Kristin Neff is an experienced psychologist and author of several books, including Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout
https://self-compassion.org/
I was interested to see her latest YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E6MxiJO4uM
"Over the past two decades, I’ve watched self-compassion grow from a relatively obscure concept into a vibrant field of research and personal transformation. Along the way, I’ve been interested in how new tools and technologies can support people on this inner journey.
"Lately, one of the most interesting developments has come from the world of artificial intelligence. As AI becomes more integrated into our daily lives, I’ve been reflecting on how it might help us to deepen the practice of self-compassion—not by replacing human connection or inner wisdom, but by amplifying it.
"I've been surprised by the depth, wisdom, and compassion of responses to questions posed to an AI Chatbot (I tend to use ChatGPT) about various difficulties I've had. It appears to be remarkably adept at crystalizing the intelligence of publicly available writing about wellbeing in general and self-compassion in particular and incorporating that wisdom into responses that are kind, validating, informative and context relevant.
"Of course, an AI chatbot isn’t a substitute for human warmth, community, or the deep self-inquiry that true transformation requires. But when used thoughtfully, it may offer a helpful hand — especially in moments when we feel alone, overwhelmed, or stuck in patterns of self-judgment."
In the video, she acknowledges that AI has its 'scary' aspects, as we have discussed on HIFA. But it is interesting to see how an experienced psychologist can embrace AI in this way.
I would like to invite examples of how AI is used as a tool for clinical consultation. I did a quick search and identified an interesting research study at the University of Oxford, where AI is being used to identify the best antidepressant to use in cases of clinical depression.
https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/news/ai-to-help-personalise-treatment-for-dep...
Best wishes, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org