When Clients Turn to AI: Understanding the Rise of Chatbots and AI Mental Health Support

This webinar satisfies requirements for live interactive CE credits for all professions.

DESCRIPTION:

AI chatbots, technically referred to as large language models, have been adopted faster than any technology in history, for reasons not hard to understand: they do not just provide information, they offer comfort. That is a powerful combination for people who are increasingly lonely, stressed, and mistrustful of others. Whether or not we consider ourselves technically inclined, AI is already part of our clients’ emotional lives.

This webinar is the first in a series of three that offers participants an orientation to where things stand: the social forces driving AI adoption, the specific technologies clients are using, and the multiple roles these technologies can play, including friend, lover, and therapist.

This training is designed for clinicians at every level of technical comfort, including those who have never interacted with a chatbot. Research regarding the potential therapeutic effectiveness of chatbots and how they compete with traditional therapy, will be reviewed.  We will look at what AI tools can genuinely offer clients, as well as the risks that deserve our clinical attention. We’ll give particular care to vulnerable populations, including adolescents and clients with attachment challenges. Participants will leave with a clearer map of this new terrain and a solid foundation for webinars two and three.

Target audience: This course is appropriate for all mental health professionals

Content level: Introductory/Intermediate