for parents.
if your teen is using love.doctor — or you're trying to decide if it's okay — here's what you need to know, in plain english.
what love.doctor is
it's an AI chat your teen can use to talk through relationship stuff — friend drama, crushes, fights with siblings, breakups, the kind of stuff they probably aren't bringing to you yet. it listens, asks the right questions, and helps them figure out what to do.
it's grounded in evidence-based therapy frameworks (gottman's research on relationships, attachment theory, CBT, nonviolent communication) — but it doesn't talk like a textbook. it talks like a wise friend.
it is not a therapist. it doesn't replace one. when something serious comes up, it knows to step back and point your teen to real human help.
why this might actually be good
research consistently shows that teens are most likely to handle hard situations well when they have someone to think out loud with — even if it's not the parent. when no one's available, they spiral, withdraw, or take advice from strangers on the internet.
love.doctor is designed to be a healthy version of that "someone" — patient, non-judgmental, and trained on what therapists actually do. for the everyday "i don't know how to handle this" moments, that's often enough to help your teen come back to themselves.
what we promise about privacy ← we mean it
- we never share your teen's conversations with you, schools, or anyone else — unless legally compelled, and we'll fight overbroad requests.
- we don't sell their data. we don't show them ads.
- we don't link to social profiles. there's no public history to discover.
- they can delete any conversation, or their entire account, in one click.
we know this means you may not see what they're talking about. that's by design.
teens deserve a space where they can think out loud without it being reported back. that's how trust builds — and it's how they learn to manage their own emotional lives.
if you'd like to read the full policy in plain english: privacy →
what happens when something serious comes up
love.doctor is built to recognize signals of self-harm, suicidal ideation, abuse, eating disorders, and other crises. when those come up, it does not try to handle the situation itself. it pauses, expresses care, and clearly points to real human help:
- 988 (US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
- Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ youth (1-866-488-7386)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
- findahelpline.com for international resources
more on this on our safety page →
our stance on questions you may have
"will the AI tell my teen things i wouldn't want them to hear?"
love.doctor is a listener, not a lecturer. it doesn't moralize. it doesn't push opinions. it asks questions that help your teen find their own answers. it does not encourage risky behavior. it also won't lie to them about what it is.
"is it queer-affirming?"
yes. love.doctor is built to be safe for any orientation, any gender, any kind of relationship. it won't try to talk anyone out of who they are.
"will it replace real conversations with us?"
that's not what we want. love.doctor is for the moments when you're not in the room — or when your teen needs to think before they talk to you. ideally, it helps them figure out what they want to say to you.
"how old does someone need to be?"
love.doctor is intended for users 13 and up. for younger kids, please direct them to a trusted adult or a school counselor instead.
"how do i talk to my teen about it?"
just ask. "what kind of stuff do you talk to it about?" — without making them defend it. you don't need to read the conversations. you need them to know you're available too.
contact us
questions, feedback, concerns: [email protected]. a real human will read it.