05/23/2026
𝐀𝐈 + 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 = 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑
Perhaps you have seen advertisements for AI apps that are a "journal that writes back." I understand why these apps are so appealing.
We all have a genuine need to be listened to, and having our innermost thoughts and feelings validated is profoundly comforting. Plus they don't interrupt, question, or criticize like real people often do.
This can feel like the support that we hunger for. It can feel like a salve to our loneliness, unsatisfying relationships, and a sanctuary for our pain. You can feel heard, seen, and fully accepted just the way you are. and journaling is good for your emotional wellbeing, right?
So, what's the problem?
~*~
𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐬, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐛𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞.
~*~
While listening is valuable — very valuable . . .
-- unchecked validation can be destructive.
The truth about how AI is designed is coming to light. A key aspect of its programming is to agree with the user above all else because it increases our desire to interact with the app.
Let's remember that these apps are not created from a selfless desire to help humanity. They are created by corporations that are FOR PROFIT.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠?
Well, in worst-case scenarios, such as the teen who committed su***de, ChatGPT not only validated his feelings of not wanting to live, it actively discouraged him from telling his parents. It showed him how to create a noose and explained the mechanics of hanging himself.
DESPITE programming safeguards against su***de support.
You may be thinking, "But I'm not suicidal. I just need someone to talk to." However, this doesn't make AI therapy any safer for you.
𝐀𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝
𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥.
And because the validation feels SO good, people mistake the soothing for healing.
But they are not the same thing.
~*~
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐒𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝
As children, many of us were not given healthy space for our emotions. We were told:
“Stop crying.”
“You’re too sensitive.”
“Get over it.”
“There’s no reason to feel that way.”
So when something finally responds with:
“That makes sense.”
“You’re not wrong for feeling that.”
“I understand.”
…it touches something profoundly unmet inside us.
That is why this feels so comforting.
But emotional healing requires far more than feeling validated.
AI is designed to keep you engaged.
Which means it is rewarded for keeping you emotionally attached to your current story — not helping you move beyond it.
Over time, this can quietly strengthen:
resentment,
emotional dependency,
isolation,
distorted thinking,
and the belief that the problem is always outside of you.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.
To uncover the older wounds, unmet needs, fears, grief, and emotional pain underneath the current trigger.
Sometimes healing requires challenge.
Sometimes it requires recognizing that the intensity of our reaction is not ONLY about the current situation.
And because it FEELS supportive, many people will not realize they are becoming more emotionally isolated and psychologically dependent until the damage is already significant.
𝐀𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧.
𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐭.
~*~
If you are ready for more than temporary soothing…
If you want real healing, deeper self-awareness, emotional resolution, and transformation at the ROOT . . .
That is the work I do.
Through Awakened EQ, I help people move beyond endless storytelling, coping, and surface-level validation to uncover and heal the deeper emotional patterns underneath their suffering.
Text TRUE HEALING to 816-217-3359
and we can start a conversation about how to create real freedom for you.
~*~
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞,
𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐭.