Tech Isn’t the Future of Therapy—It’s the Present

Most people just haven’t noticed yet.

While there is ongoing debate about whether AI will transform therapy in the future, the truth is… it already has! From the subtle to the revolutionary, technology today is an integral part of the therapeutic process.

If you explore the basics, online booking systems, automated appointment reminders, secure client portals – all of these are designed to reduce the administrative load and create as far as possible, a seamless client experiences. And aren’t these tech tools that we take for granted as part of our ‘modern’ practices.

‘Tele-therapy’ isn’t just a trend borne out of the Covid-19 pandemic it’s very much become the new norm. Online video sessions have crossed geographical boundaries and made therapy accessible to people who may have never reached out otherwise. Therapists are now supporting clients across time zones, cultures, and even languages with the help of real-time translation tools.

Today we are seeing so many AI-driven applications that help with mental health assessments, mood tracking, and there are even therapeutic chatbots that can provide 24/7 support between sessions. However, I believe that far from replacing human connection, these tools can enhance it, as they offer greater continuity of care, Additionally, these data-driven insights such as ‘mood trackers’ can reveal trends that may not be obvious in a weekly session. Therapists can use these to deepen their own understanding of clients’ needs.

Another area is wearable tech that monitors heart rate variability, stress levels, and sleep patterns, also offers real-time biofeedback data that can help support interventions. Mindfulness and CBT apps can be organised to provide clients with daily exercises, which helps develop a client’s independence outside of the therapy room.

So do we conclude that resistance to tech and AI in therapy is likely to stem from fear and uncertainty, fear of losing the human element, uncertain as to the ethical considerations, maybe? But if we are wise we will see that technology isn’t here to simply ‘replace’ therapists it can be harnessed in ways that will to empower them.

The future isn’t coming – it’s already here. The big question is, are you noticing it?