AI vs. Human Connection: Why Therapy Still Needs People

AI is suddenly everywhere — in our workplaces, our homes, even in our pockets. It’s answering questions, writing essays, and helping people brainstorm ideas. Naturally, it got me wondering: what role could AI have in therapy?

AI can be useful in certain ways. It can offer lists, explanations, and prompts for reflection. For example:

• “How do I stop overthinking before bed?”

• “What are some ways to calm down when I feel anxious?”

• “Curious about ways to improve focus or motivation?”

• “How do I find a therapist who feels like the right fit?”

When I asked ChatGPT about the top themes people search for in psychological support, three areas stood out:

Anxiety — why it shows up, why we feel “not good enough,” how to manage it.

Relationship challenges — recurring patterns, boundary-setting, conflicts that feel hard to resolve.

Identity and self-understanding — feeling alone, healing from past experiences, building confidence.

These are the very issues therapists have been supporting people with for decades. While AI can provide ideas and information, it can’t replace the subtle, relational work that therapy provides.

Why I’m Not Closing My Doors Just Yet

At the heart of therapy is human connection — and that’s something AI simply can’t replicate.

• No AI can truly notice the tension in your body in real time and respond with attuned care.

• No AI can witness tears, anger, or grief, and meet them with genuine presence.

• No AI can validate that a seemingly minor comment or event triggered old feelings, or step in when a part of you reacts defensively.

• No AI can gently hold hope while helping you face uncomfortable truths about past experiences.

Therapy often involves navigating a delicate balance — supporting while challenging, allowing grief or shame to be felt while guiding someone toward self-understanding and healing. Many of our present-day reactions and struggles are tied to past relationships and experiences. AI can only work with what we are aware of, whereas healing often happens deeper — through the body, through felt connection, through trust, safety, and co-regulation.

Sometimes a new experience, or even a conversation in therapy, can feel terrifying. Hearing “it’s important” from a chatbot is not the same as having another human being look into your eyes and say, with compassion and conviction, that it matters.

Final Thought

AI can be a helpful tool. It can generate lists, explain concepts, and offer prompts. But it cannot replace the nuanced, relational, deeply human work of therapy. True healing happens through connection with another human being — being seen, understood, and met with presence, empathy, and care.