“Every chatbot I've tried is an echo chamber. I'll say something I know is irrational and it just goes 'That's understandable, your feelings are valid.' I know my feelings are valid. I need someone to help me see where my thinking is off.”
Validation is important — but it's not the only thing. When every AI response is some variation of 'That makes sense' and 'Your feelings are valid,' you stop getting anything useful from the interaction. Sometimes you need a conversation partner who says 'Have you considered that you might be wrong about this?' ILTY gives you companions who can do both: validate when you need it, and push back when that's more helpful.
Ironically, the fact that you want someone to challenge you means you already have strong self-awareness. You recognize that your own perspective has blind spots. You know that sometimes your anxiety distorts your thinking, or your anger makes you unfair, or your self-pity becomes a trap. And you want a conversation partner who can help you catch those patterns instead of reinforcing them.
Most AI apps are terrified of challenging users because the risk of getting it wrong is high. If the AI pushes back at the wrong moment, it could make things worse. So they default to unconditional validation, which is the safest response. But safe isn't always helpful. For someone who's stuck in a loop of distorted thinking, validation just keeps the loop spinning.
•AI companies optimize for user satisfaction scores, and users rate validating responses higher in the short term — even when challenging responses would be more helpful
•Challenging a user carries liability risk — if the AI pushes back and the user reacts badly, the company could face backlash
•Training AI to know when to validate vs. when to challenge requires nuanced emotional intelligence that most models aren't fine-tuned for
•The wellness industry's 'all feelings are valid' culture has made any form of pushback feel inappropriate, even when it's constructive
He'll tell you when you're making excuses, avoiding the real issue, or stuck in a thinking pattern that isn't serving you. It's not harsh — it's direct. Like a coach who respects you enough to be honest.
Instead of just agreeing with your interpretation, the Stoic Advisor asks questions that help you examine your own assumptions. 'Is that what actually happened, or is that the story you're telling yourself about what happened?'
Even the most gentle companion doesn't just agree with everything. The Mindful Guide validates your feelings while softly helping you see alternative perspectives. It's less 'you're right' and more 'I hear you, and have you also considered...'
Had a bad day and need someone to listen? Mindful Guide. Know you're spiraling and need a reality check? Mr. Relentless. Need to think through a decision rationally? Stoic Advisor. You get to pick the approach.
We want to be honest about our limitations:
Try Mr. Relentless and see for yourself. Tell him you're procrastinating on something important, or that you keep going back to a situation that's bad for you. He won't just sympathize — he'll ask the uncomfortable question. It's not performative tough love; it's genuine pushback that comes from the companion's personality design.
That will happen sometimes. The key difference is that you can tell ILTY it got it wrong, and it'll adjust. Say 'No, that's not what's going on' and explain why. The conversation continues from your correction. It's not like a scripted app that just barrels ahead regardless.
ILTY is designed to read emotional context and adjust accordingly. Even Mr. Relentless softens when the situation calls for it. And you always have the option to switch to the Mindful Guide when you need gentleness instead of pushback. You're in control of the dynamic.
How Stoic philosophy can help reframe anxious thinking — the philosophy behind the Stoic Advisor.
Why Replika's agreeable personality differs fundamentally from ILTY's multi-companion approach.
The problem with relentless validation and why honest feedback matters for mental health.
An honest look at what AI mental health tools can and can't do.
ILTY is free during beta. It's not therapy. It's not a cure. It's a place to talk through what you're going through—honestly, without judgment, whenever you need it.