Loading...
Psychotherapists at the Crossroads: Trust, Distrust, andEveryday AI Practices in Psychotherapy
Kuang, Jinyan
Kuang, Jinyan
Abstract
AI has been increasingly used in mental health contexts, promising improved efficiency,accessibility, and quality of care. However, little is known about how psychotherapists integrate,perceive, and trust AI within their everyday clinical practices. In this work, we conductedqualitative interviews with 18 psychotherapists to explore these dynamics. Our findings revealthat psychotherapists commonly use AI for low-stake administrative tasks but refrain from usingAI in high-risk clinical applications due to limited trust. Psychotherapists described their trust inAI as conditional, contingent upon retaining full professional control and accountability. Theirtrust emerges when AI supports, rather than replaces, the essential human connection intrinsic totherapy. We identify four tensions---augmentation vs. automation, personalization vs. privacy,efficiency vs. empathy, and enthusiasm vs. oversight---that shape psychotherapists' willingness toadopt AI. We discuss considerations for clinician control, therapeutic relationship dynamics, andbroader implications for responsible AI integration in psychotherapy.
Description
Date
2025-12-10
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Collections
Download Dataset
Rights Holder
The author
Usage License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Embargo
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
Citation
Advisor
Department
Data Science