What is the unique value of psychotherapy in a world where AI can convincingly simulate empathy while delivering evidence-based treatments with better fidelity than many human therapists?In this episode, Bruce Wampold sits down with Dr. Anat Perry -- one of the first and most innovative researchers studying human empathy in comparison with AI-simulated empathy.Together, Bruce and Anat explore:• What empathy actually is (and why it’s more complex than we think)• Which aspects of empathy AI can approximate — and which it cannot• Why “perfect” empathic responses can feel empty• The difference between sounding empathic and being empathic• How AI may reshape loneliness, connection, and trust• Where AI can support therapy — and where human relationship remains essential Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, or simply curious about where psychotherapy is headed, this episode offers a thoughtful look at one of the most important questions facing the field today.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share — your support helps us keep these conversations going.---Anat Perry, Ph.D. | Director, Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Helen Putnam Fellow, Radcliffe Institute (Harvard); Co-editor of Empathy and Artificial Intelligence: Challenges, Advances and Ethical ConsiderationsBruce Wampold, Ph.D. | Emeritus Professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Author of The Great Psychotherapy Debate---The Making Therapy Better podcast is brought to you by CarePaths EHR, an electronic health record system designed to help you improve therapy outcomes.https://www.carepaths.comFollow the Making Therapy Better project:🌐 Website: www.makingtherapybetter.com📺 YouTube: /@makingtherapybetter📸 Instagram: /making_therapy_better📘 Facebook: /makingtherapybetter🐦 Twitter: /therapybetter💼 LinkedIn: /922324502:53 - Therapists vs Bot Therapy04:55 - Three Part Empathy08:06 - Chatbot Backlash10:08 - What Bots Can Mimic15:35 - Genuine Care Matters18:24 - Tools vs Connection21:52 - Hybrid Therapy Future24:01 - Loneliness and Incentives26:22 - Empathy On Demand27:35 - Loneliness and Social Maps29:52 - Social Skills Atrophy31:39 - Doubting Genuine Messages33:58 - Trust Stories Across Generations37:21 - Training Social Skills With AI42:29 - Authenticity and Earbud Coaching45:42 - Books, Movies, and Bot Empathy48:50 - Attachment and Blurred Reality50:09 - Responsible AI And Farewell53:49 Sponsor Care Paths EHR---Produced and edited by Kevin Riordan and Geissy Araújo.Intro/outro music by Chris Haugen, free for public use.#psychotherapy #AI #TherapySkills #MentalHealth #Counseling #ClinicalPsychology #Empathy #TherapistTraining #BruceWampold #MakingTherapyBetter

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