372 - Understanding AI Categories in Counselling Practice

In this episode of the Counselling Tutor podcast, hosts Rory and Ken delve into the ethical implications of integrating artificial intelligence into counselling practice, emphasizing the need for therapists to understand the three distinct categories of AI tools: digital mental health technologies with strict data privacy and clinical governance, off-the-shelf large language models (LLMs) with unclear accountability and potential data misuse, and commercial mental health apps that may monetize client data. The hosts stress that while AI tools can feel therapeutic, they are not therapy, and therapists remain ethically and legally accountable for any client data shared. They highlight the importance of discernment over technical expertise, advocating for a framework of critical questions to evaluate AI tools. The discussion is grounded in a free handout available on the podcast’s website, which outlines these categories and supports ethical decision-making. Later, the episode features an interview with therapist and journalist Matt Hussey, who explores a potential 'great split' in therapy—where accessible, standardized digital care serves the masses, while personalized, relational therapy becomes a privilege. Hussey discusses how clients are now more informed, often self-educated through books like *The Body Keeps the Score*, and how therapists must adapt to a more co-creative, less expert-led model. The episode concludes with a segment on agency reports, a vital component of UK counselling training that provides a 360-degree professional assessment of trainees in real-world practice settings, reinforcing the importance of ethical, legal, and professional standards in the profession.