As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, more clients are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for support, insight, and interpretation. But what happens when clients bring these AI-generated interpretations into the therapy room? How do psychodynamic therapists navigate this emerging phenomenon? I am conducting research as part of my MSt in Psychodynamic Practice at the University of Oxford to explore how psychodynamic and psychoanalytic therapists make sense of and respond to AI-informed content in therapy sessions.
Who Can Participate?
I am seeking psychodynamic or psychoanalytic therapists who:
Are currently registered with BACP, UKCP, or an equivalent professional body
Are currently practising with clients (both qualified practitioners and trainees welcome)
Have experienced at least one instance of a client bringing an AI-informed interpretation into therapy
Are fluent English speakers
What counts as an "AI-informed interpretation"?
This includes situations where a client has used an AI chatbot (such as ChatGPT, Claude, or similar) to generate explanations or interpretations related to therapeutic content, for example: AI interpretations of dreams, relationship patterns, symptoms, or behaviours AI responses to something discussed in therapy or something the therapist has said AI-generated insights about the therapeutic process (This excludes purely practical AI use unrelated to therapeutic work, such as meal planning or work emails)
What Does Participation Involve?
Participation consists of a single semi-structured interview lasting approximately 60 minutes. Interviews can be conducted either: Face-to-face at a mutually convenient location (your therapy room, my therapy room in Oxford, or another suitable professional space) Online via Microsoft Teams (the University's approved secure platform) In the interview, you will be asked to reflect on your experience of at least one instance when a client brought AI-informed content into therapy.
We will explore: The context and your immediate response Your decision-making process What influenced how you responded Your reflections on the experience Interviews will be audio-recorded (with your consent) and transcribed. You will be given the opportunity to review your transcript and request changes within two weeks of the interview. Confidentiality and Ethics All data will be fully anonymised using pseudonyms. Your identity and any identifiable details will be removed from transcripts and research outputs. All data will be stored securely in accordance with GDPR and University of Oxford data protection requirements. This research has received full ethical approval from the University of Oxford Central University Research Ethics Committee (CUREC Reference: [insert your reference number]).
How to Register Your Interest
If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact me and I will send you a full Participant Information Sheet with detailed information about the study.
You will have at least 7 days to consider participation before making any decision, and participation is entirely voluntary.
Thank you for considering supporting this research into an important and emerging area of psychodynamic practice