“You seem to be worried about something. Could you share what happened?”
When you type your answers into the MindForest app, the chatbot generates tailored answers and provides relevant psychological information to help you untangle your thoughts.
This app, which combines psychology and artificial intelligence (AI), is the brainchild of Peter Chan Qingyan. He is the founder of Treehole HK, a psychology organization dedicated to delivering large-scale digital interventions to address the city’s alarming mental health situation.
“Our traditional psychological model emphasizes one-on-one therapy sessions. It’s like a mountain on fire and a firefighter with a fire extinguisher comes in to put it out.” said Mr. Chan.
Mr Peter Chan Kinyan, Founder and Managing Director of Treehole Hong Kong.Photo: Edmund So
“But that’s not enough. What we really need are widespread mental health interventions…This is what led to the integration of technology into psychology to yield widespread benefits. ,” said Chan, who launched Mindforest in November last year.
His product provides chatbot functionality around four important aspects: the workplace, relationships, personal growth, and health. You can interact and respond in Chinese and English.
The University of Hong Kong psychology graduate said, “We believe that AI and practitioners have certain similarities, such as rich psychological knowledge and question-and-answer skills, which could help individuals grow.” “There is,” he said.
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Chan emphasized that the app is not intended to replace a therapist, but rather serves as a useful tool for self-reflection.
“At the end of the day, it’s not the AI’s response that drives your growth, but how deeply you think in the process of instructing the chatbot. We expect therapists to take initiative. This dynamic is rarely observed in real-life interactions with therapists.
He highlighted the features of an app called “Insight Journal.” It is designed based on psychological intervention journaling and emphasizes the therapeutic effects of documenting and sharing your thoughts.
Journaling can be therapeutic and can help you calm your thoughts.Photo: Shutterstock
“For teenagers, starting a diary can be fraught with self-doubt, such as anxiety about their writing skills or not knowing where to start. It guides you in expressing yourself and helps you clear your mind,” said Chan, adding that the app also offers resources such as interactive self-development courses.
So far, his app has 2,000 monthly active users and feedback has been positive. Apart from working to provide a more diverse range of psychological resources, his team focuses on responsible technology that provides users with peace of mind.
“We have undergone intensive training and trials to ensure that the app does not serve harmful content or messages to users. We also implement end encryption,” he explained.
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Since the debut of ChatGPT in 2022, many digital platforms have emerged that leverage generative AI to provide psychological support.
“We believe that AI is essential to our daily lives…and we need to embrace this technology,” said Dr. Tim Lee Man-ho, assistant professor of psychiatry at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He explained that AI apps can provide basic support:[they] can fill the service gap [and can be] Useful for psychoeducation and low-intensity therapy. ”
Dr. Tim Lee Man-ho is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.Photo: Handout
Commenting on the emergence of AI-powered mental health platforms, Mr. Lee said: “This provides convenient and quick assistance, and if the user requires further assistance, face-to-face or professional support can be provided accordingly. It can bridge the gap for people who are in denial or waiting for advice.”
“It helps record our daily health, mood, and activity. This allows professionals to better understand their clients and provide more comprehensive treatment.” explained an academic interested in AI and digital mental health.
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While Lee sees a promising future for AI in psychology, he acknowledged that there is a lack of strong evidence of its effectiveness and that the technology also comes with safety concerns.
“It may be dangerous to put AI into practical use while learning.” [by collecting massive amounts of] “Data that can lead to inappropriate responses that mislead users,” he said. “This distinguishes this technology from trained experts who deal with people’s problems… It takes time to modify AI to make it safer.”
He suggested choosing AI apps introduced by authorities or recognized psychological organizations. He also emphasized the importance of privacy and responsibility when using these apps, urging users not to reveal too much personal information as most chats are transferred to the cloud where security and privacy cannot be guaranteed. I warned you.
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Mr Lee also warned young people not to become too attached to these apps. “While AI chatbots can help us organize our thoughts and provide a convenient way to express our emotions, it is important to understand that these are tools to assist us and are not a panacea. It is important.”
He added, “At the end of the day, AI has its limits and cannot replace the people around you. Teens should maintain their social circles and when to seek professional help. You should know.”
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