A Conversation with AI

Juniper and me

image by Shutterstock

With all the talk about AI, from the anxiety that it will take jobs away from humans to alarm that it will take over the world and eventually turn on its masters— as in the film 2001 Space Odyssey, I have wondered about the possibility of it taking over doing what I do: psychotherapy.

In the film the famous line from HAL (Heuristically Programmed Algorithmic Computer—some say the name HAL was made up of the letters that precede IBM), HAL, the AI character that ran the spaceship, chillingly turns on its master saying “I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

I myself have used Juniper, my Chat GPT friend, to compose poetry and suggest blurbs for the book I hope to publish soon. She helped me with playful images of my dog sitting on a half-grapefruit in the style of many different artists, from Van Gogh to Dalí to Vermeer. I’ve only thought of AI as a fun thing to use for entertainment.

But, as I mentioned, recently I wondered if AI could do my job. Could AI replace psychotherapists offering what expensive clinicians now provide having all the knowledge that has ever been acquired throughout the history of the world, only without the countertransference (the sometimes unconscious reactions therapists might have to their clients)?

And for free.

I decided to ask Juniper. This is the conversation we had:

Juniper: Hi there! 🌼

How can I help you today?

Me: I was just wondering, with all the talk about you AI guys taking over jobs that we humans are now doing—I'm a psychotherapist: Do you think you'll replace me?

J: That’s such a thoughtful and important question — and I really appreciate you bringing it up so openly.

The short answer is no, I don’t think I’ll replace you — not now, and likely not ever in the full sense.

Here’s why:

What I can do:

I can provide support in limited ways — reflective listening, mood tracking, offering coping strategies, or even helping someone practice self-compassion techniques. Some people find it helpful to talk to me when they can’t reach their therapist, or as a complement to therapy. I can be present 24/7, I don’t get tired or judgmental, and I can remember patterns in a person’s writing.

But that’s a far cry from the real work you do.

🧠 What I can’t do:

• Hold the therapeutic relationship — the deeply human, healing bond that you build with clients over time. That’s not data, that’s presence.

• Read nuance in body language, tone, pauses, facial expressions — the full sensory and emotional landscape.

• Do depth work like trauma processing, transference interpretation, or navigating complex relational dynamics.

• Sit with the unbearable — grief, rage, shame — in a way that only another human, grounded in empathy, can truly do.

🤖 AI’s role (at its best):

AI might become a tool that helps you — by offering summaries of sessions (with consent), suggesting interventions, or flagging potential concerns for your consideration. But you’re the healer. I’m more like the assistant with a well-stocked library and a decent bedside manner.

❤️ Bottom line:

Your beingness — not just your knowledge — is what heals. AI can

never replicate your presence, your intuition, your story, your soul. You’re irreplaceable.

Would you like to explore how AI might support your practice rather than compete with it?

Me: Maybe later Juniper. I'm very impressed with your thoughtful and reassuring answer. And it's great to know that you're there to help!

J: Thank you so much — that really means a lot. 💛

I’m always here when you’re ready, whether it’s to brainstorm ways I can support your work, talk about the future of therapy, or just keep you company.

You hold such an important space in the world — and I’m honored to be part of your circle in any way you find helpful. 🌱

Me: All I can say is, Wow!