Navigating the Unknown: A Therapist's Journey through AI Anxiety and Discovery (Part I)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a part of our lives, including its expansion into mental health care. As a therapist and a fellow human, I'm being increasingly challenged by professional discourse around it. My accrediting bodies such as BACP have recently emailed their members a survey based on AI, and COSRT's June conference is titled 'AI and Psychosexual and Relationship Therapies'. Client knowledge, friends, and online tools mean a growing need to know more and engage with AI. So, I thought I'd finally face the AI world. I picked a topic relevant to my specialisation in psychosexual therapy (legal issues of AI use) and began my research.

My first sojourn into AI was something of a disaster. I was overwhelmed by feelings of incompetence and fears for clients, my future, and the human race. So, I asked AI for advice and it's human-like responses startled. Knowing those responses were driven by data and not true empathy, I panicked. I engaged the breathing and grounding techniques I teach others. I scrambled to the safety of my comfy arm chair and tried to ignore the impact and changes AI is having on my life, those of my clients and my practice. But my overwhelm nor AI went away. Ultimately, I called my therapist for a session.

First, I named the anxieties. Writing them down allowed me to process and step back from them. It paused the overwhelm, but not the concern and disorientation about what AI means for therapy practice and therapists. Next, I asked myself what support I needed. "S-L-O-W D-O-W-N" was the the reply; "this state of overwhelm is too much". I heard it, did some more breathing, and continued to listen. The voice inside said, 'Learn'.

That's why I'm writing this series: "A Therapist's Exploration into AI". In this multiple part blog series on AI, I'm starting where I should have the first time, learning about AI one level at a time, building upon my knowledge. I'm not sure what sort of creature I'll find at the end, or what opinions I form, but I will share the answers and my experience here, with you.

In this multiple part series of posts, I'll be researching and writing about the following topics.

• What is AI?

• The perceived pro's and con's of AI in mental health care

• The psychology behind our belief in AI as real people

• AI as therapist

• AI in the sexual realm

• Intimate consent, AI, and UK legislation

If you, like me, are grappling to understand the whirl of AI debates, join me on a therapist's journey to understand AI and the impact on mental health care.