Support Circle
Carry encouragement from the people who care about you
Support Circle gives you a private place inside PsychPal to keep supportive photos and voice messages from people you trust, so familiar encouragement is available when you want it.
What Support Circle is
Support Circle is a private section of PsychPal where you can store photos and voice messages from people who matter to you — a parent, a close friend, a partner, a sibling. The content lives inside your account, accessible only to you.
It is designed for moments when you want a reminder that you are not alone — without having to reach out in real time.
How photos and voice messages are added
You add content to Support Circle yourself from within the app. You can upload a photo or record a voice message that someone has shared with you. The people in your Support Circle do not have access to your PsychPal account or your conversations.
Support Circle content is stored privately and encrypted. It is not visible to PsychPal staff in the course of normal operations.
When someone might use it
A hard afternoon
You're feeling low and don't want to call anyone right now. You open Support Circle and listen to a voice message your sister recorded for you.
A moment of doubt
You're second-guessing yourself before a difficult conversation. A photo of your closest friend reminds you of who you are.
Late at night
It's 2 a.m. and you feel disconnected. Support Circle gives you access to familiar warmth without waking anyone up.
Who can access Support Circle content
Only you can access your Support Circle. The people whose photos or messages you have stored do not have access to your account, your conversations or your journal.
PsychPal staff do not access Support Circle content in the course of normal operations. Access to personal health information is restricted to members of the safety team in defined safety-event circumstances, as described in the Privacy Policy.
User controls and deletion
You can remove any photo or voice message from Support Circle at any time from within the app. Deleting your account removes all Support Circle content along with your other data.
Support Circle vs Safe Contacts — what's the difference?
Support Circle
Stores comforting photos and voice messages from people you trust. Private to you. Used for emotional comfort and connection. The people in your Support Circle are not notified or contacted by PsychPal.
Safe Contacts
Separately configured contacts connected to PsychPal's safety workflow. In a Mass-tier safety event, Safe Contacts may receive an SMS alert after a 90-second opt-out window. This is a distinct feature from Support Circle.
Privacy and consent
When you add a photo or voice message from someone else to your Support Circle, you are responsible for having their permission to store that content in the app. PsychPal does not contact, notify or interact with the people in your Support Circle.
Support Circle content is encrypted at rest and stored in Canada. Full details are in the Privacy Policy.
Frequently asked questions
Can the people in my Support Circle see my conversations?
No. The people whose photos or messages you have stored in Support Circle have no access to your PsychPal account, conversations or journal.
Can someone upload content to my Support Circle directly?
No. You add content to Support Circle yourself from within the app. Other people cannot upload directly to your account.
Will my Support Circle contacts receive notifications?
No. Support Circle contacts are not notified or contacted by PsychPal. This is different from Safe Contacts, which are part of a separate safety workflow.
Can I delete Support Circle content?
Yes. You can remove any photo or voice message at any time from within the app.