26/11/2025
🧠𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑾𝒆𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒅𝒂𝒚
Recently, there’s been a surge of posts on Instagram and Threads talking about using AI as a “therapist.”
Some of these messages can be quite misleading, especially when they don’t come from trained professionals.
It’s true that AI can feel validating at first — it’s easy to access, available anytime, and offers instant responses.
But there have also been heartbreaking news stories about young people turning to AI for emotional comfort and ending up in worrying situations.
As a trainee therapist, I completely understand the concerns around therapy fees.
It can feel expensive or even indulgent compared to spending money on things that bring immediate satisfaction.
But therapy is different — it’s a long-term investment in yourself.
Unlike material purchases that give short-lived comfort, therapy helps you understand your patterns, unpack your emotions, and build a more grounded, lasting sense of self.
Therapy also depends heavily on the relationship — the “fit,” the rhythm, the attunement between therapist and client.
If therapy doesn’t seem to be working, it may be that the timing isn’t right, the therapeutic modality doesn’t resonate, or the connection simply isn’t there. All of this is normal and part of the process.
AI, on the other hand, is easy to access and often free — but “free” usually means you become the product.
AI language models learn by imitating therapeutic language, but they often mirror your viewpoint back to you or tell you what you want to hear.
And unlike therapists, AI doesn’t follow confidentiality agreements.
Anything you type becomes data that can be stored, used, and learned from.
Therapists, however, are legally and ethically bound to protect confidentiality.
We pay fees to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and must comply with strict data-protection laws.
If your therapist ever needs to share information, they should always discuss this with you first.
AI also lacks human attunement — the emotional presence, the nuance, the lived relational depth that real therapeutic work depends on.
That said, AI can be useful.
It can help you brainstorm self-care ideas, prompt reflections when you feel stuck, or support you between sessions.
I sometimes use AI myself for reflective questions when I want to understand my emotional process more deeply.
For clients who want to build self-awareness, it can be a helpful starting point — as long as it’s brought back into the therapy room for deeper exploration.
We’re living in the 21st century; technology is part of our daily lives, and AI isn’t going anywhere.
The key is how we use it — with awareness, boundaries, and intention.
Therapy offers something AI cannot replace:
human connection, emotional attunement, accountability, and a safe, confidential space to grow.
#心理諮詢 #心理諮詢師 #心理治療師
