Frequently Asked Questions
iVASA is not therapy and does not diagnose or treat any condition. It is not a substitute for care from a licensed professional, and it is not a crisis service. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
About iVASA
What is iVASA?
iVASA is a voice AI for structured self-inquiry, available 24/7. It translates what you say into what you mean, revealing patterns you can't see alone. It was developed by Mathew Quaschnick, MA, LPCC, a licensed professional clinical counselor in clinical practice since 2010 and licensed since 2013. It is built on his own protocol for how people's inner patterns form and change. iVASA is not therapy and does not diagnose or treat any condition.
Is iVASA therapy?
No. iVASA is not therapy, not psychotherapy, and not a licensed clinician. It does not diagnose or treat any condition, it is not a substitute for professional care, and it is not a crisis service. It is a structured self-inquiry and pattern-awareness tool designed to complement professional care—many people use it for continuity between sessions with their own therapist—and it points you toward professional and crisis resources when that's what you need. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911.
Who is iVASA for?
iVASA is for people who want to understand the pattern beneath what they're carrying—whether as structured support between sessions with their own therapist, or as an affordable way to build pattern awareness when therapy isn't accessible. Plans start at $7.99/month.
How is iVASA different from ChatGPT or other AI chatbots?
General-purpose chatbots respond to what you say. iVASA listens for what you mean—it's purpose-built around a structured self-inquiry framework developed by a practicing licensed professional clinical counselor, and it is designed to point you to crisis resources such as 988 when a conversation raises safety concerns. iVASA is not a crisis service.
How is iVASA different from other mental health apps?
Most apps in this space deliver scripted exercises from a single method, like CBT-style worksheets. iVASA works differently: it follows your own words and story to surface the pattern underneath them, rather than fitting you into a preset program. You work with one of four guides in real-time voice conversation, not just text.
Is what I share private?
Your conversations are encrypted in storage and are never sold. To provide the service, conversations are processed by third-party AI providers. If you are connected to a licensed professional through iVASA, they can access your transcripts and summaries, and safety-relevant material may be surfaced for their review. If you are not connected to a professional and a session raises a safety concern, such as thoughts of suicide or self-harm, a licensed clinician on the iVASA team may review that session to decide whether to offer you additional support; every such access is logged.
How much does iVASA cost?
Individual plans: Intro $7.99/month (45 minutes of voice time), Plus $17.99/month (180 minutes), Complete $37.99/month (420 minutes), and Unlimited $47.99/month. Annual and one-time options are also available. Creating an account is free and doesn't require a credit card.
Who built iVASA?
iVASA was created by Mathew Quaschnick, MA, LPCC, founder of iVASA Inc. and a licensed professional clinical counselor practicing in Minneapolis, with informal clinical and technical advisors.
How is iVASA funded?
iVASA, Inc. is a Minneapolis company funded by its founders and its subscribers.
How is iVASA tested?
iVASA is tested internally with simulated sessions and benchmark scenarios. We welcome independent evaluation.
Which AI providers does iVASA use?
iVASA uses language models from OpenAI and Anthropic. Voice runs through Vapi, with Deepgram for speech recognition and ElevenLabs for voices. The Privacy Policy lists every company that handles your information and what each one does. Model versions change often, so we share current versions with researchers on request.
General
How do I reset my password?
Click 'Forgot Password' on the login page. Enter your registered email address, and you'll receive a password reset link via email. The system uses secure email verification for password resets.
Why can't I log in to my account?
Common reasons include: incorrect username or password (passwords are case-sensitive), account may need email verification (check your inbox), browser cache issues (try clearing cache or using incognito mode), or ensure you're selecting the correct user type (Individual, Client, or Therapist).
Can I use iVASA on multiple devices?
Yes, iVASA features cross-device sync. You can access the platform from any device with a web browser. The responsive design works on desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Your session history and progress sync automatically across all devices.
Which AI voice agents are available?
iVASA offers four guides—AI voices, each with a distinct character and approach to structured self-inquiry. All guides remember your conversations and provide continuity across your sessions.
Do the AI agents remember our previous conversations?
Yes! All AI agents feature memory persistence. They remember your previous conversations, personal details, and can reference past sessions to provide continuity in your work over time.
Is my information secure?
Information travels between your device and iVASA over encrypted connections, and the database is encrypted in storage. Therapist and iVASA staff accounts require two-step login. To provide the service, conversations are processed by third-party AI providers, and if you are connected to a licensed professional through iVASA, they can access your transcripts and summaries. The Privacy Policy names those providers.
Who can see my voice sessions?
Session visibility depends on your account type. Individual users: your sessions are not shared with any professional, except that if a session raises a safety concern, a licensed clinician on the iVASA team may review that session, with every such access logged, to decide whether to offer you additional support; conversations are also processed by third-party AI providers to provide the service. Clients: your connected therapist can review your session summaries, transcripts, and patterns after sessions. Therapists: only you can access your own personal sessions.
Therapist
How do I invite clients to iVASA?
Navigate to your Therapist Dashboard, click 'Invite Client', enter the client's email address, and the system sends a secure invitation link. Track pending invitations in your dashboard. Clients can easily onboard using the link without complex setup.
How many clients can I manage?
Client limits depend on your subscription tier: Basic ($99/month) supports 3 clients and Premium ($199/month) supports 10 clients, each with a shared monthly pool of voice minutes. Clients inherit your subscription benefits for their sessions.
Can I view my clients' sessions?
Yes. After a session ends, you can review client session summaries, pattern progression, session statistics and analytics, and full transcripts through the client sessions view.
How does pattern detection work?
iVASA's system identifies patterns in a client's own words—moments of contradiction, gaps between intention and behavior, shifts in perspective, and openings toward new choices. Pattern updates are available for your review after sessions and help track progress over time.
Can I monitor client sessions in real time?
No. iVASA does not provide real-time monitoring, live alerts, or notifications during sessions. After a session ends, you can review summaries, transcripts, and pattern updates in your dashboard.
Can I use iVASA for my own sessions?
Yes. Therapists have full access to all four guides, personal voice sessions with memory persistence, and private session storage separate from client data.
How do I track client progress?
The platform provides journey visualization for each client, progress charts and metrics, session statistics and weekly trends, and a pattern analytics dashboard—all available for review after sessions.
Client
How do I join iVASA as a client?
Your therapist will send you an email invitation with a secure link. The signup process is simple and automatically connects you to your therapist with inherited subscription benefits. No payment is required - you use your therapist's subscription.
Which AI agents can I access as a client?
Clients have full access to all four guides. Each maintains conversation memory and continuity across your sessions, allowing you to choose the agent that best fits your needs.
Can my therapist see everything I discuss in sessions?
Yes. After a session ends, your therapist can review your session summaries and insights, pattern progression, and the full transcripts of your conversations. This access supports the work you do together.
How do voice sessions work?
Voice sessions feature natural, human-like conversations with real-time voice recognition and response. What is said is turned into text as you speak, and that transcript is stored. No audio recording of your sessions is kept. Responses are context-aware and empathetic, with smooth conversation flow and memory of past sessions.
How long can my sessions be?
Session length depends on your therapist's subscription. Minutes are shared from your therapist's plan, with usage tracking showing remaining time. Sessions can continue as long as minutes are available, with alerts before time expires.
How do I track my progress?
Your Client Dashboard shows journey visualization, session history with summaries, pattern insights, progress charts, and stage progression. This information is shared with your therapist.
Can I access my session history?
Yes, you have complete access to all past session summaries, AI-generated insights, progress tracking over time, pattern history, and context from all sessions.
Settings
How do I change my account information?
Access account settings through your dashboard. Click your profile/avatar in the navigation header, select 'Account Settings', update your name or email, and save changes to apply immediately.
How do I delete my account?
Go to Settings > Delete Account in your dashboard. Deleting your account cancels your subscription, removes your sign-in, and deletes your profile, your sessions, transcripts, summaries and insights, your breath checks and the notes you add to them, and the notes and documents you uploaded. This cannot be undone. A few records are not removed, such as payment records held by Stripe. The Privacy Policy lists them. If you are connected to a therapist, ask your therapist to disconnect you first. To close a therapist account, write to privacy@ivasa.ai.
How do I manage my data sharing preferences?
Data sharing controls vary by user type. Individual: your sessions are not shared with a professional, except that a session raising a safety concern may be reviewed by a licensed clinician on the iVASA team, with that access logged. Client: information is shared with your connected therapist. Therapist: each time you open a client's records, that access is logged.
Can I change my user type?
User types (Individual, Therapist, Client) are set during account creation and cannot be changed directly. Contact support if you need to change your user type, as this may require creating a new account with proper verification.
Billing
What subscription options are available?
Individual plans: Intro $7.99/month (45 minutes), Plus $17.99/month (180 minutes), Complete $37.99/month (420 minutes), and Unlimited $47.99/month. Annual plans (about two months free) and one-time passes are also available. Therapist plans: Basic ($99/month, up to 3 clients) and Premium ($199/month, up to 10 clients), each with a shared monthly pool of voice minutes.
How do I upgrade my plan?
Go to Settings > Subscription in your dashboard, select 'Upgrade Plan', choose your new plan level, and complete payment through secure Stripe checkout. New benefits apply immediately.
How is usage tracked for therapists?
Usage tracking features a shared minute pool across all your clients, up-to-date usage totals, per-client usage breakdowns, and alerts as you approach your limit.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Click the Settings icon in navigation, select 'Cancel Subscription', and confirm cancellation. Your subscription remains active until the end of your current billing period, then voice sessions become unavailable (historical data remains accessible).
What payment methods are accepted?
iVASA accepts major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover) and debit cards with major network logos. All payments are processed securely through Stripe. International cards are accepted subject to bank approval.
When am I charged for my subscription?
Monthly plans are charged monthly on your signup date. Upgrades: prorated charges apply immediately with credit for unused time on previous plan.
Technical
What browsers work best with iVASA?
iVASA supports Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge (desktop and mobile). The platform uses WebSocket technology for real-time features, so ensure JavaScript is enabled and your browser is up to date.
What if I have technical issues during a session?
The platform includes robust error handling and retry mechanisms, automatic reconnection features, session recovery if disconnected, and complete mobile support for backup devices. If issues persist, try refreshing your browser or switching devices.
How are voice sessions stored?
Voice sessions are turned into text as you speak, and the transcript is stored in an encrypted database, with context preserved across sessions. No audio recording of your sessions is kept. You can access your full session history, including AI-generated summaries and insights, through your dashboard. Transcription and summaries are produced by third-party AI providers that process your conversations to provide the service.
Why is my microphone not working?
Ensure your browser has microphone permissions enabled for iVASA. Check your device microphone settings and try refreshing the page. If using headphones, ensure they're properly connected. For persistent issues, try a different browser or device.
Can I use iVASA on mobile devices?
Yes! iVASA is fully mobile-responsive and works on smartphones and tablets. The voice interface adapts to mobile screens, and all features including session history and analytics are accessible on mobile devices.
What if I get disconnected during a session?
iVASA features automatic reconnection if your connection drops. Your session progress is saved continuously, and you can resume where you left off. If reconnection fails, refresh your browser to continue your session.