# How Anima Felix Works | Our Methodology > Learn about the principles, tools, and processes behind Anima Felix. We build on established anxiety self-management techniques. Source: https://animafelix.com/methodology/ Methodology # How Anima Felix works We build on established self-management tools to help you navigate anxiety, overthinking, and panic. Here is how we design our support, what informs it, and where our boundaries are. ## What Anima Felix is, and what it is not Anima Felix is a companion for everyday worry, overthinking, and panic moments. It is designed to give you practical tools in your pocket when your mind is racing. **It is not therapy.** It is not a medical device, it does not provide diagnosis, and it is not a crisis service. It is designed for self-management and emotional support. If you are looking for professional care, or if you are in a crisis, our tools are not the right fit for that moment. Please seek a licensed professional or reach out to a crisis line. ## The techniques we build on The exercises and conversational support in Anima Felix draw from widely recognized frameworks for anxiety management. We do not invent new psychology; we make existing tools accessible. ### Cognitive-behavioral pattern spotting A core element of cognitive-behavioral approaches is learning to identify recurring thought patterns (like catastrophizing or mind-reading). Anima Felix helps you notice when you are in an unhelpful loop. - [The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses (Hofmann et al.)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22718911/) ### Guided slow breathing Paced breathing exercises are used to down-regulate the nervous system and manage physiological arousal during high stress. - [How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing (Zaccaro et al.)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30245619/) ### Sensory grounding (5-4-3-2-1) When a panic attack occurs, redirecting attention to immediate sensory input can help anchor the mind in the present moment. - [NHS guidance on anxiety, panic, and self-help techniques](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/anxiety/) ### Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) Our body relaxation guides are built on the principles of PMR, a method of systematically tensing and releasing muscle groups to lower physical tension. - [Efficacy of Progressive Muscle Relaxation on State Anxiety (Manzoni et al.)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26107380/) ### Structured self-checks We use standard questionnaires (like the GAD-7) purely as wellness self-checks to help you articulate how you feel, not as diagnostic instruments. - [A Brief Measure for Assessing Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The GAD-7 (Spitzer et al.)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16717171/) These studies evaluate the technique, not our app. ## How our AI works and its limits The conversational support in Anima Felix is powered by large language models that are carefully prompted to act as an empathetic, non-judgmental companion. It is trained to validate your feelings and guide you toward regulating exercises. However, AI has strict limitations. It does not understand you like a human would. It cannot formulate a care plan. We have strict guardrails in place: a moderation system stops the AI from engaging with self-harm and other high-risk topics. The app cannot detect an emergency or call for help on your behalf, so in a crisis moment you need human support, not a chatbot. For more on this topic, read our articles on [trusting AI with mental health](/blog/can-you-trust-ai-with-your-mental-health/) and [AI vs. human support](/blog/ai-therapy-vs-human-therapy-what-ai-can-and-cant-do/). ## How we create and review content Every article and guide is written with human accountability. Our content is drafted by our team (sometimes with AI assistance to outline or structure), but it is always reviewed and finalized by a human. For health claims, we only cite authoritative sources such as the WHO, NIMH, NHS, or peer-reviewed medical literature. If a claim does not have medical consensus, we soften the language or remove it entirely. ## Who is accountable Anima Felix is built and maintained by a small, dedicated team. Sebastian Cochinescu is the founder and leads the technology direction, including his background research in time-aware conversational AI ([SCN-LLM](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392556656_SCN-LLM_An_SCN-Inspired_Temporal_Architecture_for_Rhythmic_Entrainment_and_Adaptive_Retrieval_in_Large_Language_Models)). If you have questions about our methodology or find an error, you can reach us directly at [support@animafelix.com](mailto:support@animafelix.com). ## How we measure whether it helps We monitor aggregate, anonymous usage signals to see if people find the app helpful enough to keep using it, and we ask for direct user feedback through in-app check-ins. We do not currently have independent, peer-reviewed studies on the Anima Felix app itself. If we do in the future, we are committed to linking them here with full transparency on sample size, study design, and limitations. ## Safety and crisis boundaries Anima Felix is not designed for emergencies. Its moderation system keeps the AI from engaging with conversations about self-harm, but the app cannot recognise an emergency or act on your behalf. If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please reach out for human help right away. If you are in distress, please seek immediate help. In the US, dial **988**. For other regions, we strongly recommend reaching out to [findahelpline.com](https://findahelpline.com/) or your local emergency services. Read our full guide on [getting help for anxiety](/anxiety-help/). ## Data and privacy Your conversations are your own. We do not sell your personal data. We use consent-gated analytics to understand how the app performs. For complete details, please read our [Privacy Policy](/privacy/) and learn how you can [delete your data](/delete/) at any time. ## Questions to ask any mental health app When evaluating digital tools for your mental wellbeing, it helps to ask hard questions. Here is how we answer them for Anima Felix. ### Is Anima Felix a medical device? No. It is a self-management and emotional support tool. ### Will this cure my anxiety? No. Anxiety is a normal human emotion. Our goal is to give you tools to manage it and reduce its impact on your life, not to cure it. ### Who writes your advice? Our content is written by our human team and strictly references authoritative sources like the NIMH and NHS for factual health claims.