Frequently Asked Questions

sera is an AI-powered mental wellness companion that provides 24/7 emotional support, evidence-based coping techniques, and guided self-reflection. We use therapeutic methods from CBT, DBT, and mindfulness to help you manage stress, anxiety, and everyday emotional challenges.

sera uses advanced AI to have natural conversations about your mental wellness. You can talk about what's on your mind, and sera responds with empathetic support, suggests evidence-based coping strategies, guides you through exercises, and helps you track your emotional patterns over time. It's like having a wellness companion available anytime you need support.

No, sera is designed to complement, not replace, professional mental health care. sera is excellent for everyday emotional support, learning coping skills, and maintaining wellness between therapy sessions. For complex mental health conditions, diagnosis, medication, or crisis situations, you should work with licensed mental health professionals.

sera combines conversational AI, evidence-based therapeutic techniques, and gamified wellness features. Unlike apps that just track mood or provide static content, sera engages in natural dialogue, adapts to your needs, and provides personalized support 24/7. Plus, we offer a truly free tier with unlimited basic conversations.

Research shows that digital mental health interventions using CBT and other evidence-based techniques can be as effective as human therapy for mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression. sera uses these same proven methods. However, effectiveness depends on consistent use and the severity of your concerns. AI therapy works best for skill-building, daily support, and maintenance.

Yes, sera is safe for general emotional support and wellness. All data is encrypted and private. However, sera is not designed for mental health emergencies. If you're experiencing suicidal thoughts, self-harm urges, or crisis situations, please contact emergency services (911) or a crisis hotline (988 in the US) immediately.

No, sera cannot and does not provide diagnoses. Only licensed mental health professionals can diagnose mental health conditions. sera can help you identify patterns, understand symptoms, and suggest when professional help might be beneficial, but we always recommend consulting with a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment plans.

You should seek professional help for: severe depression or anxiety, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, trauma or PTSD, eating disorders, substance abuse, psychosis, bipolar disorder, or any situation requiring medication or diagnosis. sera is best used for everyday emotional support, stress management, and building coping skills.

Yes, your privacy is our top priority. All conversations are encrypted, confidential, and stored securely. We never sell your data or share it with third parties for marketing. You can delete your account and all associated data at any time. See our privacy policy for complete details.

Your conversations are private and confidential. Our team cannot access individual conversations unless you specifically report a technical issue and grant permission. We use anonymized, aggregated data to improve sera's responses, but your personal conversations remain private.

Yes! You can sign up with just an email address (even a disposable one) and don't need to provide your real name. We don't require phone numbers, addresses, or insurance information.

When you delete your account, all your personal data, conversations, and profile information are permanently removed from our systems within 30 days. We retain anonymized, aggregated statistics for research purposes, but nothing that could identify you personally.

sera has a free tier that includes unlimited basic conversations, mood tracking, and access to coping techniques. Our Premium plan is $4.99/month and includes advanced analytics, personalized insights, unlimited access to all games and features, and priority support.

Free users get unlimited conversations with sera, basic mood tracking, and essential coping techniques. Premium adds: advanced mood analytics with trend analysis, personalized insights and recommendations, unlimited access to all wellness games, priority response times, conversation exports, and no daily limits.

Yes, we offer a 48-hour money-back guarantee on your first premium purchase. If you're not satisfied, contact support within 48 hours of subscribing for a full refund. After that, refunds are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Absolutely! You can cancel your premium subscription at any time from your account settings. You'll retain premium access until the end of your billing period, then automatically revert to the free tier. No penalties or hassles.

Currently, we don't accept insurance. However, our affordable pricing ($4.99/month premium or free) makes sera accessible without insurance. Some HSA/FSA accounts may cover sera - check with your plan administrator.

sera incorporates evidence-based methods including: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for thought challenging and reframing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for emotion regulation, Mindfulness and meditation practices, Breathing exercises, Progressive muscle relaxation, Behavioral activation, and Gratitude practices.

Yes! sera offers specialized support for anxiety including guided breathing exercises, grounding techniques (5-4-3-2-1), cognitive restructuring for anxious thoughts, panic attack support, and anxiety tracking to identify triggers and patterns.

sera can provide supportive care for depression through behavioral activation, mood tracking, self-compassion practices, and daily emotional support. However, moderate to severe depression should be treated by a licensed professional. sera works best as a complement to professional care.

Yes! sera is available anytime, anywhere. Whether it's 3 AM or a holiday weekend, sera is ready to provide support whenever you need it. No appointments, no waiting rooms, just instant access.

Yes! Use sera as often as you need. There's no limit to how many conversations you can have. Many users check in multiple times daily, especially during difficult periods.

Yes, sera maintains conversation history to provide personalized, contextual support. It remembers what you've discussed, tracks progress over time, and builds understanding of your patterns and preferences. You can clear history anytime from settings.

Simply sign up with an email address, complete a brief optional onboarding to help sera understand your needs, and start chatting immediately. No appointments, no waiting periods, no complicated setup.

No! sera works in your web browser on any device - desktop, tablet, or phone. However, you can install sera as a Progressive Web App (PWA) for an app-like experience with offline access.

sera works on all modern devices: smartphones (iPhone and Android), tablets (iPad, Android tablets), desktop computers (Mac, Windows, Linux), and laptops. Just open your web browser and go to trysera.io.

Currently, sera primarily supports English. We're working on adding more languages in the future. Stay tuned for updates!

sera is continuously learning and improving. If you feel misunderstood, try rephrasing or providing more context. You can also provide feedback on responses, which helps sera improve. For technical issues, contact our support team.

Yes! Premium users can export conversation history and mood data. This can be useful for sharing insights with your therapist or for personal record-keeping. Go to Settings > Export Data.

Click "Forgot Password" on the login page, enter your email, and we'll send a reset link. Follow the link to create a new password.

Go to Settings > Account > Delete Account. You'll be asked to confirm. Once deleted, all your data is permanently removed within 30 days.

BetterHelp and Talkspace connect you with human therapists for $240-436/month with scheduled sessions. sera provides AI-powered support for $0-10/month with instant, 24/7 access. Human therapists are better for complex issues and diagnosis; sera is better for daily support, immediate help, and affordability.

Ideally, use both! sera for daily support and immediate help, and a therapist for professional guidance and complex issues. If you can only choose one: use sera for general wellness and everyday support; choose human therapy for diagnosed conditions, trauma, or situations requiring professional intervention.