What is the unique value of psychotherapy in a world where AI can convincingly simulate empathy while delivering evidence-based treatments with better fidelity than many human therapists?
In this episode, Bruce Wampold sits down with Dr. Anat Perry -- one of the first and most innovative researchers studying human empathy in comparison with AI-simulated empathy.
Together, Bruce and Anat explore:
• What empathy actually is (and why it’s more complex than we think)
• Which aspects of empathy AI can approximate — and which it cannot
• Why “perfect” empathic responses can feel empty
• The difference between sounding empathic and being empathic
• How AI may reshape loneliness, connection, and trust
• Where AI can support therapy — and where human relationship remains essential Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, or simply curious about where psychotherapy is headed, this episode offers a thoughtful look at one of the most important questions facing the field today.
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share — your support helps us keep these conversations going.
---
Anat Perry, Ph.D. | Director, Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Helen Putnam Fellow, Radcliffe Institute (Harvard); Co-editor of Empathy and Artificial Intelligence: Challenges, Advances and Ethical Considerations
Bruce Wampold, Ph.D. | Emeritus Professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Author of The Great Psychotherapy Debate
---
The Making Therapy Better podcast is brought to you by CarePaths EHR, an electronic health record system designed to help you improve therapy outcomes.https://www.carepaths.com
Produced and edited by Kevin Riordan and Geissy Araújo, Ph.D.
Intro/outro music by Chris Haugen, free for public use.
---
Follow the Making Therapy Better project:
🌐 Website: www.makingtherapybetter.com
📺 YouTube: /@makingtherapybetter
📸 Instagram: /making_therapy_better
📘 Facebook: /makingtherapybetter
🐦 Twitter: /therapybetter
💼 LinkedIn: /9223245
---
02:53 - Therapists vs Bot Therapy
04:55 - Three Part Empathy
08:06 - Chatbot Backlash
10:08 - What Bots Can Mimic
15:35 - Genuine Care Matters
18:24 - Tools vs Connection
21:52 - Hybrid Therapy Future
24:01 - Loneliness and Incentives
26:22 - Empathy On Demand
27:35 - Loneliness and Social Maps
29:52 - Social Skills Atrophy
31:39 - Doubting Genuine Messages
33:58 - Trust Stories Across Generations
37:21 - Training Social Skills With AI
42:29 - Authenticity and Earbud Coaching
45:42 - Books, Movies, and Bot Empathy
48:50 - Attachment and Blurred Reality
50:09 - Responsible AI And Farewell
53:49 Sponsor Care Paths EHR
---
#psychotherapy #AI #TherapySkills #MentalHealth #Counseling #ClinicalPsychology #Empathy #TherapistTraining #BruceWampold #MakingTherapyBetter
