AI Tools in Therapy: Balancing Innovation and Privacy Concerns

Therapists Embrace AI for Administrative Tasks

Across the U.S., mental health therapists are increasingly using AI tools to record sessions, generate transcripts, and draft clinical notes. These tools promise to reduce administrative burdens. Companies like Berries advertise their platforms as solutions to help therapists spend more time with clients and balance their work-life. Tal Salman, CEO of Berries, states the system allows therapists to remain present with their clients by automatically handling recording and generating draft clinical notes.

Audio is automatically deleted, and transcripts are stored on HIPAA-compliant servers in the U.S. therapy content remains private, Salman says.

Patient Discomfort and Privacy Concerns

Despite advancements, some patients are apprehensive. A survey by YouGov shows only 11% of Americans are open to using AI in mental health care, with concerns about privacy and accuracy being major hurdles. Another study by KFF highlights that 77% of Americans worry about how AI systems store and use health information. Patients find walls of privacy risks, even when protections are seemingly robust.

Informed Consent and Trust Issues

Assistant Professor Kellie Owens from NYU Grossman School of Medicine points out the limitations of written consent in ensuring informed choice. She advocates direct conversations over recordings, emphasizing trust and psychological safety as foundational to therapy. Owens warns that perceived breaches in privacy could severely damage therapeutic relationships.

The gap between curiosity and trust in AI is more pronounced in mental health care. she notes.

Skepticism and Challenges in Therapy

For Molly Quinn, an Arkansas librarian, AI integration cast shadows on her therapy experience. When Quinn discovered her session was recorded without her consent, she felt violated. Her experience highlights the delicate balance between technological advances and maintaining trust. She worries about future breaches and the exposure of personal conversations. Quinn’s therapist later offered to halt AI usage, but the trust had eroded.

Examining the Role of AI in Therapeutic Settings

Some therapists, like Marisa Cohen, express concerns about introducing AI’s presence in therapy. Cohen argues that awareness of a ‘third party’ listening could alter client disclosure. Similarly, Kym Tolson, a veteran therapist, has embraced AI systems for documentation. She highlights the substantial time savings — reducing administrative tasks from hours to minutes per client.

Clinicians at The Permanente Medical Group saved nearly 16,000 hours of documentation time in one year, reflecting the potential impact on therapy.

Tolson discusses AI usage openly with her clients and thoroughly reviews AI-generated notes, acknowledging the risk of errors or hallucinations.

AI’s Impact on Therapeutic Relationships

Quinn found a new therapist after her experience and set firm boundaries about AI involvement. Her shift points to an underlying need for transparency and trust in therapy, unaffected by technological advances. As AI becomes more integrated into therapy, the concern remains about data breaches and the encroachment of tech companies into private spaces.