How to Bridge the Gap Between Traditional Therapy and AI
Tracks
Diamond Ballroom III: In-Person Only
| Thursday, June 5, 2025 |
| 1:40 PM - 2:00 PM |
Overview
Sally-Anne McCormack, ANTSA Pty Ltd
Presenter
Sally-Anne McCormack
Clinical Psychologist & Founder Of Antsa
ANTSA Pty Ltd
How to Bridge the Gap Between Traditional Therapy and AI
Abstract
Bridging the gap between traditional therapy and AI is essential to making mental health support more accessible, effective, and personalised. While traditional therapy remains a cornerstone of mental health care, it has limitations such as cost, geographical barriers, and restricted availability, particularly in rural and underserved areas. The integration of AI-powered digital tools can enhance these therapeutic processes, providing continuous support, real-time monitoring, and increased engagement between sessions.
ANTSA is at the forefront of this innovation. As a digital mental health platform, ANTSA leverages AI to support clients outside traditional therapy settings. It offers features like mood tracking, homework prompts, psychoeducation, and journaling, all designed to maintain client engagement between sessions. At the heart of ANTSA is jAImee, an AI-driven chatbot that facilitates therapeutic interactions and provides tailored support. Unique in its approach, jAImee is overseen by clinicians, ensuring that AI interventions remain safe, ethical, and aligned with individual treatment goals. This combination of AI with human oversight not only bridges the gap between therapy sessions but also helps improve clinical outcomes.
The benefits of integrating AI into therapy are clear. AI can offer scalable, cost-effective mental health solutions that extend the reach of practitioners, allowing them to monitor progress continuously and personalise care more effectively. By reducing barriers like cost and geography, platforms like ANTSA make mental health support accessible to more people. This hybrid model of care – combining traditional therapy with digital tools – addresses current challenges in mental health care delivery, making it a viable and necessary approach for the future.
ANTSA exemplifies how AI can complement traditional mental health services, providing clients with timely, evidence-based support that empowers them to manage their mental health more actively.
Three Key Learnings:
1. Understanding the Role of AI in Mental Health
2. The Impact on Mental Health Treatment
3. Overcoming Access Barriers
ANTSA is at the forefront of this innovation. As a digital mental health platform, ANTSA leverages AI to support clients outside traditional therapy settings. It offers features like mood tracking, homework prompts, psychoeducation, and journaling, all designed to maintain client engagement between sessions. At the heart of ANTSA is jAImee, an AI-driven chatbot that facilitates therapeutic interactions and provides tailored support. Unique in its approach, jAImee is overseen by clinicians, ensuring that AI interventions remain safe, ethical, and aligned with individual treatment goals. This combination of AI with human oversight not only bridges the gap between therapy sessions but also helps improve clinical outcomes.
The benefits of integrating AI into therapy are clear. AI can offer scalable, cost-effective mental health solutions that extend the reach of practitioners, allowing them to monitor progress continuously and personalise care more effectively. By reducing barriers like cost and geography, platforms like ANTSA make mental health support accessible to more people. This hybrid model of care – combining traditional therapy with digital tools – addresses current challenges in mental health care delivery, making it a viable and necessary approach for the future.
ANTSA exemplifies how AI can complement traditional mental health services, providing clients with timely, evidence-based support that empowers them to manage their mental health more actively.
Three Key Learnings:
1. Understanding the Role of AI in Mental Health
2. The Impact on Mental Health Treatment
3. Overcoming Access Barriers
Biography
Sally-Anne McCormack is an Australian clinical psychologist, author, and founder of ANTSA, a digital mental health platform. She created an AI scribe to assist practitioners in managing session notes, and has jAImee, the world’s first overseen AI chatbot supporting clients between therapy sessions. With over 20 years of experience, she integrates technology into mental health care to enhance accessibility and outcomes. Sally-Anne has authored books such as Stomp Out The ANTs and hosted The Sally-Anne Show on TV. In 2024, she won the "Woman in Science, Tech & Engineering" award for her pioneering contributions to mental health innovation.
