We can all see how quickly Artificial intelligence is reshaping mental health support in the UK. From therapy-style chatbots to emotionally intelligent avatars, many people are starting to ask whether AI therapy could eventually replace human therapists – particularly in online therapy.
As a clinical psychologist offering only online trauma therapy, this is a question I think deserves some deep thought.
I’m not anti mental health related-AI. In fact, I’m very aware of how helpful it can be.
But there are also clear limits, especially when it comes to trauma.
I’m pro-AI and realistic about where it helps
I think it’s fantastic that AI therapy tools can already support people with:
- Reflection and journalling
- Making sense of thoughts and emotions
- Summarising experiences
- Basic coping ideas and reframes
- Feeling less alone when they’re unsure where to start
For many people in the UK, this kind of AI support is accessible and empowering, especially for everyday stress or early exploration of mental health.
AI support can be a helpful starting point.
But trauma-informed therapy involves something much deeper.
Why online trauma therapy still needs a human therapist
Trauma doesn’t live only in our thoughts.
It lives in the nervous system and the body.
In online trauma therapy, my role isn’t simply to listen and respond. I’m constantly paying attention to:
- whether someone is becoming overwhelmed
- whether they’re shutting down or disconnecting
- changes in breathing, pace, or emotional engagement
- whether it’s safe to continue or time to slow right down
Often this is happening before a person can put it into words.
AI can respond intelligently to what you say.
It cannot take responsibility for safety when the nervous system becomes dysregulated.
That responsibility is a core part of trauma therapy.
What people mean by “relational safety”
You may hear therapists talk about relational safety or a regulated therapist.
In everyday terms, this simply means being with someone whose own nervous system is steady enough to sit with strong emotions without panicking, fixing, dismissing or withdrawing.
Relational safety looks like:
- not being rushed
- not being judged
- not having to perform or explain everything
- knowing someone can stay present when emotions rise
For many people, this is a new experience and a healing one.
It’s also something technology cannot replicate, in my opinion, even with brilliant avatars. There is nothing like the human connection, which is equally as powerful online with a highly attuned trauma therapist.
Where EMDR therapy fits in a post-AI world
EMDR therapy is a structured, evidence-based trauma therapy that helps the brain and nervous system process experiences that remain emotionally stuck.
Although AI can explain EMDR or guide general exercises, EMDR therapy requires:
- careful preparation and assessment
- moment-to-moment monitoring of emotional and physical responses especially during the bilateral stimulation part
- adjusting pace to prevent overwhelm
- clinical responsibility if distress increases
This is why EMDR therapy remains a human-led intervention, even when delivered online.
An algorithm can guide instructions.
A therapist holds responsibility.
IFS therapy, Self-energy, and the role of relationship
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy works with different “parts” of us, such as the anxious part, the critical part, or the part that shuts down.
At the centre of IFS is something called Self-energy.
In simple terms, Self-energy feels like:
- calm rather than reactivity
- curiosity instead of self-criticism
- compassion without forcing positivity
Most people don’t access this state alone.
It often emerges in relationship, when someone else is steady, present, and not overwhelmed by what you share. This is more than warmth, empathy and positive regard.
AI can ask thoughtful questions.
It doesn’t have a nervous system that can regulate alongside yours.
AI therapy and online trauma therapy are not competitors
AI therapy and human therapy are likely to sit side by side.
AI can support:
- reflection between sessions
- insight and understanding
- early exploration
Human trauma therapy remains essential for:
- processing trauma safely
- working with dissociation
- attachment repair
- nervous system regulation
Each has a place, but they are not the same thing.
Why inner work may matter more in an AI-driven world
As technology increases speed, stimulation, and distraction, many people are realising that the challenge isn’t information, it’s connection with self.
The ability to:
- notice your own nervous system
- understand what you need
- regulate emotions without constant distraction
- find meaning internally rather than externally
may become one of the most important psychological skills of the future.
Trauma-informed therapy isn’t about fixing something broken.
It’s about learning how to live from the inside out. To heal from the past and to prepare for the future.
Frequently Asked Questions EMDR and AI
AI can be very helpful for reflection, journaling and early support, but it cannot effectively and safely replace trauma-informed therapy with a human therapist. Trauma work involves real-time nervous system regulation, ethical responsibility and relational safety. AI can respond to your words, but it can’t take responsibility for your care or track subtle signs of overwhelm in the way a trained clinician can.
“AI therapy” usually refers to chatbots or apps that use artificial intelligence to have supportive conversations, offer coping ideas and help you reflect on your thoughts and emotions.
Online trauma therapy is different. It is provided by a qualified human therapist, involves a clinical assessment, and focuses on safety, pacing and deeper work with the nervous system and past experiences. AI tools can be a useful complement, but they are not a substitute for trauma-focused treatment with a trained professional.
Yes, EMDR therapy can be safely delivered online when it is offered by a properly trained therapist who understands how to adapt the method for video sessions. The key is preparation, clear safety planning and careful monitoring of your emotional and physical responses during and after processing. What makes EMDR safe is not the platform (in-person vs online), but the therapist’s training, experience and ability to pace the work appropriately.
Yes. IFS therapy works well online, because much of the work involves guided inner focus rather than physical techniques. A skilled therapist can support you to get to know your “parts”, build Self-energy (a calmer, more compassionate inner state) and stay grounded while you explore difficult feelings. As with any therapy, what matters most is the quality of the relationship and the therapist’s ability to keep the work safe and paced, not whether you are on a screen or in a room.
I do not use AI to replace therapy sessions or make clinical decisions. Our sessions are always human-to-human. I may use technology in supportive ways outside the session – for example, to organise information, send resources or suggest reflective exercises – but the assessment, treatment planning and trauma processing itself are all done by me as a trained clinical psychologist.
Final thoughts
AI therapy has an important role to play.
But online trauma therapy using EMDR and IFS remains a deeply human process, one that involves responsibility, judgement, and relational safety.
In a future shaped by AI, understanding your own nervous system may be one of the most valuable investments you can make.
