Human first. AI behind the scenes
Sonar uses AI to make our Wellbeing Coaches more effective.
When you chat with Sonny, every message is written by a real person. Our AI tools work in the background to help your Coach do things like,
- Track progress and engagement over time
- Flag patterns that might signal deeper struggles
- Recommend helpful tools or evidence-based techniques
- Support more students without losing the human touch
So the support feels smart, responsive and most importantly real.
What can Sonny chat about?
Whether students are stressing over a test, stuck in friendship drama, or just need to let it all out, Sonny is there for them. No judgment and no pressure. Conversations feel like chatting with a friend who actually listens (and gives pretty solid advice).
Here are just a few things students open up about with Sonny:
Who are the Wellbeing Coaches?
Wellbeing Coaches are trained supporters working under the direct supervision of our licensed Clinical Team. They're not therapists, but they do know how to show up with empathy and make space.
Our Coaches are:
- Professionally trained. Each Coach completes rigorous training in adolescent communication, crisis recognition, and evidence-based support techniques.
- Relatable. We intentionally hire people with teen-focused experience and from diverse backgrounds. 83% of our Coaches identify as BIPOC, and 40% are members of the LGBTQIA community
- Lived experience. Our Coaches have been through hard stuff too. That shared experience helps students feel safer opening up.
By combining professional guidance with authentic human connection, Sonar gives students a safe space to open up without pretending to be something we’re not.
Simple to start, easy to love
Sonar fits right into your school community with minimal lift for staff and a seamless experience for students.
For school staff, we provide everything you need to launch quickly and confidently including dedicated onboarding support, custom launch materials, training and a Partner Toolkit.
For students, the sign-up experience is fast and intuitive. They receive a school-specific link, enter basic info, complete a short onboarding survey, and they’re in!
You get a secure, scalable way to support student wellbeing. They get instant access to real support that make a difference.
We continually hear from our school partners that supporting an increasing number of students' mental health challenges can be extremely challenging because of staffing and capacity constraints, budget, issues arising outside of school or online, lack of training, etc. Sonar helps solve these challenges through:
- 24/7 support that meets students where they are
- Crisis escalation that avoids schools from having to handle student crisis outside school hours
- Seamless coordination with support teams to equip schools with valuable data and insights
- An easy place to refer students when wait times to see a counselor may be getting extended
- Allowing you to reach WAY more of your students at a fraction of the cost of hiring additional staff or external therapy provider
We can do all this while improving students outcomes, such as improved wellbeing, reduced chronic absenteeism, reduced student disciplinary rates and improved grades.
Wellbeing Coaches are trained supporters who work under the direct supervision of our licensed Clinical Team. While not licensed therapists themselves, they complete rigorous training in adolescent communication, crisis recognition, and evidence-based support techniques.
We intentionally hire Coaches with teen experience and from diverse backgrounds that reflect the communities we serve. This peer-like connection helps students open up more naturally while still maintaining professional boundaries and oversight.
Every Coach receives ongoing supervision from licensed mental health professionals, ensuring quality support and appropriate escalation when students need additional care. This model allows us to provide immediate, relatable support to more students at a cost schools can sustain.
🔗Learn more about Sonar’s Wellbeing Coaches and our Clinical Team
Sonar recognizes the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to address the cost, access, and stigma challenges in youth mental health. However, AI alone is not yet advanced enough to provide the level of care students deserve.
That’s why our human-in-the-loop (HIL) system remains a core pillar of the platform. Every message to and from Sonny is read and written by a Wellbeing Coach, and AI is used to streamline and scale their workflows— much like an operational assistant.
The impact of combining AI’s scalability with the power of human connection is clear:
- Students feel more seen through personalized, trustworthy support.
- Schools reach more students without straining resources.
- Families gain confidence in AI-driven solutions that prioritize safety, transparency, and effectiveness.
By integrating AI with human expertise, Sonar ensures that mental health support is both accessible and responsible—building a future where students receive the care they deserve when they need it most.
Students can chat with Sonny, their personal Wellbeing Coach, about anything on their mind—from everyday stress to more serious challenges.
Common topics include:
- Academic stress
- Social conflicts, dating, or breakups
- Bullying & peer pressure
- Anxiety, depression, & grief
Sonny provides a safe, judgment-free space where students can express themselves openly. Every conversation is guided by our Wellbeing Coaches, ensuring thoughtful supportive responses and early intervention when needed.
Sonar follows a clinically informed escalation protocol to ensure student safety while prioritizing privacy and autonomy. In a crisis situation, we:
- Engage with the student. Provide immediate support and suggest crisis resources like 988.
- Contact emergency support. Notify the student’s designated emergency contact with detailed information to facilitate immediate support.
- Should the student stop responding, we can’t reach their emergency contact, and we believe there is imminent risk of harm to self or others, we will escalate to emergency services.
Sonar and its Wellbeing Coaches do not provide medical advice, provide medical supervision, practice medicine, engage in clinical social work, or practice mental healthcare in any way. Please contact a licensed professional to receive such services or, in an emergency, call 911.
We recommend doing an in-person implementation where we travel to your school to do in-person presentations to your parents, staff and students. We require no technical integrations, which means once you want to implement Sonar, we can be up and running in 1-2 weeks. Quick & easy!
After implementation, we periodically coordinate with your school-based support staff, sharing data and insights to empower you to be more effective. We also encourage you to continue to highlight Sonar to students, so they know we are available.
🔗For further information or to discuss your school's specific needs, get in touch with us. (link: https://www.sonarmentalhealth.com/demo-form)
