Part 1 Why I Built My Own Super Therapist GPT: No Fluff, Just Brutal Truth and Burpees!

Why I Built My Own Super Therapist GPT: No Fluff, Just Brutal Truth and Burpees!

I had to stop my regular therapy sessions. The cost was adding up, and, quite frankly, they weren’t really helping. That’s when I started thinking about creating my own version of therapy using AI. You know, something that could cut through the fluff, hold me accountable, and save me some cash.

But this idea didn’t come out of nowhere. It was sparked by a documentary I watched on Netflix about Jonah Hill’s therapist, Phil Stutz. What struck me about Stutz’s method was his visual, diagrammatic approach. He uses these little 5x8 drawings on index cards to simplify complex emotions and behaviors. There was something about that methodology—simple yet profound—that clicked with me.

Stutz’s method reminded me of some reading I did back in the '90s. (Yes, I’m aging myself here.) I read about a school of therapy called NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), which was developed by modeling the behavior of three legendary therapists: Milton Erickson, Virginia Satir, and Fritz Perls. These three had a knack for solving the toughest therapeutic cases. What the NLP founders, Richard Bandler and John Grinder, figured out was that you could model the strategies and techniques of experts and replicate their success.

Their core philosophy was that "The map is not the territory," meaning that our perception of reality isn’t reality itself but merely our mental representation of it. This philosophy fits quite well with AI and large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. LLMs don’t understand the world—they generate responses based on the vast amounts of data they’ve been trained on, much like how we navigate life with our mental maps, not reality itself.

So, I thought, why not apply these principles to build a "super therapist"? I already knew what I needed: a blend of NLP's rapid, no-nonsense therapeutic techniques, Phil Stutz’s visual and practical tools, and the precision of an AI model. The result? A Super Therapist GPT that holds nothing back, cuts straight to the chase, and is annoyingly effective (and sometimes just annoying!).

How I Built My Super Therapist GPT

If you’re thinking about creating your own GPT (whether it’s for therapy, productivity, or something entirely different), here’s how I got started and some tips to help you along the way.

Step 1: Conceptualize Your GPT

The first thing to decide is what your GPT will do. In my case, I wanted it to be direct, action-oriented, and based on the techniques of rapid therapy. I didn’t want it to coddle me or offer platitudes. So, I brainstormed the core functionalities:

• Immediate actionable steps (burpees, star jumps, network calls).
• Quick mindset shifts using stories (a nod to Milton Erickson’s metaphorical approach).
• No fluff or unnecessary small talk—just straight to the heart of the matter.

This is the user experience design phase of your GPT. Ask yourself: What is the pain point you're trying to solve? What do users need to get out of interacting with your GPT? Design around that.

Step 2: Building the GPT in ChatGPT 4

For my GPT, I used OpenAI’s GPT-4 API, which is incredibly flexible for building specialized chatbots. You can easily create your own using a few key resources:

• OpenAI Playground: This is where you can experiment with different prompts and instructions. It allows you to tweak the model’s behavior by providing system-level instructions that set the tone for all conversations. For example, I added:
  • “Respond with actionable advice.”
  • “Use NLP-based techniques.”
  • “Be direct, no unnecessary fluff.”
• Memory: One of the things I wanted was for the GPT to remember my patterns and preferences, much like a real therapist would. For that, you need to integrate persistent memory features. While ChatGPT doesn’t come with persistent memory out of the box, there are third-party services like LangChain or Relevance AI that can provide memory solutions for custom-built GPTs.
• Tools like n8n: I used this to automate certain tasks. For example, when my GPT tells me to do pushups or star jumps, it sends reminders through automation workflows. Think of it as building a habit-enforcing AI coach.
• APIs for External Data: To make it more dynamic, you can pull in data from external sources via APIs. For example, integrating a calendar API could allow your GPT to suggest scheduling a workout or calling a friend.

Here’s a simple breakdown of how to start:

1. Set up your GPT-4 environment using OpenAI’s API or a platform like Replit for testing.
2. Create system-level instructions that shape the personality and responses.
3. Use prompt engineering to refine the output. You may need several iterations before you get the desired tone and functionality.
4. Add memory features using external services like LangChain.
5. Automate behaviors with tools like n8n, and integrate APIs for extra functionality.

Step 3: Testing and Iterating

The first draft of my GPT wasn’t perfect. I quickly realized it was, well, too effective. One day, I casually ran the Super Therapist GPT, and it told me to do burpees. Then, it launched into a therapeutic story that felt straight out of a Milton Erickson book. By the end, it suggested I call someone for emotional support. It was annoyingly on point—but in a way that forced me to act, which was the goal all along.

But here’s where things got tricky. When I sent it to a friend to try out, she noticed something that shouldn’t have been in there—some personal data that slipped through when I wasn’t paying attention. That’s an important lesson: Always sanitize your inputs. AI is powerful, but it can also be revealing in ways you don’t expect.

Key Technical Lessons

1. Prompt Engineering: This is the art of crafting the right prompts to get the best output from GPT. Tools like PromptBase can help you refine your prompts. Play around with different wordings and instructions to get the right balance between precision and flexibility.
2. Data Privacy: Be careful with what information you put into your GPT. Always review and sanitize personal or sensitive data before sharing it with others. It’s easy to forget that AI can unintentionally spill secrets if you're not cautious.
3. Automation: Combine tools like n8n with your GPT for added functionality. If your bot is meant to drive action, automate some of those actions—whether it’s sending reminders, scheduling tasks, or providing follow-ups.
4. Iterate, Iterate, Iterate: Like any other software, you won’t get your GPT perfect on the first try. Test it, get feedback, and refine it over time.

The Punchline: My Super Therapist is a Pain in the Neck, But It Works

Here’s the kicker: I don’t use my Super Therapist GPT all that often anymore. Why? Because it’s annoying. I know it’s going to make me do burpees, or call someone for emotional support, or tell me a metaphorical story that will hit too close to home.

But that’s exactly why it’s so powerful. It works because it pushes me out of my comfort zone in ways a human therapist might hesitate to do.

The beauty of building your own GPT is that you can tailor it exactly to your needs—whether you want tough love like me or something more compassionate. The tech is here, and the tools are ready for you to experiment with.

And ONE MORE THING... in the back of your mind you never wonder if ChatGPT is judging you , ChatGPT is a machine, its COLD HARD Microchips or does it even matter? There's an awesome book called Thick Face Black Heart, and it's about a form of stoicism where it argues that sometimes directed action for the good of the principal is the most compassionate thing to do, even though the directed action might not seem to be compassionate... so just dealing with our feelings is oftentimes whats best for the principal - I urge you to read it.

If you’ve ever felt like traditional therapy, coaching, or even productivity apps weren’t cutting it, I highly recommend diving into the world of GPTs. Just be warned: once you build your perfect AI coach, there’s no going back!

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Oh and notice the accompanying Photo, amazing pic by Flex Dev.... BUT the patient is depicted as Superman instead of the therapist... it's supposed to be the other way around, Super Therapist not a Super Patient. After having run it a few times I thought, I'll leave it 'as is'...just shows that our role as humans isn't quite over....YET

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