Community Guidelines

1. Our Community Values

shymind.com exists to help people who find social situations difficult build real confidence, at their own pace. That only works if this feels like a safe, respectful space. These Guidelines apply to every interaction on the platform - AI chat, Expert messaging, and any future community features.

2. Expected Behavior

• Be patient and encouraging - many people here are taking a difficult first step.
• Communicate honestly, including about your qualifications if you're an Expert.
• Respect other users' pace, boundaries, and privacy.
• Report concerning behavior instead of engaging with it directly.

3. Prohibited Behavior

The following are never permitted, and will be treated as violations regardless of the sender's stated intent:

• Harassment or abuse - insults, threats, unwanted persistent contact, or targeting someone based on a protected characteristic;
• Sexual harassment - unwelcome sexual comments, requests, or content directed at another user;
• Impersonation or misrepresentation - falsely claiming credentials, licenses, or an identity that isn't yours;
• Spam or solicitation - unsolicited advertising, or pressuring another user to move communication or payment off-platform to bypass safety features;
• Sharing others' private information without consent;
• Exploiting vulnerability - using someone's disclosed anxiety or personal struggles to manipulate, pressure, or take advantage of them.

4. Additional Standards for Experts

Experts are held to a higher standard given their role supporting users through sensitive topics:

• Never claim to provide licensed medical, psychiatric, or psychological treatment unless you hold that license and disclose it clearly;
• Keep anything a client shares with you (including shared Vault insights) confidential, and use it only to support that client;
• Recognize the limits of your role - if a client describes a crisis or safety risk, direct them to appropriate emergency resources (see our Health & Safety Disclaimer) rather than attempting to handle it yourself;
• Do not solicit clients to pay you or continue sessions outside the platform.

5. Reporting a Concern

If a message or user violates these Guidelines, use the 🚩 Report button available in the chat window to flag it to our team. Reports are reviewed confidentially, and reporting in good faith will never result in action against your own account.

6. Enforcement

Depending on severity, violations may result in a warning, temporary suspension, removal of Expert status, or permanent account termination. We may take action even without a report if we become aware of a violation.

7. Appeals

If you believe an enforcement action was made in error, you may contact us to request a review.

8. Contact Us

Reach our team at Support@Shymind.com or via our Contact page.