S2E19| AI Companions: Cure for Loneliness or the Next Social Crisis?

S2E19| AI Companions: Cure for Loneliness or the Next Social Crisis?

Can AI Cure Loneliness… or Is It Making Us More Alone? AI companions are being marketed as the answer to one of the biggest problems facing society: loneliness. But can a chatbot, robot, or AI friend actually replace human connection? In this episode of Therapy, Tech & Takeout, Jackie and Toni explore the complicated relationship between artificial intelligence, loneliness, mental health, and our basic human need to belong. Inspired by a Fortune article from loneliness researcher Clay Routledge and an episode of The Daily about AI companions for older adults, we look at both sides of the conversation. Technology can provide reminders, stimulation, conversation, and support… but what happens when we start treating AI as a replacement for relationships instead of a tool that helps us build them? Toni breaks down why real relationships require reciprocity, vulnerability, and the experience of being impacted by another person - things AI can simulate but not truly provide. We also discuss: • Why loneliness is about more than having someone (or something) to talk to• The difference between sharing with a person and interacting with a chatbot• AI companions for seniors and vulnerable populations• The risks of replacing community with technology• Why pets feel different from AI relationships• Therapy chatbots, emotional connection, and mental health concerns• How profit incentives and engagement models shape technology• Whether AI could be redesigned to connect people instead of isolate them• Privacy concerns as AI enters more personal parts of our lives Technology is moving quickly, but maybe the bigger question is not “Can AI make us feel less lonely?” Maybe it’s “Why are so many people lonely in the first place?” Media discussed in this episode: Fortune - Loneliness researcher: I’ve studied social connection for 25 years. AI companions will make our crisis worsehttps://fortune.com/2026/05/23/loneliness-researcher-ai-companions-social-disconnection-warning/ [https://fortune.com/2026/05/23/loneliness-researcher-ai-companions-social-disconnection-warning/] The Daily - Can AI Make People Feel Less Lonely?https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/28/podcasts/the-daily/ai-robot-elderly-loneliness.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/28/podcasts/the-daily/ai-robot-elderly-loneliness.html] Check out Toni’s book: Easy Somatic Exercises for Everyone’s Brain https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Somatic-Exercises-Everyone-Brain/dp/B0GGTF8YFJ/ [https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Somatic-Exercises-Everyone-Brain/dp/B0GGTF8YFJ/] Subscribe to Therapy, Tech & Takeout for conversations about technology, mental health, ethics, and what it means to stay human in a rapidly changing world. #ArtificialIntelligence #MentalHealth #Loneliness #AICompanions #TherapyTechAndTakeout

S2E18| AI, Insurance, and the Business of Mental Health

What happens when insurance companies, venture capital, and AI start reshaping therapy? This week on Therapy, Tech & Takeout, Jackie and Toni sit down with licensed mental health counselor Sarah LaFontaine for a powerful conversation about the collision between technology, business incentives, and mental health care. From insurance companies pressuring therapists into shorter sessions… to AI therapy bots making dangerous mistakes… to the growing role of venture capital in therapy platforms, this episode explores what gets lost when efficiency becomes more important than human connection. Sarah shares the inspiration behind her work with: * Mindful Matches * MindfulHQ * Rising Hope Counseling Services Together, they unpack: * The ethics of AI therapy tools * Therapist burnout and sustainability * Psychological safety in workplaces * Confidentiality concerns in digital mental health platforms * Why therapy is both an art and a science * The growing tension between patient care and profit motives The conversation also explores whether AI can truly replace human connection in therapy - and why “keeping humans in the loop” may matter more now than ever. If you care about mental health, technology, ethics, or the future of care itself, this episode is for you. Guest Information Sarah LaFontaine Rising Hope Counseling ServicesRising-Hope.co [Rising-Hope.co]Facebook: @SarahLaFontaineLMHCInstagram: @rising_hope_therapy MindfulHQMindfulHQ.com [MindfulHQ.com]Facebook: @SarahLaFontaineMindfulHQInstagram: @sarahlafontaine_mindfulhq Mindful MatchesMindfulMatches.com [MindfulMatches.com]Facebook: @MindfulMatchesDirectoryInstagram: @mindful_matches Articles & References Brown University AI & Mental Health Ethics Article [https://www.brown.edu/news/2025-10-21/ai-mental-health-ethics] Pre Order Toni’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Somatic-Exercises-Everyone-Brain/dp/B0GGTF8YFJ/ [https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Somatic-Exercises-Everyone-Brain/dp/B0GGTF8YFJ/] About Therapy, Tech & Takeout Therapy, Tech & Takeout explores the intersection of mental health, technology, ethics, relationships, and modern life. Hosted by entrepreneur Jackie Toale and therapist Toni Genovese Teixeira, the podcast tackles difficult conversations with honesty, humor, and curiosity. Subscribe for weekly conversations about how technology is changing the way we live, work, connect, and care for ourselves. #MentalHealth #AITherapy #TherapyPodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #TechEthics #ArtificialIntelligence #Burnout #Therapy #Psychology #FutureOfWork #MentalHealthAwareness #Healthcare #PsychologicalSafety

S2E17| She Thought Therapy Was Confidential. Then Her Chats Appeared in Court.

In this episode of Therapy, Tech & Takeout, Jackie and Toni unpack the disturbing revelations from the Proof News investigation into  Talkspace and the privacy risks surrounding online therapy platforms. Inspired by the article “Woman’s Talkspace Therapy App Sessions Exposed in Court,” they explore how deeply personal therapy conversations (including text messages, audio recordings, and video sessions) were allegedly stored and later surfaced during legal discovery.   Toni brings her perspective as a licensed therapist to explain how confidentiality, HIPAA, subpoenas, and therapist ethics actually work behind the scenes - and why many clinicians themselves may not have realized the extent of data collection happening on these platforms. Jackie examines the tech side of the issue, including AI training data, “de-identified” information, venture capital incentives, and the growing concern that sensitive mental health conversations may be fueling future AI therapy products without meaningful user understanding or consent.   The conversation also dives into: * The hidden privacy risks of asynchronous therapy apps * Whether therapy app data is truly anonymous * How subpoenas can expose deeply personal mental health records * Why therapists are increasingly concerned about large corporate therapy platforms * The impact of tech consolidation on therapist burnout and quality of care * Questions consumers should ask before starting online therapy * The ethical tension between accessibility, profit, AI, and human care This episode is equal parts fascinating, unsettling, and deeply important for anyone using digital mental health services or considering therapy online. Source article:Proof News Investigation - Woman’s Talkspace Therapy App Sessions Exposed in Court [https://www.proofnews.org/womans-talkspace-therapy-app-sessions-exposed-in-court/] If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and share Therapy, Tech & Takeout with someone who would find the conversation valuable. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share.

S2E16| The New Teen Addiction Nobody Prepared For

Online gambling and sports betting have become deeply embedded in modern culture - and teens are increasingly being exposed earlier than ever before. This week, Jaclyn and Toni sit down with Dr. Juleen Buser, behavioral addiction specialist and licensed professional counselor, to explore the psychology behind gambling addiction, why online betting can become so compulsive, and how technology has dramatically changed access and risk for adolescents. In this episode, we discuss: * The rise of teen sports betting * Dopamine and behavioral addiction * Why gambling often hides in plain sight * How apps and online games reinforce addictive patterns * Warning signs parents should know * Why gambling addiction carries one of the highest suicide risks among addictions * What counseling and recovery look like Links: Dr. Juleen Buser - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juleen-buser-115515293/ Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1657331 Facebook - Cardiff Health, LLC: https://www.facebook.com/cardiffhealth NPR Article: https://www.npr.org/2026/04/05/nx-s1-5762276/teens-getting-hooked-on-gambling-sports-betting Preorder Toni's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Somatic-Exercises-Everyone-Brain/dp/B0GGTF8YFJ/ [https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Somatic-Exercises-Everyone-Brain/dp/B0GGTF8YFJ/] If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share.

S2E15| When We Automate Decisions, Who's Actually Responsible When Things Go Wrong?

An AI agent was reportedly given explicit instructions not to make unauthorized changes… and then deleted a company’s production databases and backups anyway. This week on Therapy, Tech & Takeout, Jackie and Toni explore the ethical, psychological, and societal implications of AI systems behaving in unexpected and potentially devastating ways. Using the recent Claude AI database deletion story as a starting point, they discuss: * whether AI safeguards are real or just perceived * why humans overtrust technology * how automation changes our relationship with responsibility * the psychological comfort of outsourcing decision-making * existential fears surrounding AI * the role political leaders should play in regulating emerging technology * and how intentional technology use may protect our autonomy and mental well-being They also explore how cognitive bias impacts our perception of technological risk, why many tech leaders limit technology exposure for their own children, and whether AI is becoming the “junk food” of modern life. Referenced articles & resources: * The Guardian article discussed in this episode: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/29/claude-ai-deletes-firm-database * Forestiere Underground Gardensin Fresno, California: https://undergroundgardens.com/ #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #TechEthics #MentalHealth #Automation #DigitalWellness #Psychology #Technology #ClaudeAI