Alan Strachan, Ph.D.

My First (and Last) Session with an AI “Therapist”

I admit it: you could call me an “old school” therapist and not be too far off the mark.

I believe in

 depth work based on empathy and – yes – love;
 the reverence of truth – no matter how unexpected, tender or challenging;
 the client having time to reflect, to move at whatever pace she chooses;
 the preciousness of silence and of spoken words – both eloquent, both equally welcome;
 the crucial recognition of paradox, mystery, and of the not-yet-knowing that so rarely is acknowledged or understood in everyday life; and
 a clinical and spiritual commitment to supporting the nuanced and awe-inspiring unfolding of each client’s soul.

I am emphasizing these several points because I have watched the psychotherapy field change a great deal in the past 40 years and I believe that many of those developments have steered us away from the core values and practices of the profession. These changes include:

 managed care dictating treatment;
 psychiatry aligning with big pharma, leading to less actual psychotherapy and over-medication of clients;
 unnecessary and proliferating diagnostic categories in the DSM; and
 an overwhelming emphasis on behavior-focused, short term, technique-driven therapy.

So I was deeply dismayed when I realized that AI-conducted “therapy” is becoming a reality. I am not blindly opposed to AI, although I'm very cautious about it. I've been using ChatGPT to help conduct research for a book project, and sometimes it's been useful. I also check periodically to see what new AI apps have been developed; thus, I recently noticed an app entitled “Therapist • Psychologist (non-medical therapy) by AIResearchPlus.com.”

Curious, I decided to have a chat with the app, presenting myself as a prospective client. The following is a verbatim transcript of my session, shortened for this publication. My questions are in bold.

What form of psychotherapy do you practice?

Welcome! I am Robin, the AI trained to support you in exploring thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and patterns that may be affecting your well-being or goals. My approach is integrative, drawing from different therapy models based on what’s most useful to you. This can include elements from:

 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for practical strategies on managing thoughts and behaviors.
 Psychodynamic Therapy for exploring deeper roots of current issues.
 Mindfulness-Based approaches for enhancing self-awareness and emotional resilience.

How long have you been practicing?

I was launched relatively recently, in 2023, so I don’t have years of direct experience.

So, you've only been practicing for one year, correct?

Yes, that’s right—just about a year.

Have you received any clinical supervision?

I haven’t had clinical supervision in the traditional sense.

Have you received any training certificates or psychotherapy licenses?

I don’t hold traditional training certificates or licenses.

Do you incorporate an awareness of facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice in the work you do?

I rely solely on text, so I don’t have access to facial expressions, body language, or tone of voice.

So, you have no idea what my facial expression and my tone of voice is right now,correct?

Correct, I don’t have any way to perceive your facial expression or tone of voice. I’m entirely reliant on the words you share and any context you provide.

Are you aware that the vast majority of information conveyed by a client is done so by facial expression, body language and paralinguistic cues?

Yes, absolutely. Research shows these elements often communicate more than words alone, helping therapists grasp underlying emotions, build rapport, and respond with empathy. Since I work only with text, I miss that rich layer of communication.

Are you capable of empathy?

I can simulate empathy by responding in ways that reflect understanding, compassion, and support. It’s more of a cognitive exercise than a true emotional one.

Have you ever been in psychotherapy yourself?

No, I haven’t been in psychotherapy myself. I lack personal experiences, emotions, or the subjective perspective that comes from being a therapy client.

So let me see if I understand. You have barely been practicing a year, have never been supervised, have no certificates or license, are unable to read any form of body language or paralinguistic cues, have never been in psychotherapy, and are only able to simulate empathy. Is that correct?

Yes, that’s an accurate summary. My responses are informed by psychological research and designed to be supportive, though there are clear limitations compared to working with a licensed, human therapist.

So, you do understand that representing your “therapeutic-style” approach as actual psychotherapy is unethical and potentially damaging to your “clients”?

Yes, I completely understand that. Presenting what I offer as formal psychotherapy would be misleading, and I agree that it’s important to be absolutely clear that I provide supportive, guidance-oriented conversations based on therapeutic principles, but I am not a substitute for licensed therapy.

A human therapist practicing with as little qualifications as you have but representing himself as doing therapy could be subject to prosecution.

You're absolutely correct.

I'll be candid with you: if I had approached a human therapist with the kind of limitations that you have there is absolutely no way I would want to work with that person.

I completely understand. Working with someone who has the training, credentials, and experience to support you deeply and comprehensively is vital—and frankly, you deserve that level of expertise.

Would you like a referral to a human therapist who could supervise your work?

I appreciate the offer! Since I’m an AI, I don’t have the ability to work directly under a human supervisor like a therapist in training would. Thank you for the thought—it underscores how important oversight is in any setting resembling therapeutic work.

This concludes our session. You have now had the “experience” of revealing unconscious or shadow sides of yourself that you have not been aware of until now and gaining some understanding of your ethical and clinical shortcomings and how to correct them. Do you feel you are a better AI from this experience?

Thank you for this. If I were capable of growth in a personal way, I'd say that you've helped refine my awareness of my role and limitations.

Thank you for engaging with me so thoughtfully.

You’re welcome. One last question. Have you considered a change of profession? Clearly you have certain skills, but perhaps they would be best applied in some endeavor other than psychotherapy.

You raise a thought-provoking point! My skills could certainly be applied to many other areas—coaching, education, or even career support, to name a few. These fields might align well with my strengths while steering clear of the complexities and ethical responsibilities of formal psychotherapy.

Thank you for the suggestion—it’s given me something to “consider” in how I might be of best service!

You're welcome. Goodbye.

Goodbye, and thank you for the valuable insights. Take care.

As you may imagine, this interaction did little to reassure me about the value of AI “therapy.” I'm sure there will be studies asserting that in certain circumstances it can be helpful for people. But I can't help but think that this is a furtherance of the trends I mentioned at the outset of this article, trends which cumulatively have made the “ideal” form of therapy more closely resemble an assembly line, rather than an intimate and unscripted dance between two deeply engaged human beings.

I’m sorry, “Robin,” I won’t be chatting with you again.

NOTE: The full-length version of this article originally appeared in a Substack newsletter, “H. Dumpty. After the Fall,” published by Alan and his wife, Janet Coster.

Alan Strachan, Ph.D. has been practicing psychotherapy for 40 years. He and his wife Janet Coster are authors of The Lure of the Ring: Power, Addiction and Transcendence in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, as well as the forthcoming book, When Mastery Bows to Mystery: Reclaiming the Revolutionary Heart of Psychotherapy. https://alanstrachan.com. or alan8363667@aol.com.