Editorial Policy

How Our Content Is Created

Ottie AI uses a hybrid approach to content creation that combines the efficiency of AI with the expertise of licensed therapists:

• AI-assisted drafting -- Initial content drafts are generated using large language models trained on therapeutic frameworks. This allows us to produce comprehensive, well-structured content quickly.
• Human editing -- Every draft is reviewed and edited by a human editor for clarity, tone, and accuracy. We ensure the voice is warm, non-judgmental, and practical.
• Clinical review -- A licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) reviews every article before publication. The reviewer checks for clinical accuracy, appropriate framing, safety considerations, and alignment with established therapeutic frameworks.

Therapeutic Frameworks

All Ottie content is grounded in evidence-based therapeutic approaches:

• The Gottman Method -- Based on over 40 years of research on what makes relationships succeed or fail. We reference specific Gottman concepts such as the Four Horsemen, emotional bids, and the Sound Relationship House.
• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) -- Developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, EFT is one of the most empirically validated approaches to couples therapy. We help readers identify the emotional cycles beneath their conflicts.
• Attachment Theory -- We draw on the work of Bowlby, Ainsworth, and modern attachment researchers to help couples understand how their attachment styles influence relationship dynamics.

When we reference research or clinical concepts, we aim to cite the original source or foundational work. We do not present opinion as fact.

Safety Protocols

Relationship content can touch on deeply sensitive topics. We take safety seriously:

• Safety tiers -- Every article is assigned a safety tier (1-3). Tier 1 is general relationship advice. Tier 2 includes content about emotionally intense topics. Tier 3 covers topics related to abuse, safety, or crisis situations and receives the most rigorous review.
• Safety callouts -- Articles about conflict-heavy topics include prominent safety callouts with links to professional resources, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233).
• Scope acknowledgment -- Our content is educational, not therapeutic. We clearly state that our articles are not a substitute for professional therapy, especially for situations involving abuse, addiction, infidelity trauma, or mental health crises.
• Clinical review for sensitive content -- All Tier 2 and Tier 3 content receives additional clinical review focused specifically on safety considerations and appropriate resource referrals.

AI Transparency Disclosure

We believe in being upfront about how we use AI:

• Ottie AI uses large language models to assist in content creation. AI generates initial drafts based on therapeutic frameworks and research.
• Every piece of content is reviewed and edited by humans before publication. AI does not publish content autonomously.
• A licensed therapist clinically reviews all content for accuracy and safety.
• We continuously monitor and improve our AI outputs based on clinical feedback and reader responses.

We use AI because it allows us to help more couples faster. We pair it with human expertise because relationship advice is too important to get wrong.

Quality Standards

Every article published on Ottie must meet the following standards:

• Clinically accurate -- All therapeutic concepts must be correctly represented and appropriately applied.
• Practically useful -- Readers should be able to take action based on what they read. We favor word-for-word scripts and step-by-step guidance over abstract theory.
• Balanced perspective -- We present both partners' viewpoints in every conflict scenario. We do not take sides.
• Non-judgmental tone -- Our content is warm, empathetic, and free of blame language. We normalize the struggles that every couple faces.
• Regularly updated -- Content is reviewed on a regular schedule and updated when new research emerges or clinical best practices evolve.

Feedback and Corrections

If you believe any of our content contains inaccurate information, inappropriate advice, or could be improved, please contact us at hello@withottie.ai. We take feedback seriously and will review all concerns with our clinical team.

To learn more about the people behind Ottie, visit our About Our Team page.