Using ChatGPT as a Therapist? Understanding the benefits and the boundaries…

Oct 30

In recent years, artificial intelligence has become increasingly woven into daily life — from writing emails and managing schedules to supporting mental health. There are many incredible benefits now available when it comes to emotional support, but it’s also important to hold in mind the limitations AI presents in comparison to therapy

ChatGPT can sound warm, reflective, and even emotionally attuned. Many people have found comfort in how it listens without judgement and offers validation when they feel alone. But while AI can play a supportive role, it’s not a replacement for therapy, and understanding why can help you use it in a healthy, empowering way.

The benefits

1. It can feel attuned and validating.
ChatGPT’s language models are trained on patterns of human communication, allowing it to respond in ways that feel empathic and thoughtful. For some people, this kind of attunement can be soothing, particularly if emotional validation hasn’t been a consistent part of their relationships. A lack of attunement and validation is often part of attachment trauma, so having a consistent stream of attuned responses can feel healing and regulating for the nervous system.

2. It’s accessible — 24/7 and low cost.
Unlike therapy sessions that happen once a week, ChatGPT is available anytime. It’s free or low-cost, which makes it accessible whenever you’re distressed. You can write as much as you need to, for as long as you like, without time limits.

3. It can offer information and perspectives you hadn’t considered.
AI can draw together ideas, offer new perspectives, and suggest resources you might not have found on your own. It can also help you find words for what you’re feeling, which can make future therapy sessions more productive and focused.

4. It doesn’t carry the same human limitations.
For some people, therapy has involved invalidating or unsafe experiences, which can make it difficult to trust again. ChatGPT offers predictability and consistency, it won’t become defensive or dismissive, and you can guide or shape its responses through feedback.

The limitations

1. It doesn’t know your full story.
While ChatGPT can sound insightful, it doesn’t have access to your personal history, emotional context, or non-verbal cues. It can’t notice patterns over time or recognise when gentle challenge might actually support your growth.

2. It can’t integrate lived experience, training, or biofeedback.
While ChatGPT can reference theories and frameworks, it doesn’t combine them with the moment-to-moment awareness, emotional feedback, or embodied attunement that therapists bring. A therapist integrates your words, tone, facial expression, and responses into a personalised approach that evolves over time.

3. It can’t provide true relational healing.
Therapeutic change happens through relationship. The process of being seen, understood, and sometimes gently challenged by another human. ChatGPT can offer comfort, but it can’t co-regulate with you or recreate the depth of a healing human connection.

4. It doesn’t evaluate evidence or ethics.
AI responses are based on data patterns, not clinical judgment. While it can list resources, it doesn’t assess their evidence base, ethical considerations, or fit for your unique circumstances.

5. It can’t replace human imperfection.
Paradoxically, much of healing comes from learning to relate to imperfect humans, to repair misunderstandings, set boundaries, and feel safe despite differences. ChatGPT, while consistent, can’t help you practise this kind of emotional growth.

A support, Not a Substitute

Used thoughtfully, ChatGPT can be a useful adjunct, a reflective companion between therapy sessions, or a place to organise your thoughts before speaking to someone. But it’s not a substitute for genuine therapeutic connection.

If you’re using ChatGPT for emotional support, try pairing it with real-world connection:

Journal or talk about what comes up with a trusted person.
Bring insights into therapy sessions.
Notice when you’re using it to avoid discomfort rather than process it.

Therapy is not just about finding the right words - it’s about experiencing yourself differently in relationship.

At SHIPS, we’re curious about the intersection between technology and mental health, and we encourage mindful, compassionate use of these tools. When used with awareness, AI can complement (but never replace) the profound healing that happens through human connection.