{"id":116020,"date":"2023-10-22T15:36:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-22T19:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=116020"},"modified":"2023-10-25T15:41:25","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T19:41:25","slug":"chatbot-therapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/","title":{"rendered":"Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Why are people turning to chatbots for therapy? Can chatbots be better than human therapists?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the mental health crisis grows, many people are wondering whether they can turn to a chatbot for support. Some have decided the answer is \u201cyes\u201d\u2014but it\u2019s unclear just how safe or effective it is to rely on a chatbot instead of a therapist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Continue reading to learn more about AI chatbot therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-chatbot-therapy-is-popular-but-unproven\"><strong>Chatbot Therapy Is Popular, But Unproven<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever experimented with a chatbot like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-can-you-do-with-chatgpt\/\">ChatGPT<\/a>, then you\u2019ve seen firsthand how convincingly they can approximate human conversation. Using a form of artificial intelligence (AI) called a large language model, chatbots can field questions and produce answers that sound a lot like human speech.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So users have naturally <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vice.com\/en\/article\/z3mnve\/we-spoke-to-people-who-started-using-chatgpt-as-their-therapist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">turned to tools like ChatGPT<\/a> for help coping with common mental health struggles, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/low-mood-and-anxiety\/\">anxiety and depression<\/a>. Here&#8217;s a look at the discussions around chatbot therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Can a Chatbot Stand in for a Therapist?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>While ChatGPT is new, the idea that chatbots might eventually stand in for therapists is actually decades old<\/strong>. As far back as the 1960s, scientists have experimented with computer programs intended first to parody and then to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/magazine\/2023\/03\/06\/can-ai-treat-mental-illness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">simulate conversations<\/a> between a therapist and a patient. New programs like ChatGPT are more effective than older types of artificial intelligence at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/ai-chatbots-could-help-provide-therapy-but-caution-is-needed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">parsing people\u2019s questions<\/a> and responding in a way that feels human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet, users report that over longer conversations, the exchange can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2023\/01\/19\/1147081115\/therapy-by-chatbot-the-promise-and-challenges-in-using-ai-for-mental-health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">feel \u201cempty\u201d or \u201csuperficial<\/a>.\u201d That might be because chatbots only pretend to have empathy, understanding, and other human traits.  In therapy, the factor that correlates most strongly with good outcomes is the <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6308096\/therapy-mental-health-worse-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">strength of the relationship<\/a> between therapist and patient. Critics say that chatbots can\u2019t replicate this relationship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Traditional Therapy Isn\u2019t Perfect, But Are Chatbots Better?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Human therapists are also fallible and biased. Many people worry about sharing their thoughts with another person. Some feel intimidated by the idea of seeking out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/taking-care-of-your-mental-health\/\">mental health care<\/a>. Research has shown that some people report feeling that they\u2019ve developed a rapport with a chatbot and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/ai-chatbots-could-help-provide-therapy-but-caution-is-needed\/\">come to trust it<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People are already turning to a variety of chatbots for mental health support. One popular option is <a href=\"https:\/\/woebothealth.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Woebot<\/a>, which interprets what users say and answers with prewritten responses based on techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In CBT, a therapist works to help a patient <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/what-is-cognitive-behavior-therapy-2795747\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">replace counterproductive thought patterns<\/a> with patterns that help them respond more productively. Woebot aims to do the same but with the convenience and immediacy of an app. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Yet even those who are enthusiastic about using AI to support mental health advise against replacing therapy with a chatbot<\/strong>. Chaitali Sinha, head of clinical development and research at Wysa, explains that chatbots \u201cshould not be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/artificial-intelligence-is-changing-mental-health-care-7112883\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">used as a replacement<\/a> for traditional forms of therapy.\u201d Similarly, Athena Robinson, chief clinical officer at Woebot, characterizes the app as a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2023\/01\/19\/1147081115\/therapy-by-chatbot-the-promise-and-challenges-in-using-ai-for-mental-health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">guided self-help ally<\/a>,\u201d not a therapist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Is Something Better Than Nothing?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Advocates say that AI therapy offers one of the few practical answers to a vast unmet need<\/strong>. Many people talk to chatbots like Woebot and Happify in part because symptoms of anxiety and depression are common and access to mental health care is fragmented. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nimh.nih.gov\/health\/statistics\/mental-illness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 in 5 Americans<\/a> lives with mental illness. Yet in 2021, fewer than half (47.2%) of such people received treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some barriers to treatment are geographic: <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Health\/americas-mental-health-care-deserts-hard-access-care\/story?id=84301748\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">75% of rural counties<\/a> across the US have either no psychologists, psychiatrists, or counselors at all, or they have fewer than 50 per 100,000 people. That leaves many Americans unsure of where or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2021\/08\/23\/1030430464\/mental-health-parity-therapy-high-cost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how to access care<\/a>. Other barriers are economic: High costs and insufficient insurance coverage\u2014or insurers\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2022\/10\/19\/1125446666\/debt-mental-health-care-u-s-families\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">improper denial of coverage<\/a>\u2014leave people struggling to afford care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>On top of insufficient access to care, common treatments have been criticized as inadequate, too<\/strong>. Research has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/11\/08\/well\/mind\/antidepressants-effects-alternatives.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">questioned the efficacy<\/a> of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which treat depression by raising the brain\u2019s levels of serotonin. Researchers have learned that depression is more complex than a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.quantamagazine.org\/the-cause-of-depression-is-probably-not-what-you-think-20230126\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chemical imbalance<\/a>,\u201d and a recent review found that low serotonin levels aren\u2019t associated with depression at all. This doesn\u2019t mean that SSRIs don\u2019t work: The drugs still have an edge over placebos. But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tpr.org\/bioscience-medicine\/2022-12-28\/research-concludes-low-serotonin-does-not-cause-depression-what-does-that-mean-for-ssris\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this advantage is small<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It seems rational for people to seek support in handling the heavy burden of these challenges wherever they can get that support. But it remains to be seen whether chatbots, without any human emotions or experiences of their own, can really help us to carry that weight.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why are people turning to chatbots for therapy? Can chatbots be better than human therapists? As the mental health crisis grows, many people are wondering whether they can turn to a chatbot for support. Some have decided the answer is \u201cyes\u201d\u2014but it\u2019s unclear just how safe or effective it is to rely on a chatbot instead of a therapist. Continue reading to learn more about AI chatbot therapy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":116030,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,9],"tags":[727],"class_list":["post-116020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-psychology","tag-articles","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe? - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"More people are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for therapy. Here&#039;s what experts have to say about human therapist stand-ins.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"More people are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for therapy. Here&#039;s what experts have to say about human therapist stand-ins.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-10-22T19:36:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-10-25T19:41:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1136\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"746\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Hannah Aster\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Hannah Aster\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Hannah Aster\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f39f52830e4f7039a16e45d12354542f\"},\"headline\":\"Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe?\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-10-22T19:36:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-25T19:41:25+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/\"},\"wordCount\":773,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Articles\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Health\",\"Psychology\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/\",\"name\":\"Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe? - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-10-22T19:36:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-25T19:41:25+00:00\",\"description\":\"More people are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for therapy. Here's what experts have to say about human therapist stand-ins.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg\",\"width\":1136,\"height\":746},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"description\":\"The World&#039;s Best Book Summaries\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":74,\"caption\":\"Shortform Books\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f39f52830e4f7039a16e45d12354542f\",\"name\":\"Hannah Aster\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0302cb2690b70a21639bc6873e587f42d39d02385b7e59d8efd0d3e000ae7681?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0302cb2690b70a21639bc6873e587f42d39d02385b7e59d8efd0d3e000ae7681?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Hannah Aster\"},\"description\":\"Hannah is a seasoned writer and editor who started her journey with Shortform nearly five years ago. She grew up reading mostly fiction books but transitioned to non-fiction writing when she started her travel website in 2018. When she's not writing or traveling, you can find Hannah working on home reno projects, crafting, or taking care of plants.\",\"knowsAbout\":[\"Graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English and minors in professional and creative writing\"],\"jobTitle\":\"SEO Team Lead\",\"worksFor\":\"Shortform\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/hannah\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe? - Shortform Books","description":"More people are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for therapy. Here's what experts have to say about human therapist stand-ins.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe?","og_description":"More people are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for therapy. Here's what experts have to say about human therapist stand-ins.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/","og_site_name":"Shortform Books","article_published_time":"2023-10-22T19:36:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-10-25T19:41:25+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1136,"height":746,"url":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Hannah Aster","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Hannah Aster","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/"},"author":{"name":"Hannah Aster","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f39f52830e4f7039a16e45d12354542f"},"headline":"Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe?","datePublished":"2023-10-22T19:36:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-10-25T19:41:25+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/"},"wordCount":773,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg","keywords":["Articles"],"articleSection":["Health","Psychology"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/","name":"Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe? - Shortform Books","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg","datePublished":"2023-10-22T19:36:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-10-25T19:41:25+00:00","description":"More people are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for therapy. Here's what experts have to say about human therapist stand-ins.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg","width":1136,"height":746},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/chatbot-therapy\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Many Are Using Chatbots for Therapy\u2014But Is It Safe?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","name":"Shortform Books","description":"The World&#039;s Best Book Summaries","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Shortform Books","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","width":500,"height":74,"caption":"Shortform Books"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f39f52830e4f7039a16e45d12354542f","name":"Hannah Aster","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0302cb2690b70a21639bc6873e587f42d39d02385b7e59d8efd0d3e000ae7681?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0302cb2690b70a21639bc6873e587f42d39d02385b7e59d8efd0d3e000ae7681?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Hannah Aster"},"description":"Hannah is a seasoned writer and editor who started her journey with Shortform nearly five years ago. She grew up reading mostly fiction books but transitioned to non-fiction writing when she started her travel website in 2018. When she's not writing or traveling, you can find Hannah working on home reno projects, crafting, or taking care of plants.","knowsAbout":["Graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English and minors in professional and creative writing"],"jobTitle":"SEO Team Lead","worksFor":"Shortform","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/hannah\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-using-her-phone-in-bed.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116020"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116020\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":116028,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116020\/revisions\/116028"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}