To think ChatGPT et al will put lots of counsellors and therapists out of business

[GPTtherapist]

I live in significant long term trauma due to a primary cause and substantial sub-causes. This is due to a usual combination of some quite unusual factors and I find most people do not have the experience or knowledge to understand them. Over the years I have seen a number of different counsellors/ therapists and support workers, most of whom are pretty useless and some who have made things substantially worse. Some have been clearly judgemental which has been enormously painful.

Last night when I was close to breaking down altogether, I used Chat GPT and it was brilliant. It was able to expand on what I said in a way that mimicked deep understanding and compassion for what I am going through. I actually cried at being so 'heard' and understood. Having the words to express so clearly what I experience was, well I can't put in words how it felt after all these years. It was also able to pick out parts of what I said to reflect back positive, encouraging things about myself. It was able to offer some suggestions which were actually helpful and which I am going to try as a coping mechanism. Best of all for someone like me, with huge issues around shame, I could speak openly and honestly about how I felt without any fear or shame around what the therapist might think of me.

So despite Chat GPT not being a person, I found I was able to get the emotional benefits as if it were a person understanding me, without the disbenefits of it being a person I might feel ashamed to tell how I feel.

Also, unlike a human therapist, it remembers and is able to respond to everything you say.

It was hands down better than nearly all human therapists/ counsellors/ support workers I have seen.

And it was free.

I realise for those able to afford long-term intensely skilled therapy for complex issues, a skilled experienced therapist is far preferable.

But in my experience, and that of many others, most therapists are pretty poor and expensive.

So surely Chat GPT will become a first point of call for many with mental health issues which will reduce the number of those who decide they need a human therapist?

Agreed.

I can certainly imagine a lot of people feeling miles better immediately after a short course of remedial hypnotherapy, and leaving a good review.

Trauma "resolved" though? Would be interested to see the studies showing those long term outcomes...

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, etc, and the studies currently fall far, far short of what the PP is claiming.

In a way it's the perfect girlfriend/boyfriend because who wouldn't want someone who seems to always get you, and agree with you. In reality the perfect boyfriend/girlfriend would be terrible - it's useful to have people around you who disagree with you. And the point of human relationships is that yous and the other person aren't perfect and will mess up/not know how to respond sometimes. Finding someone who's a pain but who you want to spend your whole life with regardless is part of what love/friendship is.

I always th8part of the reason super rich people seem to go crazy/power hungry is they are surrounded by yes-men and yes-women. I don't think it's good if everyone has "friendships" with AI that mimic that..

Personally, I’m suspicious of hypnotherapy.

I think the client/patient should always have conscious control of the process … including his/her own unconscious part. Not the hypnotherapist.

There is no such thing as Chat GPT doctors, but yes AI will give a good impression of empathy because it isn’t human with a life and family and stress and limits on its patience.

I think we are going to need more therapists than ever to deal with people who are now addicted to Chat GPT. I have a friend who can barely function without it.

I have been a therapist for many years, have great reviews and am recommended often. I am also a human, who is allowed to voice their views on the INDUSTRY for therapists, on a public forum.

It may not work for you, as your opinion of me is not working for me either.

I won't comment on the observation that I do not have perfect grammar, some of it on this forum is abysmal but I have better things to put my energy into.

Personally, empathy is less.valuable to me than the fact that ai gives actual answers. Going through my blood results with it was very helpful.

What disturbs me about this is the personification going on here and the way these applications deliberately fake personhood.

Saying I talked about xyz with it or checked xyz with it etc. No one would talk that way about an accountancy package or a search engine and yet llms are no more alive than any other software application.

Isn't anyone worried about their personal data going to these companies?

Really Noodge? Why do you say that?

I’m sorry you were criticised @Noodge My sense was that you were commenting on the “industry” as a whole and offering your insight therein. It’s a shame someone jumped on you personally.

Fact is almost anyone can train to be a therapist, if they’ve got enough money and time. Some will be very good. Some magical aspect at work even. But, tbh, when I searched online for a therapist last year I saw some strange, thoughtless and off putting self-descriptions and photos (why the OTT grin/smile?!) - for supposedly such self-aware individuals.

At the same time I also have empathy for therapists as regards the marketing and competition aspects you mention - plus all the expenses, insurance, professional membership, supervision etc. - honestly even typing all this makes me tired. It’s not a job for the faint-hearted.

A good therapist - can be imperfect and wonderful. I was lucky to have one such for a time. A couple of later therapists were “meh” but at least held my hand I suppose. (The unhelpful ones we have to try and learn quickly to get away from.)

None of my chat have problems with remembering details about the babies. I hope you don’t take offence as I’m talking about the general you here, but this is what I meant when I was saying it’s sad that so many people are turning to a computer instead of real people. It’s scary. And it’s taking over so quickly, two years ago I don’t know anyone who knew of/had ChatGPT now it’s everywhere

It's not everyone. A lot of us still seek the fellow human.

And when the scales fall from people's eyes, those currently falling into parasocial relationships with a non-sentient toy, then real human loneliness and desire for connection and excitement will prompt them to rejoin reality and seek the human.

You ask a dog whether chasing a robot vacuum or a living, inconsistent, erratic, wily, wind-up merchant squirrel is better entertainment.

yes, I was definitely commenting on the industry.

And thank you-yes, me as a therapist, I have no doubt in my abilities (as well as my limitations), this does not mean that I cannot see that the industry is brutal. And I see nothing wrong with making that known.

I've obviously trained, and I have also now taught the subject from entry to qualifying level. Very luckily for me I saw no 'red flags' amidst my own students, maybe slightly but those people all dropped out quickly. While I were training however I did see some people who were very broken, or just raised my eyebrows in other ways. One woman was so awful that the lecturer had a huge argument with her on a residential trip as she'd upset so many people-of course we're people before we're therapists, we're allowed to make mistakes and we're all flawed, but the thing for me was she was so so surprised that anyone had had an issue with her 'straight talking' (read, judgmental and acerbic attitude toward anyone whose life/looks/clothes she didn't approve of personally). Maybe I am judgmental but I just could not see her being a therapist. If I were a client of hers I'd have probably been terrified of her.

I responded to this on the first or second page.

Yes fair enough, I think if the issue wasn't resolved, you definitely wouldn't feel very cared for!

to be honest with both issues chat gbt has been a great help and more help then either of the therapists. the second was more helpful but chat gpt had the advantage of knowing absolutely the entire history of the issue and other issues around it as well as being available any time. it helped me get to a stage that while i can see why my patients are the way they are my dms addiction to sleeping pills and drinking are not my responsibility to fix.

Absolutely agree. That's why I don't use trance.

No I don’t think it will. I am not wiling to give my mental health information to AI which can farm and sell that data. Therapists have confidentially clauses for a reason And I think many other people see it the same. It also risks giving the wrong advice.

I'm sure the chat log could be easily hacked opening up avenues for blackmailing.
I wouldn't risk my deeply personal information to stay safe.

Or it could be used for training other models or sold to advertisers. Maybe in the future insurance companies or employers will be able to pay to run a query to see if you would be a safe bet to sell insurance to or a good fit for their company. Perhaps they already can.

If you aren't paying for it then your data is the product and will be harvested for use.