The Therapist Thrival Guide 100. AI in the Therapy Room: What’s Helpful, What’s Ethical, and What’s Next
In our 100th episode, Miranda is joined by Steve Drzewoszewski, LCSW, LCADC, CCS, CSC, a therapist and clinic director from New Jersey who’s been exploring the growing role of AI in the mental health world.
We get into all the big questions—Is AI actually useful for therapists? What are the risks? And how do we use it responsibly without losing the heart of the work?
We talk through how tools like Cloud AI and Therapro AI are already helping clinicians with documentation, note-taking, and even generating treatment plans, all while staying HIPAA-compliant. But we don’t shy away from the concerns, either. We unpack the ethical gray areas, the importance of client consent, and the general uneasiness that some folks feel about AI’s presence in such a human-centered field.
Some highlights:
Real-life ways therapists are using AI (and where it helps)
How to talk to clients about AI and get informed consent
Where the line is between helpful tool and overreach
Using AI for non-clinical tasks like marketing, content, and admin work
Environmental impact, privacy risks, and what's on the horizon. Read more at this article.
Link to Good Place scene Miranda references: https://youtu.be/R8m_5HDZF7w?si=lnfrBCbbQoZU4lVm&t=108
Whether you're a full-blown tech nerd or someone who side-eyes every new app, this episode has something for you. It’s not about replacing therapists—it’s about how we can use tools wisely to support the work we already love doing.
OUR HOST:
Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for several years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, case manager, and the Director of Brand Content at Ellie Mental Health. Follow her on LinkedIn.
The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.
Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and has expanded to an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021.