Mindbuddy Renews Service to a Hybrid Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program Combining Experts and AI to Solve Mental Health Issues
Mindbuddy Inc. has renewed its service to a hybrid Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) program where users are supported by an AI buddy, "Mine-san," and human experts. Supervised by Haruhiko Shimoyama, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, the program combines the convenience of AI with the professional expertise of certified/clinical psychologists.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 18, 2026 at 21:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 18, 2026 at 12:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 18, 2026 at 18:17 (5h 45m after Collected)
Background of Service Renewal
While the number of people suffering from mental health issues in modern society is increasing, medical and counseling institutions offering "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)"—a psychotherapy based on scientific evidence—are limited, making low accessibility a long-standing issue.
In recent years, with the rapid evolution of generative AI, casual counseling services using AI have begun to emerge. However, in the mental health field, there are significant concerns regarding the "accuracy and safety of AI responses," making the establishment of "safe and secure AI counseling" based on professional knowledge an urgent task.
Given this social background, Mindbuddy has developed a completely new hybrid CBT program combining the "convenience of AI" with the "expertise of certified/clinical psychologists," supervised by Haruhiko Shimoyama, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and a leading figure in clinical psychology.
Key Points of the Service Renewal
1. Supervised by Haruhiko Shimoyama, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, as Chief Psychological Advisor
Welcoming Haruhiko Shimoyama, a leading expert in clinical psychology in Japan, as the Chief Psychological Advisor, the program regularly audits and supervises AI outputs and dialogue safety. Additionally, training is conducted for certified/clinical psychologists affiliated with Mindbuddy, providing psychological services with guaranteed professional expertise through the convenience of AI and top-class clinical skills.
2. AI Buddy "Mine-san" Handles Everything from Active Listening to CBT Practice
The AI buddy "Mine-san" handles active listening to carefully hear worries and troubles, up to practicing CBT to learn stress-coping methods. It supports a wide range of CBT techniques, such as the column method to correct cognitive distortions and assertion aiming to improve interpersonal relationships, accompanying the user in their practice.
3. Seamless Hybrid Care by Experts and AI
With this renewal, Mindbuddy has evolved into a unique program where "experts and AI accompany the user." Daily minor frustrations and sounding boards for exercises can be easily handled by the AI buddy, while deeper worries and regular reflections can be addressed through video counseling with certified/clinical psychologists. Users can flexibly choose according to their symptoms and needs, from using only AI counseling to combining it with expert counseling (twice a month / four times a month / single use, etc.).
About Mindbuddy
Mindbuddy is a CBT program accompanied by experts and AI. Users can work on learning content, exercises, and stress checks via the app (WEB) while engaging in daily dialogue with the AI buddy "Mine-san" and video counseling with experts (certified/clinical psychologists) to improve symptoms and prevent relapse.
Mindbuddy Inc.
Under the mission of "Bringing freedom of mind and daily joy to people worldwide," Mindbuddy Inc. is working on the social implementation of guided ICBT and improving the accessibility of CBT.
Company Name: Mindbuddy Inc.
Representative: Yasuhiro Kojima, CEO
Established: October 2023
Location: Navi Shibuya V 3F, 5-5 Maruyamacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Service Site: https://mindbuddy.co.jp/
Corporate Site: https://app.mindbuddy.co.jp/corporate
While the number of people suffering from mental health issues in modern society is increasing, medical and counseling institutions offering "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)"—a psychotherapy based on scientific evidence—are limited, making low accessibility a long-standing issue.
In recent years, with the rapid evolution of generative AI, casual counseling services using AI have begun to emerge. However, in the mental health field, there are significant concerns regarding the "accuracy and safety of AI responses," making the establishment of "safe and secure AI counseling" based on professional knowledge an urgent task.
Given this social background, Mindbuddy has developed a completely new hybrid CBT program combining the "convenience of AI" with the "expertise of certified/clinical psychologists," supervised by Haruhiko Shimoyama, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and a leading figure in clinical psychology.
Key Points of the Service Renewal
1. Supervised by Haruhiko Shimoyama, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, as Chief Psychological Advisor
Welcoming Haruhiko Shimoyama, a leading expert in clinical psychology in Japan, as the Chief Psychological Advisor, the program regularly audits and supervises AI outputs and dialogue safety. Additionally, training is conducted for certified/clinical psychologists affiliated with Mindbuddy, providing psychological services with guaranteed professional expertise through the convenience of AI and top-class clinical skills.
2. AI Buddy "Mine-san" Handles Everything from Active Listening to CBT Practice
The AI buddy "Mine-san" handles active listening to carefully hear worries and troubles, up to practicing CBT to learn stress-coping methods. It supports a wide range of CBT techniques, such as the column method to correct cognitive distortions and assertion aiming to improve interpersonal relationships, accompanying the user in their practice.
3. Seamless Hybrid Care by Experts and AI
With this renewal, Mindbuddy has evolved into a unique program where "experts and AI accompany the user." Daily minor frustrations and sounding boards for exercises can be easily handled by the AI buddy, while deeper worries and regular reflections can be addressed through video counseling with certified/clinical psychologists. Users can flexibly choose according to their symptoms and needs, from using only AI counseling to combining it with expert counseling (twice a month / four times a month / single use, etc.).
About Mindbuddy
Mindbuddy is a CBT program accompanied by experts and AI. Users can work on learning content, exercises, and stress checks via the app (WEB) while engaging in daily dialogue with the AI buddy "Mine-san" and video counseling with experts (certified/clinical psychologists) to improve symptoms and prevent relapse.
Mindbuddy Inc.
Under the mission of "Bringing freedom of mind and daily joy to people worldwide," Mindbuddy Inc. is working on the social implementation of guided ICBT and improving the accessibility of CBT.
Company Name: Mindbuddy Inc.
Representative: Yasuhiro Kojima, CEO
Established: October 2023
Location: Navi Shibuya V 3F, 5-5 Maruyamacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Service Site: https://mindbuddy.co.jp/
Corporate Site: https://app.mindbuddy.co.jp/corporate
FAQ
What kind of service is Mindbuddy?
It is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy program where an AI buddy and certified psychologists work together to support users.
How is the safety of AI counseling ensured?
Haruhiko Shimoyama, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and clinical psychologist, supervises the AI's output as the Chief Psychological Advisor.
Can I receive counseling from an expert?
Yes, you can combine video counseling with certified or clinical psychologists according to your needs.