Navigate AI adoption in mental health practice with informed clinical judgment

Mental health professionals (MHPs) face a new trend that brings about fear, anxiety, hope, and perhaps excitement for some: artificial intelligence (AI). Above all, a careful evaluation and thorough consideration are needed to assess what role AI can play, and in what form it can play its part in mental health care, while at the same time preserving the human connection that is so vital for therapy.

Written by clinical psychologists and technologists, this is a complete introduction to the topic of artificial intelligence applied in mental health care. Integrating AI into Mental Health Care starts with a diligent exploration of ethics, safety, and privacy. It then discusses regulatory aspects and liability for clinicians, how to use AI for professional education, AI scribes, chatbots, and the emergence of new conversational paradigms. Finally, a chapter on AI fundamentals provides the necessary technical depth as a reference.

This work is written to assist MHPs in evaluating AI tools in all their complexity, with the vision to equip MHPs with the necessary knowledge to form their own professional, educated opinions.

Readers will find:

• Decision frameworks to evaluate whether specific AI applications align with clinical practice needs, ethical standards, and patient populations.
• Approaches to maintaining professional judgment and clinical autonomy while leveraging technology to improve practice efficiency and reach.
• The most prevalent AI applications and a thorough evaluation of their benefits, use cases, and challenges.

MHPs navigating workforce pressures and technology adoption decisions will find this book invaluable. Psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, and clinical social workers will gain the knowledge needed to critically evaluate AI applications and implement them thoughtfully within their practice.

Michiel van Vliet holds a master’s degree in Science and Business Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy. For most of his career, he worked as a product owner, collaborating closely with software developers and data scientists to build software in (mental) health care and AI. In addition, he has lived experience with mental health challenges, and after his recovery, he became passionate about furthering the field of behavioral care.

Laura M. Garcia is a psychologist and behavioral scientist shaping the integration of AI and virtual reality into mental health care. She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology and has spent her career bridging technology and real-world care. She collaborates closely with technology leaders, product teams, engineers, researchers, and providers to design and evaluate tools that deliver meaningful clinical value at scale. Through her work, she explores both what technology may expand in mental health care and what remains fundamentally human within the therapeutic process.