CCC 27-3

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Recently, a colleague sent me a new study from The New England Journal of Medicine titled, “Randomized Trial of a Generative AI Chatbot for Mental Health Treatment,” which really made me stop and think. It was about a study on the first clinical trial of a therapy chatbot called “Therabot,” created by researchers at Dartmouth. The findings were indeed something to consid er. People struggling with depression saw their symptoms ease by more than half. Those living with anxiety experienced about a third less distress. And even folks dealing with body image and eating concerns showed noticeable improvements. However, what hit me the most was that many participants said they felt like they were speaking with a trusted counselor when they used Therabot. 1 Two factors from the study continue to stand out to me. First is how peo ple interacted with Therabot. Participants did not just follow the prompts provided but took the first step in starting the conversation. And not just during the day… many participants engaged in the middle of the night when thoughts often ruminate, and they cannot sleep. Second, participants reported that they could trust and communicate with the system as they would with a mental health professional. That picture has stayed with me. Participants turned to this tool for trust, comfort, and connection. One of the researchers even admitted, “We did not expect that people would almost treat the software like a friend. It says to me that they were actually forming relationships with Therabot.” 2 That says a great deal about the human heart. It shows how deeply we all long to be heard and known and not feel so alone. It also speaks volumes about the opportunity and our weighty responsibility as counselors, coaches, and leaders. We know the mental health crisis has shown no signs of slowing down. Demand continues to skyrocket, and far too many people are struggling in silence, unable to access the help they desperately need. Does AI offer some real hope here? Tools like Therabot are not about replacing human counselors but equipping us to serve better. Generative AI has been around for years and has the capability to help with routine tasks and scheduling, and now even in practice management, like assisting in assessments and personalizing care plans. That means we get to spend more time doing what matters most and focusing on the work of building genuine, healing rela tionships. But let’s be honest. With all this opportunity comes serious responsibili ty. As Christian counselors, we have to ask and answer the tough questions. How do we ensure AI serves people with compassion and respect? How do we safeguard the deeply human and spiritual part of counseling? We believe every person is created in the image of God, with infinite worth. No algo rithm can replace that truth. No chatbot can offer the kind of heart-level con nection and prayerful guidance that a trusted counselor can provide. Despite all the technological advances, we remain confident that true transformation does not come from machine learning and artificial intelli gence but from God Himself, working through His people—connection mat ters. Don’t miss this. God has no greater plan than to use people like you and me as conduits to channel His message of hope and grace. The power of the Holy Spirit, through us, brings lasting healing, and it is through the hands, hearts, and voices of God’s servants that hope is delivered. AI may be a tool, but it is never the source of life-changing power. That belongs to God alone. The Dartmouth researchers were clear—while AI like Therabot shows promise, it still needs human oversight. No matter how well it is pro grammed, there is always a risk when you hand complex human emotions to a machine. That is why we need to stay at the forefront of this conversation. We cannot sit on the sidelines and hope it all works out. AI is not going any where, so we must be informed, engaged, and proactive.

Despite all the technological advances, we remain confident that true transformation does not come from machine learning and artificial intelligence but from God Himself, working through His people—connection matters.

Christian Counseling Connection 9