AI is changing therapy with Dr Aisha Tariq

Welcome to the Business of Psychology podcast. Almost every psychologist and therapist I speak to right now has some version of the same feeling about AI. A mix of curiosity, a strange sense of guilt, and a worry that they're either being left behind or they're about to do something unethical without realizing it. There is a lot of noise, a lot of hype, and very little practical talk about what actually helps in a real practice, and where the genuine risks of AI might be. My guest today has been doing AI since 2022, long before most of this conversation started. Dr Aisha Tariq is a clinical psychologist and the clinical director of Illuminated Thinking, a Glasgow practice of 25 clinicians. She's built AI into how that practice runs and how her team work clinically, so she can be really specific about what saves real time across her team, and also where the pitfalls are. She's also built her own AI clinical documentation tool, Cogent, and she's the co-founder of the AI in Psychology Summit, which is happening on the 5th of October in 2026.

Full show notes and a transcript of this episode are available at The Business of Psychology

Links:

AI in Psychology Summit - 5th October

Esther and Aisha are offering listeners 20% off the summit tickets!

Follow this link for the discount: https://aipsychology.co.uk/?ref=DRROSIE&discount=PODCAST20

Episode 162: Using AI in therapy and other legal questions with Clare Veal from Aubergine Legal

Links for Aisha:

Cogent Clinic

Links for Rosie:

Substack: substack.com/@drrosie

Rosie on Instagram:

@rosiegilderthorp

@drrosiegilderthorp

The highlights

• Aisha tells us about her independent practice and she ended up with a practice of 25 clinicians 02:23
• I ask Aisha what it was that made her take an interest in AI 04:22
• We discuss the feeling of shame associated with using AI 10:29
• Aisha talks about rolling out AI to her team 13:42
• Aisha tells us what steps to take if we'd like to explore having these tools in our practices19:50
• Aisha talks about the development of Cogent 24:13
• I ask Aisha what common mistakes she sees psychologists and therapists making with AI 32:35
• We discuss the AI in Psychology Summit 33:54

Start Up Your Psychology Practice

If you're fitting private practice clients around an employed role that doesn't give you the flexibility that you need, this is for you.

Start Up Your Psychology Practice helps you build a practice that can replace your income with fees that work, a clear specialism and marketing that fits your daily life so you can finally let go of the juggle.

Right now it includes a two-hour one-to-one intensive with me to plan it all out together.