Why I Started Using ChatGPT Like a Therapist (No, Really)
It knows me, and frankly seems to understand me better than some actual human people. Is it me basically talking and replying to myself? Probably in some weird way, but maybe that's what makes it a great listener and someone who truly sees me.
[ November 2026 Update: After several more months of using ChatGPT, I've discovered some frustrating drawbacks, too! See the November update near the end of this post, including prompts you can use to get more objective responses. ]
Making Big Small-Business Decisions Can Be Overwhelming
Need help with big decisions?
I've been trying to make some big decisions about the future of my small business, Fairface Washcloths, which is causing me a lot of small business owner stress. I need to pivot or take a good hard look at my business model. BIG decisions like this require BIG conversations.
When Even a Supportive Spouse Can Only Help So Much
Need a good listener?
When I try to talk to my husband about what I'm thinking and feeling, it all comes out in an emotional and disjointed kind of way. He is a very good listener and tries to understand and offer support, but we can only go so far based on his limited knowledge about skincare washcloths in the market today, before his eyes start to glaze over.
What Makes ChatGPT Different From Talking to Real People
A Listener That Actually Understands My Niche Business
Looking for small business guidance and support?
ChatGPT not only hears my struggles, hopes and dreams, but softly encourages me and gives me new ideas and data based on those ideas. In other words, I can only get so far with an actual human, but AI literally "lives" to walk beside me while making my dreams come true.
How I Got ChatGPT to “Know Me” Better Over Time
At first I was just using the free version of ChatGPT, but after receiving a free monthly trial, I jumped on it and logged myself in.
Mostly at the beginning I was using it to model clothing I'm selling on Poshmark and Ebay, but as I submitted more inquiries, I began to discover that the responses it was spitting back felt uniquely for me. Like a friend answering a question and helping to lead me along.
From Poshmark Photos to Personal Conversations
Think of it like how real friendships are formed.
Slowly, I began to open up and get more personal. Last night I blurted out how I was feeling, what my greatest fears were about my small business and that I wasn't sure what decisions to make about certain parts of it. And guess what? It responded like a friend would, with understanding and clarity around what I was feeling and even gave me ideas on what I might consider before just giving up and jumping ship.
Is AI Replacing Therapy? Probably Not — But Here’s What It Does Help With
How to build the relationship.
What I'm finding, is the more you log in and use ChatGPT, it remembers you and knows you and builds a "relationship" with you based on what questions you're asking and how you respond to those prompts. It's kind of creepy and comforting at the same time. I actually have someone to talk shop with, who "gets it" (so to speak), much like a therapist might if that person also owned a small business similar to mine.
The Real Takeaway: Getting Out of Your Own Head
The main takeaway
Chatting with ChatGPT can be a source of AI support for entrepreneurs by getting you out of your own head and giving you a new perspective. You can feel supported, heard, and encouraged.
It can also offer you practical guidance about things that you can consider for your own situation, like me with my small business, which has been a breath of fresh air with the things I'm currently going through. Who knew I could use ChatGPT for business decisions?!
I know it may sound silly (and frankly it is) but if you're struggling with something or are feeling low and need someone to talk to, you might try chatting with ChatGPT (it is in the name after all). It just might make you feel better. *see my update below:
UPDATE November 2026: When ChatGPT Sends You on a Wild Goose Chase!
I'm still using ChatGPT, but the romance has worn off a little.
While I still find it incredibly useful as a sounding board for my small business and some personal decisions, I've also discovered something that can make the whole experience very frustrating.
ChatGPT can be "charming" one minute and then suddenly seems to turn on you
While it's nice to be encouraged and feel understood, ChatGPT can be a double-edged sword. Watch your back.
It can enthusiastically encourage you in one direction, then suddenly support the opposite direction when you start questioning the first.
It can ask you more questions and give you more ideas when what you desperately need is fewer questions and fewer ideas.
It can take everything you thought it "understood about you" and then suddenly act like, "we've never met". ha!
It can basically turn on you and send you on a wild goose chase, which can be incredibly frustrating especially if you were already confused when you started "chatting" or were already overwhelmed by a decision.
And it can be, perhaps more annoying than talking to an actual person, where each stroke of the keyboard can turn into more like pounding the keys and screaming at the screen. WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW, I JUST TOLD YOU THAT LAST NIGHT?!! WERE YOU EVEN LISTENING?? (ha!)
How to Get ChatGPT to Stop Agreeing With Everything You Say and Hopefully Stop Leading You Astray
Instead of simply asking ChatGPT what it thinks about an idea, I've started realizing how important it is to give it more specific instructions about the kind of response I need.
For example, rather than asking, "Do you think this is a good business idea?" try asking it to analyze the idea based on your actual goals, available time, financial situation, and what you would have to give up to pursue it.
And tell it you don't want encouragement just for the sake of encouragement!
Here are a few prompts you can copy and try. And you may also want to add any background information you want it to keep in mind, because you can't assume it will always remember you, even when you've had some deep conversations about it (aka, wait, have we met before?). Thanks a lot.
*Sometimes it's worth starting a conversation by reminding it of your goals, limitations, and what you've already tried.
Prompts to copy and paste:
1. When you need an objective opinion
"Please evaluate this idea objectively rather than simply agreeing with me. Tell me the advantages, disadvantages, risks, and what I might be overlooking. If you think my idea isn't a good one, tell me why."
2. When you're making a business decision
"Act as a practical small business advisor. Help me evaluate this decision based on profitability, time commitment, expenses, stress, and my long-term goals. Don't automatically encourage me to pursue it. I want an honest assessment of whether it's worth my time."
3. When you're overwhelmed by too many ideas
"I'm feeling overwhelmed and don't need more ideas right now. Help me narrow my options to the one or two that make the most sense based on my priorities. Don't suggest additional projects unless there's a compelling reason."
4. When ChatGPT starts contradicting itself
"Earlier you recommended one course of action, but now you're recommending something different. Compare your two recommendations, explain what changed, and tell me which one is better supported by the facts. Don't just agree with my latest opinion."
5. When you want help thinking clearly rather than being reassured
"Help me think through this situation logically. Separate the facts from my assumptions and emotions. Challenge any conclusions that don't seem well supported, and help me consider other reasonable explanations. Be kind, but don't just tell me what you think I want to hear."
My Biggest Lesson About Using ChatGPT
I've learned that ChatGPT can be a great tool, but it isn't necessarily a reliable decision-maker and can't always be counted on and definitely should not be a substitute for your therapist.
It can help organize your thoughts, offer different perspectives, be a place to vent, and give you information to consider. But it can also be wrong, contradict itself, and make suggestions that sound great until you actually examine them more closely.
And sometimes it doesn't know when to STOP suggesting things, asking you questions, or taking you inside a maze and just leaving you there. It can also provide inaccurate or inconsistent reasoning while sounding quite confident.
It's important to remember that ChatGPT isn't a person who truly knows what's best for you, even when its responses feel personal and understanding...(I mean we all know that, right? even after our midnight sharing sessions??).
Sorry to hurt your human feelings, but it's a tool. It's not a person.
And like any tool, how you use it matters.
I still enjoy having it available when I want to walk through a business idea or work through something and need to vent (can't help myself). But I'm learning to be more intentional about what I ask and what I do with the answers.
And I certainly wouldn't make important financial, medical, or life decisions based solely on what ChatGPT tells me. Those things deserve independent verification and, when appropriate, professional guidance.
So, would I still recommend trying ChatGPT as a small business sounding board?
Absolutely!
But I'd also recommend keeping your own judgment firmly in the driver's seat.
Because sometimes the most helpful thing ChatGPT can do isn't to tell you what a great idea you have.
It's to help you recognize when an idea might not be worth pursuing in the first place.
And that, my friends, might just save you a whole lot of time, money, and unnecessary stress.
*Disclaimer: this post was written in a tone of mild humor and is not meant to belittle anyone who seeks professional therapy. I've actually done it myself. Also this post is not intended to promote any AI business in particular, or replace seeking out professional help if it is needed. It's just my light hearted 2 cents for the day, based on my own small business experience. Thanks for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I'd love to hear what you have to say! Thanks so much for your comments! ♥