How do I write a prompt for talking to ChatGPT about a worry?

In your first message, state the role (listen first), the pace (one question at a time), and the method (separate the situation, thoughts, feelings, and actions). You can paste prompts 1 and 3 from this article as they are.

Do the same prompts work in Gemini or Claude?

Yes. The seven sentences do not depend on any one service's features, so they work in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude alike.

Is there anything I should leave out when I talk to AI about a worry?

It is best to leave out personal details such as your name, contact information, and address, and documents such as medical certificates, prescriptions, or test results. Refer to other people as "a friend" or "my manager" instead of by name.

Is there a way to continue like counseling without writing prompts?

Use an app built for counseling conversations. CareOps Maeumi has a set flow from the first session to the end-of-session summary, and it remembers earlier sessions so you can continue.

How to talk to ChatGPT about a worry: 7 prompts that help

CareOps editorial team · October 12, 2026 · 5 min read

Mental wellness information and service guidance published by CareOps.

Translated from our Korean guide. Korean public services, insurance, and helpline numbers refer to South Korea. For urgent help elsewhere, contact local emergency services or a crisis line in your country.

Have you told an AI about a worry and received generic comfort or a long list of advice? General-purpose assistants respond very differently depending on how you ask. These seven sentences follow the order counseling takes: listening first, then sorting things out, then one small action.

At a glance

Set the role and pace in your first message: "Before giving advice, reflect back what I said and ask one question at a time."
Asking for the situation, thoughts, feelings, and actions to be separated lets you sort a worry the way cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) does.
Leave out personal details such as your name, contact information, or medical documents, and hold any condition an AI names loosely rather than as a settled judgment.
If you would rather continue across sessions without writing prompts each time, an AI counseling app such as CareOps Maeumi is an option.

Why do prompts matter when you talk to ChatGPT about a worry?

ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are general-purpose assistants built to help with anything. If you describe a worry with no instructions, they often go straight to a list of solutions. Counseling takes a different order: listen fully first, sort things out together, and only then settle on one small action. A prompt is how you tell the AI to follow that order.

Seven prompts you can use as they are

Listen first: "I'm going to tell you about something that's bothering me. Give advice only when I ask for it. First reflect back what I said, then ask one question at a time."
Narrow to one event: "Of the things that have been hard lately, I want to look closely at the most recent one. Ask me in turn when it was, where I was, and what happened."
Separate thoughts, feelings, and actions: "Sort what I just described into the situation, the thoughts I had, the feelings, and what I did. If I say something is off, correct it."
Look for another view: "Ask me questions so I can find for myself the evidence that supports that thought and the evidence that doesn't. Please leave the answers to me."
See both sides: "Part of me wants to change and part of me wants to stay the same. Without pushing me either way, help me put each side into words."
Choose a small action: "I want to pick the smallest thing I could try this week. Ask me specifically when, where, and for how long."
Carry it forward: "Summarize today's conversation in five lines: what we looked at, what I noticed, what I decided to try, and what to talk about next. I'll paste this summary next time to continue."

Prompts 3 and 4 follow the thought record used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), prompt 5 follows motivational interviewing, and prompt 6 follows behavioral activation. To learn more, read our guide to CBT.

Three things to keep in mind when you talk to AI about your feelings

In October 2026, Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association released guidelines on using generative AI for mental health purposes. Applied to writing prompts, the three key messages look like this.

Decide before you start: leave out your name, contact details, address, medical certificates, prescriptions, and test results. Refer to other people as "a friend" or "my manager," and decide in advance how far today's conversation will go.
Treat what AI says as input rather than a conclusion: if an AI says "this sounds like depression," hold it loosely instead of as a settled judgment. Confirm important information with official sources or a professional.
Talk to people too: discuss big decisions such as quitting a job or ending a relationship with someone you trust. If conversations with AI get longer while conversations with people around you shrink, step back for a while.

If you would rather not write a prompt every time

Using a general assistant in a counseling-like way through prompts takes effort. You restate the role each time, paste in the last summary, and keep track yourself of whether you did what you planned.

CareOps Maeumi is an AI counseling app built so the app handles that process. It starts with questionnaires and a first session, its conversations are informed by established approaches such as CBT, ACT, and motivational interviewing, and it remembers earlier sessions and what you agreed on. Exercises such as thought records appear as cards inside the conversation, and a separate counselor plan is available if you want feedback from a qualified counselor. Your first session is free.

For an item-by-item comparison of general-purpose AI and counseling apps, see ChatGPT vs. AI counseling apps.

If things feel urgent

If you are worried about your immediate safety, contact your local emergency number or a crisis line in your country. In Korea, call 109 (suicide prevention) or 1577-0199 (mental health crisis line); both are open 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a prompt for talking to ChatGPT about a worry?: In your first message, state the role (listen first), the pace (one question at a time), and the method (separate the situation, thoughts, feelings, and actions). You can paste prompts 1 and 3 from this article as they are.
Do the same prompts work in Gemini or Claude?: Yes. The seven sentences do not depend on any one service's features, so they work in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude alike.
Is there anything I should leave out when I talk to AI about a worry?: It is best to leave out personal details such as your name, contact information, and address, and documents such as medical certificates, prescriptions, or test results. Refer to other people as "a friend" or "my manager" instead of by name.
Is there a way to continue like counseling without writing prompts?: Use an app built for counseling conversations. CareOps Maeumi has a set flow from the first session to the end-of-session summary, and it remembers earlier sessions so you can continue.

Sources

This article shares general mental wellness information. For urgent help, contact local emergency services or a crisis line in your country. In South Korea, the suicide prevention helpline is 109 (24 hours), and the mental health crisis line is 1577-0199.