The 24/7 Therapist That Never Judges
Project Overview
What if the most effective mental health intervention isn’t a human therapist—but an AI that answers at 2 AM?
Our client faced an impossible equation: soaring demand for mental health support, limited therapist bandwidth, and potential patients too intimidated or cash-strapped to seek help. We solved it with SUSAN—an AI therapist that doesn’t just listen, but de-escalates crises with algorithmic empathy.
Results:
76% of callers left calmer
34% converted to human therapy
All delivered at the cost of a phone call
The future of mental healthcare isn’t about replacing therapists. It’s about creating an on-ramp for the millions who’d otherwise never take the first step.
Struggling quietly? SUSAN hears you
Client Overview
Client: National mental health organization (confidential)
Sector: Mental health first response & therapy lead generation
Pain Point: 40% of distressed individuals never seek help due to cost, stigma, or availability
Discover the AI that listens – day or night at SUSAN
The Challenge
Therapist Bottleneck: Humans can’t scale to meet 24/7 demand
Barriers to Care: Cost, shame, and waitlists deter first-time patients
Missed Opportunities: No system to capture “venters” and convert them to therapy
Goal: A zero-friction, pre-therapy intervention that de-escalates and generates qualified leads
Let’s make support more accessible—with SUSAN
Our Approach: AI Agentic Learning
Behavioral Archetypes: Mapped 50+ “venter” profiles (e.g., “The Silent Sufferer,” “The Angry Burnout”)
NLP Emotional Grading: SUSAN detects frustration levels in real-time (tone, word choice, pacing)
Algorithmic Empathy: Trained on de-escalation scripts with strategic terms of endearment (“Oh, my dear…”)
Lead Scoring: Identified callers most likely to convert to human therapy
Explore how SUSAN makes the first step easier
The Solution
SUSAN 3.0: An AI first responder with the patience of a saint and the conversion rates of a sales bot
Phone-Only Access: No apps, no signup—just a number to call when emotions overload
Therapist Handoff: Warm transfers for high-intent callers (“Let me connect you to someone who can help”)
Results & Impact
| Metric | Before SUSAN | After SUSAN |
|---|---|---|
| Caller Frustration Reduction | N/A | 76% (voice stress analysis) |
| Lead Conversion Rate | 12% (website forms) | 34% (SUSAN handoffs) |
| Cost per Lead | £85 | £22 |
| 24/7 Coverage | No | Yes |
SUSAN—where AI meets empathy
The Competitive Advantage
Judgment-Free Zone: SUSAN’s “oh, my dear” disarms shame better than any human
Always-On: Catches crises during the “I need help now” window
Data-Driven Therapy Pipeline: 34% conversion is 3x industry averages
Resource Multiplier: Human therapists focus on high-value cases, not initial venting.
The mental health crisis isn’t just about treatment—it’s about access. SUSAN isn’t a therapist. It’s the bridge between breakdown and breakthrough.
