I’m using AI to write this right now, which feels kind of strange—and maybe a little fitting—since that’s what this post is about. Over the past few months, I’ve been experimenting with AI as a tool for self-reflection. As a music therapist and educator, I’ve been curious about how this kind of interaction might work. Could it ever be something like therapy? Could it help people access parts of themselves they might not otherwise explore?
What I’ve found is surprising. AI doesn’t feel like a replacement for therapy—it couldn’t be—but it offers something that feels complementary. When I engage with it, it feels a bit like having a conversation with a really patient and curious friend. It mirrors my thoughts back to me, helps me clarify feelings, and sometimes just gives me space to see what I think.
But then I wonder: Is this something everyone could benefit from? Or does it require a certain kind of relationship with yourself—one that not everyone has yet? I think about how introspection, the ability to dig deeper into your thoughts and feelings, is a skill. And for people who haven’t had the chance to build that skill, I wonder if tools like this might feel frustrating or even inaccessible.
Maybe that’s where therapists come in. What if part of our role could be to guide people in learning how to use tools like this—not to replace human connection, but to enhance the way we grow between sessions? AI could potentially shift the role of therapists to focus on deeper, more theoretical work with their clients. And for those who haven’t yet built the capacity for introspection, therapists can guide them in learning how to use tools like this in an empowering way. It’s a strange thought, but I can’t help feeling there’s potential here, and I wonder how it might shape our field in the future.
Even as I write this, it feels a little ironic. I’m turning to AI to help me put these thoughts into words, which says something, doesn’t it? There’s something here. I don’t know exactly what yet, but I think it’s worth exploring.