"We are living in tumultuous times. The messages of books like Together by Vivek Murthy are getting swallowed by the loud voices of billionaires and TV personalities insisting that empathy is the downfall of society (for a powerful counterpoint, check out Luke Kemp's Goliath's Curse). It is no surprise, then, that the same tech giants (of the "empathy is bad" kind) and many others are pondering just how far AI can go in replacing humans."
"The therapeutic alliance has been called "the fundamental element of psychotherapy " (Stubbe, 2018), and for good reason. In a recent newsletter, the Dean of the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Christopher Muran-a psychologist and researcher who has dedicated his life to studying the therapeutic alliance-said that "The therapist's humanity, including their many idiosyncrasies, is central to the work.""
Therapeutic change depends primarily on the relational connection between client and therapist rather than on specific techniques. The relationship arises from the meeting of conscious and unconscious parts of two psyches and functions as container, scaffolding, and process for growth. Experiencing and working through conflict within that relationship is essential for progress. Therapists perform multiple roles simultaneously and their humanity and idiosyncrasies contribute to effectiveness. Cultural trends and technological advances prompt questions about AI's ability to replace human therapists, but relational elements remain central. Teletherapy settings reveal personal features, such as clients' pets, that can deepen relational work.
Read at Psychology Today
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