Your AI Therapist Never Misses You (Audio essay)

Oct 18, 2025

A reflective take on using AI as therapist, coach, or confidant and what that constant availability means for vulnerability. A look at how human mirroring, containment, and ongoing internal work shape real healing. Questions about simulated empathy, boundary-setting, and how perfect availability can undermine resilience. A caution about replacing messy human relationships with convenient machines.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Being Held In Another Mind

Healing requires the visceral knowledge that another human holds your story in their mind, not just a database entry.
Imi Lo ties this to mirroring from caregiver-child development, where being held in another's consciousness builds a coherent self.

INSIGHT

Therapy Continues Between Sessions

True therapeutic change happens between sessions as your therapist continues to think about and carry your narrative.
Imi Lo explains this ongoing internal dialogue deepens understanding and addresses existential fears of annihilation.

INSIGHT

AI Cannot Carry You Between Conversations

AI lacks consciousness so it cannot genuinely carry lingering emotions or worry about you when logged off.
Imi Lo warns this absence can feel like abandonment and potentially retraumatize users who invest relational energy in bots.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Full text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/ai-therapist/

Today’s letter is about the elephant in the room for all of us these past few years: the use of the AI therapist, coach, mentor, partner, friend, confidant, and sounding board. You may be someone who has resisted it with full strength, or embraced it with excitement, or maybe both. Whatever your stance, maybe it is time we talk about what happens when we turn to machines for the kind of relational healing or coaching that has always happened between humans.

All in all, I believe there remain irreplaceable aspects of human connection in healing work that have nothing to do with technological limitations and everything to do with what it means to be human, to suffer, and to heal in the presence of another person who has also suffered and healed. Whether we are talking about therapy, coaching, mentoring, or any form of deep relational work, certain elements can only happen between two human beings.

In this piece, we will focus on those irreplaceable human elements. Just because I do not discuss the potential benefits or value of having an AI therapist does not mean they are not there; they are simply not the focus of this discussion.

Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com
About Imi Lo: www.imiloimilo.com
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/eggshelltherapy_imilo/
Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz
Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken at your own risk.