If you’ve been quietly resisting AI in your therapy practice, you’re not alone – and you’re not wrong to be cautious.

When it comes to using artificial intelligence in work with children, the stakes are high. But so is the opportunity. The real problem? Most practitioners are basing their decisions on outdated fears or second-hand information.

5 Myths About AI That NLP4Kids Practitioners Need to Rethink

Let’s face it – we work with a vulnerable group. So it makes total sense to be rigorous, responsible, and yes, even a bit reluctant when it comes to something as new and mysterious as AI.

But at NLP4Kids, we believe in helping children evolve with the times – and that starts with us evolving first. So here are five AI-related myths that might be holding you back, along with some reality checks to help you make smarter, safer decisions as a children’s mental health practitioner or coaching franchise owner.

🧠 “AI won’t replace your ethics – but it can empower your efficiency, when used with care.”

Myth 1: AI could expose your clients’ data

Privacy is a big one. But here’s the truth – if you’re using a paid version of ChatGPT (like Plus or Team) and you’ve turned off “chat history & training,” your data isn’t being saved or used to train the model. It also isn’t accessible to others. This means you can use AI to brainstorm resources, write articles, or build your practice materials without risking confidential client info – as long as you follow the same safeguarding standards you’d use anywhere else.

Myth 2: AI gives unreliable or unsafe advice on complex topics

Worried that AI might say something dodgy about safeguarding, family law, or child protection? Fair point. That’s why it should never be the final voice – but it can be the first draft. AI is useful for helping you research or structure your thinking, but every response still needs your professional filtering. Just like you wouldn’t blindly trust Google, you shouldn’t trust GPT without your own judgement.

Myth 3: AI-written content will damage your SEO or duplicate someone else’s work

This is a common one, especially if you’re creating blogs or articles for your practitioner site. But here’s the fix: always edit and personalise what you generate. Use tools like Copyscape to check for duplication and remember that Google penalises unoriginality, not AI per se. The more you guide your AI to reflect your niche expertise – and then add your own edits – the more “you” it becomes. Our coaching franchise training includes guidance on how to do this safely and well.

Myth 4: AI might give children dangerous advice

Yes – in the past, there were disasters. Like Microsoft’s infamous AI chatbot that turned offensive after being exposed to social media users in 2016 😬. But today, those models are trained with guardrails. Still, AI is not suitable for therapeutic conversations with children. It’s a support tool for practitioners, not a therapist. It shouldn’t replace real human contact, particularly with children who are still learning how to navigate the world emotionally.

“Children don’t need AI to be their therapist – they need you. But AI can help you be the best therapist possible.”

Myth 5: Children will replace real friendships with AI companions

This one’s not so easy to debunk. We are seeing an increase in AI ‘friends’, and in some cases, they’re being used to fill the emotional void left by poor peer relationships. And let’s be honest – after the pandemic, many young people are still struggling to rebuild those crucial social connections.

Could AI companionship stunt emotional development in the long run? Maybe. Could it isolate rather than support? Possibly. What’s clear is that it’s not a tool we want to encourage children to use as a replacement for real human bonds. But it’s also not something we can ignore. As practitioners in a coaching franchise focused on children’s wellbeing, we need to stay ahead of these conversations – and equip young people with the tools to connect more meaningfully in the real world.

So, no – AI isn’t perfect. But neither is fear. And in a world that’s moving fast, those who combine wisdom with innovation will be the ones most capable of helping children thrive.

👉 Get signed up – it’s free for the NLP4Kids family or £5 for the extended fam!

Whether you’re ready to embrace AI or still on the fence, this session gives you a safe, practical starting point. Because the truth is, the best practices of tomorrow are already being built today – and NLP4Kids is leading the way.

by Gemma Bailey (with the help of Ai)

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