Integrating AI Chat

Step-by-step example of embedding chat sessions.

AI Chat is the simplest and fastest way to integrate therappai’s AI therapist into your product. Your application sends a user message to the API, and the API responds with supportive, therapy-aligned guidance. This flow powers chat interfaces, onboarding conversations, coaching tools, and lightweight support experiences.

This page shows how to implement AI chat end-to-end.

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How AI Chat Works

Each chat interaction follows a simple loop:

1. User sends a message

2. Your app sends that message to /chatting/

3. therappai generates a therapist response

4. Your app displays the response in your UI

5. Repeat for the conversation

There’s no session object to create or maintain — the API is stateless per request.

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1. Collect the User’s Message

Your UI (mobile, web, chat bubble) captures the text the user wants to send. Example:

"I'm feeling overwhelmed today. I'm not sure why."

You then package this into a JSON request.

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2. Send Message to therappai

Make a POST request to:

POST /chatting/
Authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN
Content-Type: application/json

Body example:

{
  "message": "I'm feeling overwhelmed today and can't focus."
}

Your app can include additional context if needed (optional).

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3. Receive the AI Therapist Response

The API returns a structured response that includes the therapist’s message.

Example:

{
  "reply": "I'm really sorry you're feeling overwhelmed. Let’s take one step at a time. Can you tell me what part of today has been the hardest so far?"
}

Your UI displays this however you choose:

• chat bubble

• message card

• conversation feed

• coaching panel

This keeps your UX completely flexible.

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4. Render the Response in Your UI

Most developers show AI chat using:

• a chat bubble layout

• timestamped messages

• typing indicator (“AI is responding…”)

• scrollable conversation feed

• optional “suggested replies”

The message structure is intentionally simple so you can style it however you want.

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5. Repeat the Loop

Each time the user sends a message, you:

1. Call /chatting/

2. Display the therapist’s response

3. Store the chat if your UI needs history

This continues until the interaction ends.

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Optional: Store Chat History

Because the API is stateless, you decide:

• whether to store conversations

• how long to store them

• whether to show history in your app

• whether to sync chats across devices

Many early-stage integrations simply store messages client-side.

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Recommended UX Enhancements

Developers often add:

Typing Indicators

Show a spinner or “therappai is responding…” after sending a message.

Message Error Handling

If network fails or token expires, show a retry option.

Suggested Replies

Prompt users with one-tap responses generated by your own heuristics or content.

Protective Copy

For sensitive messages, include calm, grounding microcopy.

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Safety Layer

Every message is processed through therappai’s safety system to identify:

• risk-related language

• self-harm signals

• severe distress phrases

• harmful or abusive content

The API always responds with a safe, supportive message. No raw model output is returned.

Note: therappai does NOT contact emergency services. Crisis Buddy contacts can be shown by your app if appropriate.

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Minimum Viable Integration (5 Steps)

1. Login user → get access token

2. Build a text input field

3. Send messages to /chatting/

4. Display therapist responses

5. Refresh token when needed

That’s enough to launch a fully working AI therapy chat.