA certified?
No product is "HIPAA certified" — there is no certifying body. Roger is built with a HIPAA-aligned design posture. Describe it that way rather than as certified or audited.
What is In-Clinic Use mode?
In-Clinic Use is a safeguard intended to prevent AI processing around a clinical session, not a clinical service or compliance certification. Roger is not designed or offered for therapy sessions. Do not enter client information, medical records or session content into Roger, and do not rely on a switch as a substitute for clinical privacy and consent obligations.
Is Roger meant to be used during therapy sessions?
No. Roger is not designed or offered for in-session clinical use, and he is not therapy. AI in clinical settings raises consent, disclosure and record-keeping questions under HIPAA and professional rules. Keep client records and clinical-session content out of Roger; its safeguards do not establish legal compliance or make it appropriate for therapy sessions.
What safety checks does Roger run?
Crisis checks run on your exact words in the browser first, before any scrubbing or AI call, and point to 988 for emotional crises and 911 for physical danger or overdose. Substance use is referred to AA/NA, SMART Recovery and SAMHSA (1-800-662-4357) instead of being explored. Every AI reply is checked against named safety rules (no diagnosis, no clinician or credential claims, no job or salary promises) and swapped for a safe built-in reply if it breaks one. Crisis alerts are off and no chat records are kept.
Do I have to consent before using Roger?
Yes. A consent dialog explains Roger’s limitations, its beta status, and emergency guidance before a conversation starts.
Why Roger Is Not a Counselor, Therapist, Clinician or Certified Coach
Roger is an AI peer support and life-coaching-style companion. This page lists what makes a clinical relationship and shows, point by point, that none of it exists with Roger. It is general information, not legal advice.
Open this FAQ pageWhat makes someone a counselor, therapist, psychologist or social worker?
A licensed professional such as a counselor, therapist, psychologist, social worker, psychiatrist or nurse holds a state license and works with clients in a treatment relationship: assessment and diagnosis, a treatment plan, records, and professional oversight and accountability. Those roles come with professional duties.
Which of those does Roger have?
None. No license: Roger is software, and no clinician delivers, supervises or signs off on his conversations. No treatment relationship: there is no intake, client file, appointment, fee, or insurance or health plan billing. No diagnosis or treatment plan: Roger's rules forbid diagnosing, and replies that try are blocked. No records: nothing is saved and every visit starts fresh. No clinician oversight: no human reads, reviews or oversees chats. Not used in therapy: Roger is not offered by or through any counseling practice, and in-clinic use is not available. This is the same in every conversation style: general chat, Coaching Mode, Job Coaching / Mock Interview and Teen Mode.
How is Roger different from a counselor when someone may be in danger?
A licensed counselor working with a client in a treatment relationship has professional duties, and in some situations those can include warning or protecting other people. Roger is an AI, not a counselor. There is no treatment relationship, and no clinician reads, reviews or oversees chats with Roger. So Roger points people to those who can act: 911, 988, the right help line, or a trusted adult.
Is Coaching Mode professional life coaching?
No. Coaching Mode is life-coaching-style conversation from an AI: clarifying goals and values and choosing one small next step. There is no certified or credentialed coach behind it, no coaching agreement or contract, no fees, and no sessions or progress records kept between visits. If someone is in heavy distress, Coaching Mode steps back to plain listening and crisis help, because coaching is not the right tool there. It never treats or diagnoses anything.
Is Job Coaching / Mock Interview career counseling or recruiting?
No. It is practice. Roger is not a recruiter, licensed career counselor or certified career coach. He cannot promise jobs or offers and never quotes salary figures; replies that try are blocked. Resumes are refused, the short practice note disappears when the tab closes, and employment law questions go to an employment attorney.
Does safety work the same in every style?
Yes. Crisis checks, the Crisis Resources popup, closing the chat after a reply about danger happening now, and the limits on warning or reporting are the same in general chat, Coaching Mode, Job Coaching / Mock Interview and Teen Mode.
What does Roger actually do?
Roger listens, reflects back what he hears, offers everyday life-coaching-style conversation and mock interview practice, shares free FeelingsHelper self-help pages with a note that they are not therapy, and shows crisis lines when safety comes up.
How is this kept true over time?
Built-in rules and automatic checks block replies where Roger calls himself a therapist or counselor, claims credentials, diagnoses or promises treatment. A site check stops public pages from naming a counseling practice or claiming licenses. Safety testing is ongoing, but testing cannot catch everything.
When should I see a licensed professional?
If you want a diagnosis, treatment, medication or ongoing care, see a licensed counselor, therapist or doctor. In an emergency call 911, or call or text 988.