The Future of Psychotherapy and AI

I am often asked if I think therapists will be replaced by AI. The short answer is “no.”

However, I do believe AI will play a part in mental health treatment in the near future. Therapists

that are committed to continuing education may use AI to more succinctly read and evaluate

research, to look for case studies to help them with treatment planning of their own clients, and

to learn about cutting edge intervention strategies. Therapists who create unique treatment plans

for each individual client will be able to use AI to do so more efficiently.

AI could also help people that only need very basic mental health information. For example, I am sure AI could be helpful providing lists for things to do when you are angry, stressed, or dealing with other distressing emotions. “Give me a list of 100 things that can help me calm down” is something AI could do. However, if a person doesn’t know why a particular situation causes feelings of anxiety, dread, fear, etc. etc. AI isn’t ever going to be able help them figure that out.

The truth is that the gap between good and bad therapy is as wide as the Grand Canyon. Effective therapists help clients connect the dots between past experiences and what is

happening currently in our lives. Being an effective therapist requires a certain amount of

intuition and deductive reasoning that AI just can’t replicate. Effective therapists pay attention not

just to a person’s words but to all the human subtleties as well. Body language, tone, and sometimes simply what people aren’t talking about can often be as informative as what a client might tell their therapist. And...most importantly...sometimes it is the therapeutic relationship itself that can be the most healing. For example, I have worked with some women whose life experiences have conditioned them to believe that every man wants something from them. Simply put, just being in a room with someone that is willing to earn your trust over time and be consistent can be the most healing thing that can happen.

I’m sure that AI will have a role to play in mental healthcare in the future. However, until a computer can show compassion and have “instincts,” there will be a need for good therapists.