Therapy grounded in real inner work and genuine human connection.
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ChatGPT can be a helpful tool for basic emotional support when you need a quick response, but it is not a good long term substitute for professional therapy…even though Chat’s answers are sometimes surprisingly insightful. Let’s talk about the benefits of talking with ChatGPT and the problems and/or risks.
If you experience an intense emotional situation and you don’t have someone to talk to and you aren’t currently set up with a therapist, turning to ChatGPT is always available at no cost. Because it’s so easy to access, you can quickly release your feelings which can relieve emotional distress.
Sometimes you may need a sounding board to talk through situations or decisions and ChatGPT can help you organize your thoughts and think through various perspectives. This may be all you need to get through what you are facing. And bots don’t judge you so it feels safe.
It’s also easy to get basic guidance and support by giving you information that you may need or helping you define something that you don’t have all the facts on. Similar to a Google search, ChatGPT can give you basic strategies and ideas for coping skills that you can use to address your problems.
One of the vital elements of what makes therapy so effective is the relationship that is built between a patient and a therapist, and ChatGPT cannot do this.
“Across the different therapeutic modalities, there is a consistent theme of being in a relationship with another person and making psychological contact.”
(Priestly, Stephanie. “Why Using ChatGPT as Therapy Is Dangerous.” Medium. April 7, 2023. https://medium.com/@stephanielouisepriestley/why-using-chatgpt-as-therapy-is-dangerous-e8e2f4678e7e)
The trust that is built and the connection that is formed is a basic human need that we all need. All therapists will tell you that the therapeutic interventions they make are some of the least important parts of therapy. It’s the connection between the therapist and client, the shift in facial expression the therapist recognizes, the experience of a therapist working with people’s internal worlds everyday that can pinpoint something AI cannot see.
Your therapist is a mirror, helping you to see what you can’t. Ai has information, it can reflect back the information you give it, which can be super helpful if you need to talk something out.
But you do have to ask it for alternative perspectives, otherwise, it will reflect back and validate only your experience, which is valuable, but doesn’t reliably create progress.
Another concern is the lack of privacy when sharing personal information. Anytime you share your info online you are taking a chance that it is not kept secure.
“HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) doesn’t apply to ChatGPT because it deals specifically with the electronic transmission of healthcare information related to insurance. ChatGPT has nothin’ to do with insurance, so it doesn’t apply.”
(Jancer, Matt. “Don’t Use ChatGPT as Your Therapist—Unless You Want Your Private Information Leaked.” Vice. July 30, 2025. https://www.vice.com/en/article/sam-altman-comments-chatgpt-therapy/)
So while it may be helpful and offer basic coping strategies and validation, ChatGPT is not equipped to support you in the way a human therapist with training and experience can,
It may be helpful between therapy sessions to help you think through things, problem solve or to vent your thoughts and emotions, but establishing a human connection with a trained professional is an investment that will pay dividends for a lifetime. For that to happen, find the right therapist. We wrote a blog about that here.
If you are ready to take the step to begin therapy and so that you can make a positive impact on your mental health, contact us, we are here to help.
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Therapy isn’t about fixing you because you’re not broken.
You don’t need fixing, but you can benefit from holding yourself accountable, building trust and breaking patterns that hold you back. Let’s talk about how therapy can help you do this and lead to a healthier, happier you.
Once you decide to begin therapy, you’ve already taken the first step in exercising accountability because you are making a decision to work on yourself. This doesn’t mean you should feel shame about things you have done or feelings you’re having. But anytime you face challenges in life, it’s important to look within to see if there are things you can change.
Sometimes it’s easy to identify the role that others play in a conflict but not so easy to see your own role. Therapy provides a space where you can reflect on your coping skills, how you respond to life’s ups and downs, how you manage your emotions, and how you engage with others. It starts with you and once you get to know yourself and your core values and beliefs, you are better equipped to deal with the challenges of life and relationships.
You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of anything, or anyone else; and that’s what therapy is, being accountable for and taking care of yourself.
It all starts with building trust. Step one is building a relationship with your therapist. In a past blog we shared some tips on How to Find a Therapist because it is important that you are comfortable with them. Your relationship with your therapist can play a big role in whether or not you see the results you desire. Once you build a relationship with your therapist you can start to work on building trust with other people in your life.
When you have been hurt or let down in your past, you tend to lose trust in others, and building that trust again can be scary. Or maybe you don’t trust yourself or your ability to make good choices. No one in your life will ever be perfect, and neither will you, but you can identify your values and set boundaries so that you can build trust. Therapy can help you build the self-confidence you need to make positive decisions and form healthy relationships.
A big part of therapy is identifying and addressing the patterns that are holding your back. If you are stuck in a negative pattern and keep responding the same way, you will always get the same results. “Therapy can help us see how our thoughts and beliefs shape our responses and experiences. It creates a space where you can be guided to peel back the layers of who you are, revealing truths that may have been hidden or avoided.” (Cobb-Farmer, Brittney [ablackfemaletherapis]. “Therapy Won’t Fix You, but here’s what it can do:” *Instagram, November 7, 2024, www.instagram.com/p/DCFDhGCP6GP/?img_index=12)
There are lots of reasons why people don’t change, or get stuck in patterns. It could be due to lack of resources or support, fear or just lack of awareness of the negative cycle that is bringing them down. As you think about things you struggle with, it may be hard to see a pattern that you need to break away from. Therapy can help you reflect on and assess your past and present struggles in order to shine a light on a pattern that may exist. Taking steps to break those patterns can be hard and take time, but the support you receive in therapy can help you get there and start to see progress.
If you are in therapy, or thinking about beginning therapy, remember that there is nothing “wrong” with you and you do not need to be “fixed”. Therapy provides a space where you can learn about yourself and how to manage your emotions so that you can cope with life’s challenges. It’s a place to build a positive relationship with yourself so that you can establish positive relationships with others and the world around you. If you are ready to get started, contact us.
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The holidays can be a time of reflection or a time when repeating patterns, stressors and emotions come to the surface. If any of these three things come up, that’s your sign that it’s a great time to go to therapy. Therapy is for people …
The holidays are approaching and it can be one of the most activating times of year. You already know you can’t control what Uncle Joe says at the Thanksgiving table or what your mom says about your partner or your parenting. So how can you preserve your emotional wellbeing during family gatherings?
We would all like to pretend that everything will be all rainbows and butterflies at the family holiday gathering but the truth is there will probably be some moments of tension or times when you disagree. It’s not realistic to think that a family member who has gotten under your skin in the past won’t do it again this year, so be prepared for it. Go in with a positive attitude but know that there may be uncomfortable moments, and that’s okay.
“It is normal for there to be disagreements, differences in opinions, and emotional fluctuations within family units and family gatherings. Spend some time preparing by mentally allowing for imperfections to arise.”
Think about how you will respond and be ready with a plan (how you’d like to respond, if you’re going to step away, etc) so you don’t react impulsively, fly off the handle and say something you will regret. We love our family but we don’t always see eye to eye, especially on some of the sensitive topics like politics, religion, etc. This holiday season may also bring some new tension because of the election. Decide before you arrive how you want to handle it if that topic comes up.
The only thing you can control is your reaction, you can’t control what other people say or do. The easiest solution is to make a statement (maybe a boundary, maybe an acknowledgement like “I know you have strong opinions/feelings about that”), change the topic or walk away.
When you are observing, you are learning instead of reacting, and this can be a good strategy to use during the holidays with the family. Don’t isolate yourself or refuse to interact, but take some time to take in the environment and check the “vibe” instead of jumping right in and feeding into any negativity.
People communicate and interact differently sometimes in big groups, so a family member who is typically one way with you alone, could act another way when others are around. That’s not always a bad thing but it’s something to think about and make sure you don’t get caught off guard by.
Hopefully you and your family feel comfortable around each other and can speak freely during conversations. This is good but sometimes it can lead to you letting your guard down and getting your feelings hurt when a family member expresses their thoughts and it stepped on your toes; or their honest opinions could make you angry if they don’t align with yours. Sometimes just listening and observing is a good idea so you don’t get caught up in a disagreement.
The information you gather by observing will help you understand yourself “oh, that’s why I get uncomfortable around this person or this topic” or “wow, I never realized how anxious my mom is and how that makes me anxious”. These are great insights to bring to therapy.
Go into your family gatherings knowing what your boundaries are and don’t be afraid to maintain them.
If there are topics you are not willing to discuss at the family gathering because they are triggering, then set a boundary. You don’t have to announce this to everyone when you arrive, but if it comes up be prepared to say, “I don’t want to talk about that” and then change the topic. If they push the issue, ask them to respect your wishes and if they don’t, then walk away.
A good boundary to have for yourself is to limit alcohol. Too much alcohol consumption can lead to poor judgment and then you may say or do things that you typically wouldn’t do. A lot of confrontations can be avoided if alcohol is removed from the equation. You may not be able to keep others from drinking too much but you can control how much you drink.
Time boundaries can also be important and helpful to maintain your well-being. If you have to leave at a certain time, don’t let your family guilt you into staying longer. If the gathering does become tense and you realize your emotional well-being is deteriorating, don’t force yourself to stay. Leave before you get to a point that the situation turns into a bad one.
Family time is awesome but it can also be stressful. If you prepare yourself and go into your family gatherings with a plan for how to take care of yourself and deal with any stress that arises, you can make the most of the time you have together.
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