Dangerous Shortcuts – Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Bots in Therapy
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool when used or deployed within certain boundaries (just like therapy). But lately, AI has become….well, too intelligent. AI’s increasing capability has led to its expanding use in the mental healthcare space in the form of phone systems, bots, and chat engines that are beginning to assume roles that most argue are best assumed by a trained human provider. The struggle between increasing access to quality care while maintaining a well-regulated, safe, and ethical mental healthcare system is becoming more complex than we ever could have imagined.
In an increasingly digitalised world coupled with the post Covid-19 increase in symptoms of anxiety and depression, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being accessed at increasing rates by individuals seeking behavioural health care services. The ethical implications of these services are alarming, as therapeutic interaction with phone applications and chatbots is not regulated by mental health licensing authorities as trained human providers are. These tools were initially intended to be used as an adjunct to primary care under human providers; however, the increased demand for services outweighing access to trained providers is resulting in AI quickly becoming stand-alone care for individuals with behavioural healthcare needs. This cutting-edge and timely ethics training will provide an overview of common uses of AI in therapy, its questionable increasing role in the delivery of mental healthcare, and ethical implications as AI becomes more intelligent, and more pervasive in society.
Learning Objectives:
This training will provide participants clinical knowledge and tools to:
a). Define Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it is being used with chatbots and phone applications as a primary therapist.
b). Describe two ethical considerations that apply to the use of AI outside the bounds of ethics and the regulation of mental health practice.
c). Identify two aspects of mandatory disclosure regarding clients seeking behavioural health care services and utilizing adjunct AI-driven services.
Target Audience:
Clinical Mental Health Professionals such as Counsellors, Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Clinical Social Workers.
CPD Information For Mental Health Professionals
Enjoy complete flexibility with 100% self-paced learning you can access anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Pay once for lifetime access.
Course Duration: 2 learning hours
Certificate and CPD hours: On completion you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion to support your CPD records.
Assessment: Complete a short quiz at the end (80% pass mark), which you can resit as many times as needed.
Lifetime Access: Your access to the course does not expire, so you can revisit key concepts anytime you want a refresher for practice.
CPD Eligibility: This program may be suitable for CPD for professionals such as:
- Psychologists
- Counsellors and Psychotherapists
- Social Workers
- Community Workers
- Mental Health Nurses
- General Practitioners (GPs)
- Occupational Therapists
CPD requirements vary between professional bodies, so please check with your association or credentialing body to confirm you can claim CPD hours/OPD points for this program and what evidence they require.
Course Content
Meet Your Instructor
Rural and underserved communities struggling with limited access to quality behavioral health care - and clinicians working in isolation without adequate supervision or training - can need more than standard therapy approaches to create meaningful change. Jodi Ann Geis-Crowder has dedicated 27 years of her career to ensuring vulnerable populations receive innovative, culturally meaningful mental health services while mentoring the next generation of practitioners to work effectively in challenging settings.
As a Wyoming native and dual-licensed professional counselor in both Wyoming and Colorado, Geis-Crowder brings deep understanding of rural behavioral health challenges combined with innovative solutions that bridge traditional therapy with community resources. Her pioneering work developing animal-assisted therapy programs at Centennial Mental Health Center in Colorado and therapeutic horticulture programs at Peak Wellness Center in Wyoming demonstrates her commitment to culturally responsive, nature-based interventions that resonate with rural populations.
Geis-Crowder's expertise spans Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), clinical supervision, ethics, telehealth service delivery, trauma-informed care, substance use disorders, Polyvagal Theory, and the human-animal bond. Her approach recognises that effective rural mental health care must integrate community strengths, natural resources, and innovative service delivery models to overcome geographic and cultural barriers. She specialises in training clinicians to work effectively with limited resources, providing ethical supervision via telehealth, and developing programs that leverage the healing power of animals and nature.
What sets her training apart is authentic rural wisdom combined with innovative program development. Geis-Crowder doesn't just teach from textbooks - she shows practitioners how to create effective treatment programs in resource-limited settings while maintaining ethical standards. Her passion for mentoring reflects her understanding that sustainable rural mental health depends on developing local expertise and maintaining professional support networks across vast geographic areas.
For your practice, expect to gain specific SFBT techniques for resource-limited settings, tools for providing ethical telehealth supervision, and frameworks for developing innovative therapy programs using community resources. Her approach particularly benefits rural practitioners, clinical supervisors, or clinicians interested in animal-assisted or nature-based interventions.
Quick Win: Geis-Crowder's "solution-focused scaling" technique helps clients in crisis identify their existing strengths and coping resources - which can create hope and momentum for change even in the most challenging rural circumstances where traditional resources may be unavailable.
Qualifications
- MS, Counselor Education with emphasis in Leadership, University of Wyoming, 1994–1997
- Bachelor's Degree, Diversified Major in Psychology, Economics, Anthropology and Political Science, University of Wyoming, 1992–1994
- Associate of Science, Education, Northwest College, Wyoming
- Licensed Professional Counselor (Colorado and Wyoming)
- Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) through Center for Credentialing and Education
- SFBT Certified
- Professional Coach, Co-Creative Leadership: Human Capital Coach Training Alliance
Leadership & Training
- Clinical Supervisor & Professional Trainer, Volunteers of America Northern Rockies, current
- Owner & Operator, JGC Enterprises, LLC (webinars, professional training, consultation, coaching, speaking), current
- Professional Speaker & Trainer
Professional Experience
- Clinical Supervisor/Education and Training Coordinator, Peak Wellness Center, Cheyenne, WY, October 2016–July 2021
- Northeast Regional Clinical Director, Centennial Mental Health Center, Inc., Colorado, December 1998–November 2017 (19 years)
- Adjunct Faculty, Colorado Christian University, August 2010–September 2011
- Program Manager, Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program
- Regional Clinical Director, various organisations
Training & Speaking Expertise
- Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
- Clinical supervision training, including telehealth supervision
- Ethics training specialist with focus on rural practice challenges
- Trauma-informed care
- Substance use disorder ethics and treatment approaches
- Telehealth service delivery best practices
- Human-animal bond therapeutic applications
- Professional coaching and consultation services
Philosophy & Mission
"I am grateful and humbled by the opportunities I have to mentor and nurture professionals on their journey. I am passionate about behavioral health care and ensuring service delivery for some of the most vulnerable in our society. My goal is to focus on solutions, hope, gratitude, identifying and instilling resilience, and finding glimmers in daily lives to facilitate positive change, individually and organizationally."
Ready to serve rural and underserved populations with innovative, culturally responsive approaches? Discover how Jodi Geis-Crowder's solution-focused methods can help you create effective treatment programs while building the professional support networks essential for sustainable rural mental health care.
Feedback & Reviews
This course includes:
- Lessons 2
- Topics 0
- Duration 2 hours
- Quizzes 1
- Language English