Therapists, Try AI Before You Judge It

Your clients are already using it. Wouldn’t it be helpful if you knew what they’re experiencing?

Skepticism Makes Sense—But So Does Curiosity

I understand the skepticism.

As therapists, we’ve been trained to be cautious--especially with tools that promise insight but lack regulation. It’s right to be discerning.

But the big problem is too many therapists are writing off AI as shallow, risky, or harmful… without ever having used it.

And that’s a mistake.

You Can’t Assess What You Haven’t Experienced

I’ve used AI extensively in my own personal growth work--both as a therapist and as someone doing life-long deep emotional processing. And I’ve been surprised by how powerful it can be.

AI can help with grounding and give advice, but AI is more than just emotional support. It can also offer:

• Reflection on emotional patterns

• Clarification of internal conflicts

• Insight into how past experiences shape present behaviors

• A place to practice new skills or perspectives in real time

It’s not a replacement for therapy. But it can deepen insight between sessions—if you know how to use it well.

Many therapists assume AI only provides surface-level support, but that perspective often comes from people who haven’t explored what AI can actually do.

And your clients? They’re already using it. They’re not waiting for us to catch up. In a recent study, 46% of people said they felt more comfortable being open with an AI than with a therapist. Possibly because they fear judgment, or don’t know how to start, or feel safe enough to say the thing out loud. I know I found it easier to discuss specific things with AI that I never brought up in decades of human therapy.

If we don’t understand what these tools offer, we can’t guide clients in how to use them well. This means leaving people exploring AI and mental health without any support or guidance.

It’s Not AI or Therapy—It’s AI and... something else

Most people aren’t choosing AI instead of a therapist. They’re choosing AI because:

• Therapy wasn’t accessible

• They’re on a waitlist

• They didn’t feel heard the last time they tried

• They’re not ready to speak to another person yet

This is where we come in—not to compete, but to complement. Imagine being the person who helps:

• Ground what a client explored in an AI conversation

• Clarify where it’s going off track

• Deepen the insight that emerged but didn’t quite land

• Offer context, boundaries, or trauma-sensitive framing

I’ve started offering short coaching sessions to do exactly this—brief, strategic support for people using AI for emotional work. Sometimes all they need is a check-in. A redirect. A human reflection that ties it all together.

That’s work AI can’t do.

But it’s work you can do—if you’re willing to learn this new landscape.

Ask the Question

Here’s one small, strategic shift: Ask your clients if they’re using AI.

No pressure. No shame. Just curiosity. If we don’t ask, they probably won’t tell us—especially if they sense we’re skeptical.

And if they are using it, that’s an opening.

• To support them more intentionally.

• To reinforce insights, redirect confusion, and provide containment when the tools can’t.

We Need to Be in the Room—Even If the Room Looks Different Now

We may not know exactly what AI-augmented therapy will look like. But we do know this:

• Clients are already using it.

• We can’t shape what we refuse to engage.

• And we do better work when we’re informed--especially about the tools people are using outside the room.

Want to Explore for Yourself?

If you’re curious but unsure where to start, I offer 30-minute Digital Ally Sessions for therapists who want to experience AI in a structured, human-centered way.

It’s not tech training. It’s emotional strategy—so you can lead from clarity, not fear.

AI For Mental Health

Let’s not stay on the sidelines while our landscape changes.

Let’s step into it with intentionality and curiosity.