Technology is here, and it comes with both ups and downs - pros and cons.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) includes noticing, radically accepting, self-regulating, and then choosing actions that best serve us and align with our values.
So how can we use EQ to navigate the new chapter we’re already in?
We start by noticing the changes AI has already brought into our lives and considering what changes are likely in the near future. We can also acknowledge that there will be both positive and negative outcomes. Many of these shifts will be unexpected, and still, we will find ways to adapt.
What we know so far is that two of the primary reasons people turn to AI are therapy/counseling and connection/relationships. This tells us something important: support and guidance, belonging and understanding, are vital to humanity.
So if you ask me whether I’m for or against AI, my answer is both. I don’t worry about us losing our humanity - especially if we’re intentional about preserving it. I love progress and I love the journey toward personal development and global impact. Let’s explore…
AI can support insight; therapy is where change happens. Just because you’re taught a concept - and can even repeat the words back to others - doesn’t mean you’ve actually rewired your brain or embodied the new truth. Often, what we understand intellectually hasn’t yet been integrated emotionally or behaviorally.
We know a lot, and technology will only give us more knowledge. But having information and knowing how to process that information are two very different things. Having data and being able to critically assess both the benefits and the potential harm are also different skills.
Knowing something intellectually and truly knowing it through lived experience are not the same. Reading or hearing an idea is one thing; applying it in your life in a way that changes habits for good is something else entirely.
Here are a few reflections worth exploring:
Notice when you turn to AI instead of people
Explore what feels safer about AI versus humans
Build discernment around emotional outsourcing
Strengthen emotional literacy so AI doesn’t become a form of emotional avoidance
If you find yourself asking, “Why should I pay for therapy when I can talk to AI?” the answer is this: growth happens in relationship, not just reflection.
If these questions feel hard to answer on your own, reach out to a seasoned therapist and go deeper than an algorithm - discover the gold within you. Emotional intelligence actually helps us navigate AI.
Insight can come from technology…
but real change happens through therapeutic experiences and human connection.