I recently came across a post where someone shared they would never seek help from a therapist again because AI had helped them "more than years of therapy." I noticed I had mixed feelings.
I genuinely appreciate that more people are becoming curious about mental health and actively seeking ways to understand themselves. At the same time, not everything generated by AI is accurate, contextualized, or clinically grounded—it still requires discernment.
In my own work, many clients use AI between sessions, and I do as well. I don't see this as inherently problematic. AI can be helpful when someone needs to vent late at night, organize their thoughts, or reflect when time and access are limited. What I have doubt is when it's positioned as a replacement for human connection rather than a supplement.
What I wonder about most in these "AI helped me more than therapy ever did" stories is this: that person probably didn't realize they were able to process effectively with AI because of the years of therapy they did before.
The capacity to reflect, articulate emotions, recognize patterns about themselves, ask the right questions—those are skills often built through therapeutic work. Without that foundation, AI prompts might land very differently.
I've had clients tell me I helped them more than their previous therapists, and I always hold that lightly. The breakthroughs we're having now likely wouldn't be possible without the earlier work, such as building safety, developing insight, learning how to make meaning. Preparation matters, even when it's invisible.
AI can be a powerful tool. But tools don't replace relationships or the complexity of being human. For me, the conversation isn't AI versus therapy, it's about how we use support wisely and flexibly.
I'm curious: how do you think about the role of AI in emotional support? Replacement, supplement, substitute, or something else?