A little while ago, I shared an article titled “Unpopular Opinion: AI Isn’t Your Therapist” on LinkedIn and other platforms. While the post itself didn’t spark a huge public debate, I received a number of private messages from people who shared how AI tools, especially ChatGPT, have genuinely helped them navigate emotionally intense moments.

Their stories made me pause… and reflect on my own.

💬 A Personal Experience with AI Support

One moment that really stands out for me is when I was preparing for my first infusion, a cancer treatment being used off-label to treat my MS. The anticipatory anxiety was intense. Even once the infusion started, the fear didn’t just vanish.

During that time, I turned to ChatGPT more than once. It helped me create a plan to feel soothed and supported during the long infusion day. It offered affirmations, creative distraction ideas, and calming reassurance when I felt alone in the middle of the night. It wasn’t just practical… it felt… comforting.

It was like having a steady, compassionate friend who never got tired of listening, and sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.

🛠️ AI as a Tool for Growth and Reflection

I’ve also learned how to shape my interactions with AI. I don’t just ask it to agree with me.  I often ask it to challenge my thoughts, offer a counterpoint, or help me notice patterns in my thinking. It doesn’t always get it just right, but it helps me reflect in a way that’s constructive, not judgmental.

It’s also helped me find the right words in moments when I knew what I wanted to say but couldn’t quite express it. It’s like a trusted writing partner, taking the intention I already have and helping it land just a little more clearly, or gently.

AI, when used thoughtfully, can feel like a little boost from our higher self. ✨

🧠 The Strengths and Safeguards of AI

One of AI’s greatest strengths is accessibility. It’s there whenever you need it. When you’re spiraling at 2am, AI won’t tell you to come back during business hours. It can offer immediate, calm, nonjudgmental support.

Many AI tools even have safeguards in place. If someone types in thoughts related to self-harm or crisis, the system typically responds with compassion and encouragement to reach out to a crisis line or trusted person. These protocols aren’t perfect, but they do reflect an intention to keep people safe.

Still, AI has limits. It can miss nuance. It doesn’t have instincts. It can’t pick up on what you’re not saying or the subtle shift in tone that tells a trained professional something deeper is going on. That’s why it’s best used as a companion, not a clinician.

⚖️ Ethical Concerns & Emotional Dependency

Some programs now use AI as a 24/7 DBT skills coach between sessions. While that may offer convenience, it also raises questions. What happens when someone gets attached to that always-available voice… and then their subscription ends? What if they lose access in a moment of vulnerability?

Emotional dependency on a tool that can suddenly vanish might create more harm than support. This is why, at DBT Path, we’ve made a conscious choice not to use AI for between-class coaching.

We want our students to feel held, not just handled.

💛 The Heart of It: AI Is a Tool, Not a Therapist

So yes, I use AI. I’m not anti-technology. I’m pro-intentional use.

I believe AI can help:

• Offer ideas for grounding when you feel dysregulated

• Reflect your thoughts back to you so you can sort through them

• Provide emotional companionship when you feel alone

• Help you communicate more clearly and compassionately

But let’s not confuse it for what it isn’t.
It isn’t therapy.
It isn’t a replacement for human connection.
It isn’t a substitute for the quiet magic of someone truly witnessing you in your pain.

✨ In Closing: The Best of Both Worlds

AI can offer so much but it works best when it supports, not replaces, the healing work we do with other humans.

In moments of overwhelm, AI might feel like a kind voice in the dark. But real healing happens in relationship, the kind where someone sees you, challenges you kindly, and stays.

That’s the kind of space we’re committed to creating at DBT Path.
And that’s the kind of support we all deserve.

You deserve support that sees all of you.
May your path be filled with care, connection, and wise guidance — both human and digital.

In kindness,

Debbie, Founder of DBT Path