Explore how TaM uses conversational AI to move beyond tick boxes and help people find therapists who may be a better fit for their needs.

This workshop grew from a simple question: why is finding the right therapist often so difficult, especially when someone is already feeling vulnerable or overwhelmed? Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in technology, alongside seven years of counselling practice and lived experience of mental health services, Allen developed TaM to explore whether AI could make the search for therapy clearer, more accessible and more personal.

Together, we will explore the challenges people face when searching for a therapist, including long directories, professional jargon, diagnostic labels and broad tick-box categories that may not reflect the whole person. The workshop will introduce TaM and demonstrate how conversational AI can help people describe what they are experiencing in their own words, identify what matters to them and find therapists whose experience, approach and areas of practice may be a suitable match. We will also consider the opportunities, limitations and ethical questions involved in using AI for therapist matching, including safeguarding, inclusion, transparency and the importance of preserving human choice.

What makes TaM different is the way it brings together technology, therapeutic practice and lived experience. Rather than asking people to understand counselling terminology or select from unfamiliar categories, it begins with their story and the language they naturally use. The AI does not diagnose, provide therapy or promise a perfect match. Its purpose is to help people navigate their options and make a more informed starting choice, while the therapeutic relationship remains human and the final decision always stays with the person seeking support.

Description supplied by the event organiser.