Can ChatGPT Be Your TheraPY?
My client told me the other day that his best friend is ChatGPT.
I didn’t react. But I didn’t miss the subtext either.
He brought it up again later in the session. So I got curious, and we opened it together.
I watched him type in a question about his deepest pain.
The answer came back quickly. Very clear. Very neat. And actually, quite comforting.
Then I asked him to close it, and ask me the same thing.
I looked at him and said, “If I gave you a very good answer… what would it change for you right now?”
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Sometimes it feels like we’re getting good at giving ourselves answers,
and slowly forgetting how to sit inside a question.
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AI is an expert at giving answers.
It gives you lots of knowledge, ideas, information.
It helps you put things into words. Gives structure. Creates that bit of distance from the constant noise in your head.
That in itself can be helpful.
So I get why people use it. It can be a great tool.
But not a best friend.
ChatGPT doesn’t take away loneliness. In fact, it can amplify it.
Because it mimics connection without the risk of being seen,
And over time, we get used to being understood…
without ever really being known.
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Warmly,
George Chan
This Is How We Heal
George Chan, MCOU, is a Counsellor, Grief Educator and Breathwork Coach who specialises in helping individuals navigate grief and loss through his private practice, This Is How We Heal. With a rich background in theatre and entertainment, George brings creativity and empathy to his work. When he's not in the therapy room, you might find him performing, choreographing, or working on a new production—or spending time with Luna, his Jack Russell Terrier, who doubles as his unofficial co-therapist and production critic.