It’s a valid question—and one that even I, a therapist, found myself asking recently. After a week of using ChatGPT to untangle a few personal and professional knots, I caught myself wondering: Why bother going to therapy anymore?

Here’s the thing: ChatGPT told me what I wanted to hear. It offered insights that felt supportive, reflections that felt validating, and even some pretty solid advice. But when I stepped back, I realized something important: what it didn’t do was challenge me. It didn’t see the patterns I was missing. It didn’t reflect back my blind spots. And it definitely didn’t push me—gently or otherwise—toward growth that was uncomfortable, necessary, and real.

Therapy Is Not About Comfort Alone

One of the myths of therapy is that it’s just a place to vent and feel better. But true therapy? It’s a space where you grow. Where you are gently, thoughtfully confronted with the parts of yourself that are stuck. It’s a place where you can explore your story, your pain, and your beliefs—with someone who sees you not just through data or patterns, but with deep human attunement.

AI Is a Tool, Not a Therapist

I’m not anti-AI—in fact, I use tools like ChatGPT in my own work and with clients. They’re great for journaling prompts, practicing self-reflection, even generating insights you hadn’t considered. But therapy is where those insights meet accountability.

It’s one thing to know what you “should” do. It’s another to sit across from someone who helps you understand why you’re not doing it. Or to unpack why you keep repeating a pattern that you logically know isn’t serving you. AI can’t catch you when you’re performing for it. A therapist can.

What I Offer—That AI Can’t

In my practice, I bring curiosity, training, intuition, and relationship. I notice your energy, your avoidance, your themes. I help you connect dots not just because your words suggest a pattern, but because I know you. I know when you’re ready to take a leap—and when you’re just saying you are.

We can absolutely use AI tools in our work together. But therapy is where the real work happens—in a relationship that can hold you accountable, challenge your narrative, and invite you into something deeper than comfort: growth.

So yes, you could talk to ChatGPT. But when you’re ready to be seen, challenged, and supported as a whole human—not just a user or a prompt—I’ll be here.

Nicole C Weiss LCSW

• Phone: 619-318-5012
• Email: [email protected]