02/16/2026
AI therapy apps are exploding right now.
They’re affordable. Private. Always available. No awkward waiting rooms. No vulnerability in front of another person.
For a lot of men, that sounds ideal.
And for mild stress or structured exercises, they can absolutely help.
But here’s the part nobody is talking about:
AI can only respond to what you type.
It cannot detect hesitation.
It cannot notice when you intellectualize instead of feel.
It cannot see when shame activates and your composure tightens.
If you filter vulnerability before you disclose it, the system has no way to challenge what it never sees.
That’s not a flaw. It’s a structural limit.
Many high-functioning men already have insight. They know their patterns. The real work is exposure, not just reflection.
Privacy lowers the barrier.
It can also reinforce isolation.
I wrote a deeper piece on this:
AI Therapy for Men: The Ceiling of Self-Guided Insight
https://www.commonmantherapyllc.com/blog/3009965_ai-therapy-for-men-the-ceiling-of-self-guided-insight
If you’re using AI tools, that’s fine.
Just know where the ceiling is.
