The Chatbot Will See You Now: Big Tech In Therapy (from Organized Money)

An Arm and a Leg

Society & Culture, Medicine, Documentary, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2026

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

One place you might assume is safe from prying ears is your therapy session.

But as more therapists struggle to negotiate with insurers, they’re turning to tech middlemen like BetterHelp and Headway that promise to take care of the insurance admin and match them with patients.

And these companies are sometimes recording and transcribing your sessions — and then turning around and sharing that data with social media companies and investors. And there are concerns that these confidential discussions could be used to train the next generation of chatbot therapists.

So this week, we’re bringing you an episode from our pals at Organized Money, a show about corporate consolidation and monopolies, where they speak with Linda Michaels, a psychologist and co-founder of the Psychotherapy Action Network, about the tech companies sneaking into your therapy sessions and how we got here.

And they share some good news: How one state, Illinois, passed a law in 2025 that could be a national model for encouraging more therapists to stay in-network, and ultimately, reduce reliance on these platforms.

For more on mental health coverage: Check out our episode about Abigail Burman, an attorney and expert on mental health “ghost networks” — lists of providers that turn out to be filled with inaccuracies, making it difficult for patients to get in-network care. Plus we have a whole guide from Burman on “ghostbusting” — AKA, getting your insurance to cover your mental health care. That’s in our First Aid Kit newsletter.

Here’s a transcript of this episode. We’ll be back with more Arm and a Leg in a few weeks.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, I'm Brandy Fulwood, host of Seattle Eats. On the latest episode, we talked to a chef who's worked at our city's top special occasion spots for years. He tells us about his favorite spot for special occasion sushi and what it takes to become a favorite regular. Listen to Seattle Eats on the KOWW app or wherever you get your podcasts.
0:20.7	Hey there.
0:21.9	Health insurance is supposed to cover therapy.
0:24.8	It's been the law for more than a decade.
0:27.3	But try telling that to your insurance company.
0:30.4	Finding a therapist who takes your insurance, it is a huge challenge and it has not gotten
0:35.8	easier.
0:37.4	And you ask any therapist, they'll tell you, insurance companies underpay them and huge challenge and it has not gotten easier.
0:42.5	And you ask any therapist, they'll tell you insurance companies underpay them and bury them in paperwork.
0:43.4	And I've heard from therapists who say some insurers even seem to put up roadblocks to going
0:48.3	in network.
0:50.3	So a bunch of tech companies have jumped into the breach.
0:53.7	They promise to make things easier. Some of them you have probably heard of. Others operate behind the scenes. But in both cases, it means big tech is sneaking into your therapist's office during your session, accessing your most personal discussions without you even knowing.
1:13.5	So this week, we're sharing an episode from our friends Matt Stoller and David Dayen at the podcast, Organized Money, a show all about monopolies.
1:23.2	Because here's what none of those companies are telling you or your therapist.
1:28.3	One, they are recording and transcribing your sessions, you know, your most private conversations or their own use.
1:37.3	Two, they are using those transcripts in some cases to train AI therapists that they hope are one day going to replace
1:45.9	human therapists, maybe all together.
1:48.7	And three, they may hand some of that data over to their corporate partners or investors,
1:54.0	which include advertising companies and insurance companies.
1:59.0	It is all so creepy, honestly, kind of scary and so completely gross.
2:05.1	I mean, this is a story about a profession full of people who got into it to help others
	...

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