Sarah WardTherapists are used to adapting to new technology in therapy. Over the years, we’ve moved from handwritten notes to digital records, from in-person work to video calls, from folders in locked cabinets to encrypted files on secure drives. Each stage of this digital evolution has brought opportunity and uncertainty.
Caution is part of what keeps therapy safe. It reflects the same thoughtful awareness that guides every ethical decision. As AI told and digital platforms become more common in clinical practice, it’s natural for therapists to pause and ask what this means for privacy, professionalism and the human connection at the heart of our work.
Recording sessions isn’t new. Many of us already record audio for supervision, accreditation or self-reflection. What’s changing is the technology that makes this easier, and the understandable questions that come with it. These are not signs of resistance but of responsibility.
Across different clinical professions, people hold varying relationships with structure and data. For some, outcome measures and digital records are already familiar. For others, these tools can feel less natural, raising questions about how technology might affect the dynamic of therapy itself. Whatever our profession, these concerns come from the same place: a desire to protect the safety and humanity of our work.
Confidentiality and data security
Caution around confidentiality isn’t misplaced. The questions professionals ask about technology are the same ones we’ve always asked about clinical practice:
- How do we keep clients safe?
- How do we protect their information?
- How do we preserve the integrity of the work while adapting to change?
Trusting any system with recordings or transcripts can feel like a big step. We already work within legal frameworks like GDPR and the Data Protection Act and those standards don’t disappear when new tools arrive.
When technology is introduced, it’s vital to have clarity about how it operates, where recordings go, what happens in the event of a breach and who holds responsibility. These are not signs of resistance. They are thoughtful, protective questions that reflect our duty of care.
Ethical transparency and client trust
Therapy relies on trust. Clients have the right to understand how technology is used in their sessions, what’s recorded, why it matters and how it will be kept safe.
When we invite technology into the room, it becomes part of the therapeutic process. Explaining its purpose and boundaries helps clients feel included in the decision rather than observed by it.
For therapists who place the relationship at the centre of their work, this can feel delicate. But transparency itself is relational. Being clear and open can deepen trust rather than threaten it.
And of course, clients always have a choice. If they prefer not to have their sessions recorded or processed through AI, that decision is respected. The process should always be collaborative, not imposed.
Professional identity and the fear of replacement
For many therapists, the arrival of AI brings mixed feelings. There’s reassurance in saving time on admin but also quiet questions about what happens to our role when technology starts listening too.
AI systems rely on data, and in mental health that data is personal. We’ll understandably wonder how it will be used, who it belongs to and whether it could train future systems to mimic therapeutic language.
But technology can’t replace the relationship. It can record, summarise and organise but it can’t sit with uncertainty, notice emotion or hold silence with care. The heart of therapy remains human.
Whether our work is rooted in CBT, counselling or another profession, that foundation doesn’t change. Technology can support the work but it can’t replicate it.
Change fatigue and capacity
Therapists are no strangers to change. We’ve adapted to new systems, models, platforms and policies, often at pace. Each new innovation promises to make things easier, yet it can also feel like one more thing to manage.
That sense of fatigue is real. Behind each shift is the emotional labour of learning, adjusting and holding risk, all on top of demanding clinical work. It’s normal to feel cautious or even weary when another “new way of working” arrives.
But that same caution shows how much we care about doing things well. We’ve adapted before, from paper to digital records, from face-to-face work to remote video calls, and maintained quality throughout. Thoughtfully used, technology can reduce the load rather than add to it, giving us more space to focus on what matters.
Moving forward with care
Technology will keep evolving whether we’re ready or not. Our role isn’t to resist or follow blindly but to shape it with intention. Caution doesn’t make us outdated. It makes us ethical. It means we care about privacy, fairness and the relationships at the heart of our work.
Not everyone is ready or able to embrace new technology, and that’s okay. Thoughtful, ethical practice has always allowed space for different approaches. If it works for you, great. If it doesn’t, that’s valid too. What matters is that we keep clients safe and the work human.
For those who do choose to use tools like LuciNote, the aim is simple: less time on admin, more time on the work that really matters. Technology should support good therapy, not replace it.
We don’t have to choose between compassion and innovation. The future of therapy can hold both if we move forward with care.
Want practical guidance on introducing AI tools in therapy? Read our article on How to Talk With Clients About Using LuciNote.
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