AI and therapy is one of the most talked-about — and sometimes most controversial — topics in the mental health space right now. Many therapists are understandably wondering what tools like ChatGPT might mean for the future of therapy and private practice.

In this episode, I explore a recent statistic suggesting that around 37% of UK adults have used AI chatbots for mental health or wellbeing support, and what that actually means in practice.

Are people really replacing therapy with AI? Or is something else happening?

We’ll look at how many people are using tools like ChatGPT to ask questions about anxiety, burnout, relationships, and emotional struggles — often as a first step in understanding what they’re experiencing. More importantly, we’ll explore how this is beginning to change how potential clients search for therapists online.

If the client journey used to start with “therapist near me” in Google, it may now begin with a question inside an AI tool.

That shift has important implications for therapists in private practice — particularly when it comes to visibility, niche clarity, and having a strong online presence.

In this episode we cover:

• How people are actually using AI for mental health support
 • Why AI is often a starting point, not a replacement for therapy
• How search behaviour is changing for people looking for therapists
• Why relying solely on directory profiles is becoming more fragile
• What therapists in private practice can do to stay visible as technology evolves

If you’re curious about how AI is changing the digital landscape for therapists — without the hype or fear — this episode will help you make sense of what’s happening.

If you’d like to explore this topic further, you’re welcome to join my free Facebook community where I share how therapists can use AI ethically and practically in private practice:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/aiforcounsellors