Oct 5, 2026 · @Kate Page
More and more people are talking to AI about how they feel. Often it's late at night, when everyone else is asleep and thoughts won't settle. Sometimes it's because something feels too embarrassing to say to a person. And sometimes it's simply there, free and instant, when nothing else is.
If that's you, there's nothing to feel silly about. Reaching out for something, anything, when you're struggling makes complete sense. So it's a fair question: if AI is always available and never judges, why would you talk to a therapist?
I want to answer that honestly, as a counsellor, without pretending AI has nothing to offer.
What AI can be good for
Used thoughtfully, AI can be genuinely helpful. It can:
• Help you get thoughts out of your head, a bit like journalling with something that responds.
• Explain things, such as what anxiety does in the body, or why intrusive thoughts happen.
• Help you find words for something you've struggled to name.
• Be there at 3am, when there's no one else to turn to.
For some people, typing something out to an AI is the very first time they've put a feeling into words.
What happens in a room with another person
Research into therapy has found the same thing again and again: one of the strongest predictors of whether therapy helps is the relationship between client and therapist. Not the technique, not the theory, but the relationship. That's the part AI can't fully offer.
Being known, not just answered. Over weeks and months, I come to know your story: the people in it, the patterns that repeat, the things that are hard to say. I remember what you told me in March when something similar comes up in October.
Noticing what isn't said. So much of what matters in therapy isn't in the words. It's the pause before an answer, the change in your voice, the way you laugh something off. Those moments are often where the real work is.
Being gently challenged. A good therapist won't just agree with you. Sometimes the most helpful thing is someone kindly saying, "I wonder if there's another way of seeing this."
Staying with the hard stuff. When something painful surfaces, I don't rush to fix it or move on. Feeling difficult things in the presence of another person, and finding you can survive them, is part of how healing happens.
Experiencing a different kind of relationship. For many people, especially those who've been hurt by others, therapy is a chance to experience being listened to, respected and accepted by another human being. That experience can change how you relate to yourself, and to the people in your life.
Safety, ethics and privacy
There are practical differences too.
As a BACP member, I work within a professional Ethical Framework, and I have regular supervision with an experienced practitioner. I'm accountable for how I work. If you're ever at serious risk, I can respond as a person, and help you get the right support.
Privacy is worth thinking about as well. What you say in my therapy room is confidential, within clear limits I explain at the start. What you type into an app or AI tool may be stored and handled in ways that are much less clear, so it's worth checking the privacy settings of anything you use.
It doesn't have to be either/or
I don't think AI is the enemy of therapy. For some people it might be a useful tool alongside it, or a first step towards it.
But if you've found yourself talking to an AI late at night, again and again, it might be worth asking what you're really looking for. Often, it's to be heard and understood by someone who's actually there. That's something therapy can offer.
If you're ready to talk to a person, I offer a free 15-minute call to see if we're a good fit. You can reach me on 07930 600901 or at hello@katepagetherapy.co.uk.
Kate Page, Integrative Counsellor MBACP, Cornwall