How is technology changing talk therapy?

Online telehealth platforms took off during the pandemic. And now AI has entered the chat. Is in-person counseling a thing of the past?

Air Date: October 12, 2026

(photo via Canva)

Talk therapy is booming. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 1 in 7 US adults received counseling in 2024. That’s up from around 1 in 10 just five years prior. The uptick is often attributed to the pandemic and to popular TV shows, like HBO’s Couples Therapy, reducing stigma.

As demand grows, many prospective clients are turning to Wall Street-backed telehealth platforms advertising more flexible access to care. Some people are even confiding in AI chatbots for emotional support.

Today on the show: how is the sensitive act of spilling your guts adapting to the digital age? What has this shifting landscape meant for therapists? And now that AI has entered the chat… how does that make you feel?

Guests:

Meir Rinde, WHYY business reporter who looked at the “uberization” of psychotherapy.
Andrea Bonior, psychologist, professor at Georgetown University, and author of “Detox your Thoughts.“
Alex Ossola, Wall Street Journal audio host and producer behind “The AI Therapist,” a three-part podcast series about AI mental-health chatbots.

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