319 - Therapists vs. AI? Earl Wagner, PhD on the Future of Human Healing
“Capitalism is great at creating things for people to become addicted to.” ~Earl Wagner, PhD
AI researcher and former Google senior software engineer Earl Wagner helps unpack AI therapy bots, emotional attachment to technology, and what makes healing deeply human.
You know how I’m always encouraging therapists to sit with the unknown? Well, fair warning: this episode may test your limits in the same way that a good fitness coach might test your stamina.
It’s time for the AI conversation.
Specifically, let’s explore the possibilities and pitfalls of artificial intelligence in our profession. While many of us have entertained hypotheses about the latter (some far-fetched, others eerily prescient), there’s not a lot of genuine discussion around the former.
AI’s growing role in therapy, healing, and emotional support
Why loneliness and disconnection make AI companions appealing
What human therapists can offer that AI can’t replicate
How therapists may need to evolve in an AI-driven future
The importance of community, embodiment, and real connection
I’m neither pro nor con. I’m simply asking: could AI prompt therapists to level up their offerings, reach underserved communities, or simply give them more time with clients?
Earl J. Wagner, PhD, is a Chicago-based AI researcher and former Google senior software engineer with over a decade of experience advancing conversational systems. He’s also a dear friend with brilliant thoughts on AI and psychology. We discuss his work, examine the ethical conundrums of AI, and wonder aloud if this tech will help or hinder the profession.
“We're going into uncharted waters as a society, as a planet,” observes Earl. “At the same time, with care and intentionality, could these chatbots really help with people's healing?”
While the corporations that own AI aren’t known for their “care and intentionality,” Earl thinks therapists and their clients could benefit from AI integration. “The question I have for therapists is, what's your strategy for transformation for the client?” he asks. “What's the trajectory that you're seeing that you wanna guide them?”
If we employ AI for tasks and idea generation, how can therapists utilize their relevant human experiences to co-create healing journeys alongside their clients? “A lot of it comes back to having real clarity around your contribution, your niche, your identity,” says Earl. “Where are you channeling your talents?”
Earl suggests tapping into what AI can’t replicate. “Going to an in-person retreat or workshop where there's this building of momentum, a kind of energy, coherence, and coalescing in the field,” he explains, is our human differentiator. “There's nothing else like it, and AI isn't gonna change that.”
Maybe therapists can’t counter all of our dystopian daydreams, but we can expand our capacity to connect.
GUEST CONTACT & BIO
Earl J. Wagner, PhD, is a Chicago-based AI researcher and former Google senior software engineer with a decade of experience advancing conversational systems. His work spans patents, top-tier publications, and large-scale training in Nonviolent Communication. Drawing on interests in mysticism and perception, he explores how technology and perspective shape understanding.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
The Center for Nonviolent Communication
Revolutionary Practice Summit 2026
NARM - The NeuroAffective Relational Model
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