As a counsellor and supervisor working in the UK, I am aware of how much things have changed since I qualified in 2012. One of the biggest changes in recent times has been the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) becoming something that is no longer reserved for technical, scientific minds but for every mind; in a word it has become mainstream and things are moving fast, but what does this mean for counsellors working in private practice and their clients?
People commonly turn to Chat GPT and other AI platforms implement a wide range of tasks in their lives, from everything including writing tricky emails, to planning a journey through to home design and so much more, AI has got you covered; it saves time, it saves money and above all it is easy to access, but can it become a therapist in your pocket?
For me, as a qualified and experienced counsellor I know realistically that AI will have an impact on the therapeutic work that I am doing, but the burning question that may have lead you to click on this article is, can it replace counsellors? In short, I don’t believe it will and this is for one very fundamental reason; AI cannot replicate the human connection. In short, it simply cannot show true empathy, it cannot pick up the subtle nuances in tone, body language and human condition in the way another human can.
Being in a room with another person who is trained to show true empathy, genuine positive regard for the other and comes into the therapy space ready to actively listen and be transparent are the key ingredients to building a safe and lasting relationship with clients, yes that’s right relationship, something that Chat GPT cannot truly offer.
When I think about working with a therapist myself, I want someone that I can say anything to in a safe and confidential space, something that could be argued that AI can’t fully offer, I also want someone to gently challenge me with acceptance and someone that can offer a human perspective to what I am talking about. I also appreciate that speaking out loud really helps us humans to become unstuck and reduce thought loops too.
So, is there any place for AI therapeutically? Yes, I think there is, for example clients regularly use Chat GPT and other platforms to summarise what they are thinking, feeling and dealing with, this can be a huge help in a free initial meeting with a client, they are also commonly using AI to help them to reflect on some of the things we have speaking about in therapy, they then bring the result of these reflections into counselling and we explore them together. On other occasions clients have contacted me and told me that Chat GPT says they need to consult a professional counsellor, this is always reassuring to hear.
So, AI can be a huge help and can assist in so many ways, but it cannot be there in the depths of despair, it may offer advice (something which counsellors believe is unhelpful) and it cannot offer the genuine care that another human can offer. If ever you are using AI and feeling unsafe please reach out to the human connections listed below or if you are wanting some help exploring what is causing you emotional pain please get in touch, I may be able to help.
Samaritans UK – 116 123 call for free any time.
Shout 24/7 Crisis Text Support – text 85258 for free text support.
This article was written by experienced Devon and online based counsellor and supervisor Becky Whittaker