EB Psychotherapy Blog

A teenager sends her mother a text.

Mom, I’m so annoyed with my friend right now. I don’t even know what to say to her.

Her mother reads the message, thinks for a moment, and—wanting to be helpful—opens Claude. She pastes in the situation.

The response is thoughtful. It is measured. It identifies the teenager’s feelings, considers the friend’s perspective, suggests a few possible responses, and recommends waiting until emotions have settled before addressing the conflict.

And her daughter replies: Mom. I wanted to talk to YOU.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of everyday life. We use it to organize schedules, answer questions, brainstorm ideas, and learn new skills. But AI could also become a useful tool for supporting our mental health at home. 

AI can help people practice basic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, reflect on emotional patterns, organize thoughts, track mood changes, and identify progress over time. Used thoughtfully, it can function as a kind of digital companion for self-guided mental health work.

Children growing up today are entering a world that previous generations could not have imagined. Artificial intelligence is already woven into education, entertainment, communication, creativity, and everyday problem-solving. For today’s children, AI will not feel like a new technology. It will simply be part of the environment in which they grow up.

This is a question I like to ask parents, educators, and mental health professionals. 

For generations, adolescents have learned about relationships through other people.

They learned friendship by navigating disagreements with classmates. They learned vulnerability by telling a parent something they were afraid to say out loud. They learned trust by discovering that someone could keep a confidence. They learned boundaries when a friend said, “I need some space.” They learned empathy by seeing another person become hurt, frustrated, excited, or disappointed.

This article is based on my latest Youtube Video: AI, Anger & Teens: What Happens When We Practice Aggression on Chatbots? by Dr. Élena Bagourdi

By Dr. Élena Bagourdi, PhD, Clinical Psychologist | Specializing in relationships, attachment, emotional development, and emerging technology

In many classrooms today, something subtle is shifting.

As a clinical psychologist working with adolescents and families, I’m seeing this shift not only in schools, but in how young people relate to their own thinking.

"Have you ever been in a room full of people and still felt completely alone? Do you then typically reach for your phone? ... Somewhere inside there's a small quiet ache..... internet addiction or, digital compulsion, is rarely about the internet itself. From an attachment perspective, it's often a nervous system reaching for safety in a world that feels increasingly overwhelming."

From Dr. Bagourdi's Latest Youtube Video: Internet Addiction Isn’t About Screens — It’s About Attachment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3vHKjBvCgc&t=2s

“Healing happens in rupture and repair—when something goes wrong…and someone stays long enough to repair—or to part with honesty. AI can simulate closeness, but when we choose frictionless connection, we aren’t just avoiding pain…we’re avoiding the very mechanism of human growth. So here’s my truth for you today: The internet can soothe. AI can regulate. But only a human can hold you while you are messy. Only a human can choose you—freely—again and again.” 

Grief does not only affect the person who experienced the loss. It also changes the emotional landscape of their closest relationships — especially romantic ones. When your partner loses a loved one, you may suddenly find yourself in unfamiliar territory: wanting desperately to help, while also feeling unsure of what to say, how to act, or whether you are doing enough.

In Dr. Bagourdi's latest blog about AI, Synthetic Safety Net (linked below), she mentions the following quote: 

"For today: Don’t hide your real self because you fear rejection. Take a chance at dispelling avoidance and fear. Let yourself be seen. Let yourself be known. Be brave enough to be imperfect."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-HOFb2psXs

Let's elaborate on what this is all about.