A format comparison for counseling, MFT and social work trainees
Recorded mock sessions or AI text practice: what do you want to revisit?
Compare recording a fictional mock counseling session for playback with AI text practice, including what each captures, who gives feedback, and limits.
Text-only practice with fictional clients, for adult learners (graduate students and early-career practitioners). Feedback is AI-generated and can be wrong.
Written by SeatTime. SeatTime details (price, plans and scenarios) were checked against our pricing page and scenario library on October 21, 2026. SeatTime is for adults in the US.
As of October 2026. Linked external sources were checked on October 21, 2026. Prices, plans and features can change. Check current terms before you pay. Sources are linked in each table row.
Short answer: a recording keeps one performance so you can watch or listen to it again. A new AI text conversation gives you another exchange, in which the fictional client answers whatever you type next. Both let you practice more than once, but a saved recording can't respond to a line you revise.
Here, "recorded mock session" means a practice session in which classmates play fictional roles and the session is recorded for review. It doesn't mean watching expert demonstration videos.
The comparison
For the recording column we use one published course syllabus as an example. Other programs handle recordings differently.
| Decision | Recorded peer mock session (one course example) | SeatTime text practice |
|---|---|---|
| What you review | Zoom recordings of triad practice, with links submitted to the course. Course syllabus | The typed fictional conversation and AI-generated feedback on it. How SeatTime works |
| Delivery | Practice happens on webcam, so voice, pacing and expression are captured. Course syllabus | Text only; it doesn't capture how you sound. How SeatTime works |
| Feedback | Peers in the practice group give feedback; any review of the recording itself depends on your course. Course syllabus | AI-generated, and it can be wrong. How SeatTime works |
| Trying a revised line | Our read: you can pause playback and rehearse a revised line alone. Another live peer response requires practicing together again. Course syllabus | The fictional client replies to whatever you type next. How SeatTime works |
| Cost | Not priced separately in the syllabus; depends on your tools and course. Course syllabus | One no-account demo. A free account gives access to three scenarios with feedback; $15/month covers every available scenario, subject to prerequisites and usage limits. SeatTime pricing |
Sound or words?
Say your reply was: "It sounds like part of you wants to stop and part of you doesn't." In a recording you can hear whether it came out rushed or flat. In text you can't, but you can try a different wording in a later turn or another conversation. This is not a controlled comparison: the context and AI response can change too.
Getting a person's view
A recording doesn't come with feedback on its own. If you want a person to review it, plan for that: share it with a classmate or instructor if your course allows.
Before you record
- Use invented scenarios and roles only. Never record or share real client material.
- Agree with everyone in the recording on how it will be used.
- Follow your program's rules for storing and deleting recordings.
What SeatTime isn't
SeatTime doesn't record audio or video, and it isn't a place to store recordings. It's a typed conversation with a fictional client. Use fictional details only.
For more ways to set up peer practice, read how to practice counseling skills alone or with a triad. For how a SeatTime conversation runs, see how SeatTime practice works.
Frequently asked questions
Can a text transcript show how I sounded?
No. SeatTime is text only, so it shows the words you chose, not your voice, pacing or expression. If delivery is what you want to revisit, record a mock session with classmates.
Does my assignment allow a different format?
Ask your instructor. If a recording is assigned, make the recording. SeatTime is optional practice outside your program and doesn't count toward any program, placement or licensing requirement.
Can I upload a recording to SeatTime?
No. SeatTime doesn't take uploads and doesn't record audio or video. Never upload or share recordings of real clients in any practice tool.
Try a text practice with a fictional client
SeatTime is a text-only practice simulator: you type to a fictional AI client, then read AI-generated feedback on what you did. No account or card needed for the free exercise.
Start the free text practiceText-only practice with fictional clients, for adult learners (graduate students and early-career practitioners). Feedback is AI-generated and can be wrong. It's optional practice outside your program and doesn't count toward any program, placement, or licensing requirement. Use fictional details only. Your supervisor's guidance comes first.