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From AI ‘journalism’ to therapy chatbots: Predatory inclusion is not a solution
(www.halifaxexaminer.ca)
The therapy story is similar. For a couple of weeks now, my Bluesky feed has repeatedly had links to stories on a study from Dartmouth College on therapy chatbots being as effective, or even more effective, than therapists in treating anxiety and depression.
Now, I am biased here, because I have benefited greatly from talk therapy over the years, and I am married to a therapist. But I think you could colour me skeptical even if this were not the case.
Easy to be pro psychotherapy industry when you don't need to spend $225 an hour on it and your household income is tied to it.
It's not accessible to most people who don't have work provided insurance and even most sliding scales only go down to $50 per hour. Sorry, $50 an hour is far too much for someone to use reflective listening and gently apply psych principles to me. The pay should be more in line with social workers but social workers don't have a professional org to monopolize the industry.
I was looking into trauma therapy in my area that was free and I found one place that offered it- PRISON.