What happens when insurance companies, venture capital, and AI start reshaping therapy?

This week on Therapy, Tech & Takeout, Jackie and Toni sit down with licensed mental health counselor Sarah LaFontaine for a powerful conversation about the collision between technology, business incentives, and mental health care.

From insurance companies pressuring therapists into shorter sessions… to AI therapy bots making dangerous mistakes… to the growing role of venture capital in therapy platforms, this episode explores what gets lost when efficiency becomes more important than human connection.

Sarah shares the inspiration behind her work with:

• Mindful Matches
• MindfulHQ
• Rising Hope Counseling Services

Together, they unpack:

• The ethics of AI therapy tools
• Therapist burnout and sustainability
• Psychological safety in workplaces
• Confidentiality concerns in digital mental health platforms
• Why therapy is both an art and a science
• The growing tension between patient care and profit motives

The conversation also explores whether AI can truly replace human connection in therapy - and why “keeping humans in the loop” may matter more now than ever.

If you care about mental health, technology, ethics, or the future of care itself, this episode is for you.

Guest Information

Sarah LaFontaine

Rising Hope Counseling ServicesRising-Hope.coFacebook: @SarahLaFontaineLMHCInstagram: @rising_hope_therapy

MindfulHQMindfulHQ.comFacebook: @SarahLaFontaineMindfulHQInstagram: @sarahlafontaine_mindfulhq

Mindful MatchesMindfulMatches.comFacebook: @MindfulMatchesDirectoryInstagram: @mindful_matches

Articles & References

Brown University AI & Mental Health Ethics Article

Pre Order Toni’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Somatic-Exercises-Everyone-Brain/dp/B0GGTF8YFJ/

About Therapy, Tech & Takeout

Therapy, Tech & Takeout explores the intersection of mental health, technology, ethics, relationships, and modern life. Hosted by entrepreneur Jackie Toale and therapist Toni Genovese Teixeira, the podcast tackles difficult conversations with honesty, humor, and curiosity.

Subscribe for weekly conversations about how technology is changing the way we live, work, connect, and care for ourselves.

#MentalHealth #AITherapy #TherapyPodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #TechEthics #ArtificialIntelligence #Burnout #Therapy #Psychology #FutureOfWork #MentalHealthAwareness #Healthcare #PsychologicalSafety

In this episode of Therapy, Tech & Takeout, Jackie and Toni unpack the disturbing revelations from the Proof News investigation into Talkspace and the privacy risks surrounding online therapy platforms. Inspired by the article “Woman’s Talkspace Therapy App Sessions Exposed in Court,” they explore how deeply personal therapy conversations (including text messages, audio recordings, and video sessions) were allegedly stored and later surfaced during legal discovery.

Toni brings her perspective as a licensed therapist to explain how confidentiality, HIPAA, subpoenas, and therapist ethics actually work behind the scenes - and why many clinicians themselves may not have realized the extent of data collection happening on these platforms. Jackie examines the tech side of the issue, including AI training data, “de-identified” information, venture capital incentives, and the growing concern that sensitive mental health conversations may be fueling future AI therapy products without meaningful user understanding or consent.

The conversation also dives into:

• The hidden privacy risks of asynchronous therapy apps
• Whether therapy app data is truly anonymous
• How subpoenas can expose deeply personal mental health records
• Why therapists are increasingly concerned about large corporate therapy platforms
• The impact of tech consolidation on therapist burnout and quality of care
• Questions consumers should ask before starting online therapy
• The ethical tension between accessibility, profit, AI, and human care

This episode is equal parts fascinating, unsettling, and deeply important for anyone using digital mental health services or considering therapy online.

Source article:Proof News Investigation - Woman’s Talkspace Therapy App Sessions Exposed in Court

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Online gambling and sports betting have become deeply embedded in modern culture - and teens are increasingly being exposed earlier than ever before.

This week, Jaclyn and Toni sit down with Dr. Juleen Buser, behavioral addiction specialist and licensed professional counselor, to explore the psychology behind gambling addiction, why online betting can become so compulsive, and how technology has dramatically changed access and risk for adolescents.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The rise of teen sports betting
• Dopamine and behavioral addiction
• Why gambling often hides in plain sight
• How apps and online games reinforce addictive patterns
• Warning signs parents should know
• Why gambling addiction carries one of the highest suicide risks among addictions
• What counseling and recovery look like

Links:

Dr. Juleen Buser - LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/juleen-buser-115515293/

Psychology Today:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1657331

Facebook - Cardiff Health, LLC:
https://www.facebook.com/cardiffhealth

NPR Article:
https://www.npr.org/2026/04/05/nx-s1-5762276/teens-getting-hooked-on-gambling-sports-betting

Preorder Toni's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Somatic-Exercises-Everyone-Brain/dp/B0GGTF8YFJ/

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share.