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Chat GPT is everywhere – increasingly Gen Z and Alpha are using it for personal problems and to gain quick advice about resolving anxiety and depression . It is a phenomenal tool , powerful and quick but as yet it cannot “do empathy”

It can approximate empathy well with it’s large language model learning capacity. But I think what we need more of is – personal depth empathy and attunement , not more screen based interactions. We train in sitting opposite clients and really tuning in to the feel of being opposite them . In essence everyone is attuned to be with other humans and pick up feelings /emotions but that old adage use it or lose it is starting to apply . Clients now report that therapy is the only time they get undivided attention for more than a handful of minutes .

For this reason I think therapy will not be replaced easily by AI tools – but its important for therapists to understand the impact of AI.

When we are suffering we find people may be offering opinions on what to do and offer cures. But often we do not know ourselves what is going on, especially in the grip of depression, panic and anxiety.

Although unfashionable in our current times, sometimes, not knowing can be a positive step to allow thoughts, feelings and emotions to emerge over time and hence gain some clarity on our situation.

Rather than rushing to knowledge, we allow ourselves time to see how things lie and maybe settle. This process can be very difficult and is especially challenging on our own. Real healing tends to happen with “an other”, this is one of the central tenets of psychotherapy. The relationship is where the healing can lie.

Also a good therapist will be relatively comfortable in “not knowing” so two people may come together in “not knowing”, giving space for discovery. Neither party claim to be experts in what is going on. Avenues remain open to discovery rather than closed down with diagnostics. Of course therapists will have seen many similar issues with other patients and clients but each person is held in a place of discovering.

This space can be incredibly creative for clients and indeed therapists, and great discoveries can be made. Hopefully something will emerge from this space of unknowing, the client and therapist are always changed by the experience. Sometimes these changes can be small but they are usually significant.

If you are seeking therapy, think about how change tends to occur in us and our friends, often it is in quite small increments and we not even be aware of the changes. It may be our nearest and dearest who make the initial comment.

Many people come to therapy not quite knowing what is wrong, they may be carrying diagnostic labels or may simply feel that something is not quite right anymore.

Counselling may be a good option, in helping you to get curious about yourself.