Central Coast–CAMFT

Presents:

Practical Strategies for Using AI
in Couple and Family Therapy
While Protecting Ethics and Trust

Presented By: Shiri Sadeh-Sharvit, PhD. Clinical psychologist, Maryland license: MD-06276

Friday,  February 27, 2026, 9:30 am-11:30 am 

Platform: Zoom-- this event will be live over zoom.

Number of CEs: 2 

Presentation Overview:
Artificial intelligence is rapidly shaping how individuals, partners, and families seek support, gather information, and communicate about their mental health. Couple and family therapists are already encountering clients who use chatbots for emotional support, rely on AI companions during periods of conflict or loneliness, or bring AI-generated content into sessions. At the same time, clinicians are exploring AI tools for documentation, case formulation, and care coordination. Many LMFTs want guidance on how these tools fit within a systemic model of care.

This presentation introduces a grounded, relationship-centered approach to evaluating and integrating AI in couple and family therapy. We will look at how AI affects family dynamics, attachment patterns, conflict cycles, parent–child interactions, and caregiver burden. Participants will learn how to talk with clients about their use of AI tools, how to protect confidentiality and prevent triangulation with technology, and how to assess the appropriateness of AI tools for different relational systems. The session is practical, nontechnical, and rooted in systemic principles that honor culture, context, and the therapeutic alliance.

Presentation goals: 

This training is designed to help couple and family therapists evaluate and integrate AI tools in ways that strengthen relationships, support ethical care, and improve communication within families and couples.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify three ways AI tools are currently influencing couple and family dynamics, including communication patterns, emotional regulation, and problem solving.
2. Describe at least three ethical risks specific to relational therapy, such as triangulation with chatbots, confidentiality concerns, and uneven access to tools within a family system.
3. Identify two culturally responsive strategies to recognize and mitigate bias when using or recommending AI tools with diverse families and youth.
4. Apply a structured decision-making framework to a relational case scenario, determining when AI may support or undermine therapeutic goals within a couple or family system.

Presentation by:

Shiri Sadeh-Sharvit, PhD. Clinical psychologist, Maryland license: MD-06276

Shiri Sadeh-Sharvit, PhD, is a Stanford-trained clinical psychologist and Distinguished Professor of Research at Palo Alto University. With more than two decades of experience treating complex mental disorders, she specializes in developing and evaluating AI-based tools that support therapists and clients. Dr. Sadeh-Sharvit has delivered invited keynotes and workshops for the American Psychological Association, the Academy for Eating Disorders, state associations, and international conferences. Her work bridges evidence-based clinical care and emerging technology, helping mental health professionals prepare for the future of practice.

Grievances

While the Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT makes every effort to assure fair treatment for all participants and attempts to anticipate problems, there may be occasional issues with regard to presentations/workshops which will require intervention and/or action on the part of the board. This procedural description serves as a guideline for handling such grievances.

When a participant files a grievance and expects action on the complaint, the following actions will be taken:

1. The participant(s) will be asked to put concerns in writing (this can be in electronic form, such as an email).

1. If the grievance concerns a presenter, the content presented by the speaker, or the style of presentation, the individual filing the grievance will be asked to put their comments in written format. The Board will then pass on the comments to the speaker, assuring the confidentiality of the grieved individual.

1. If the grievance concerns a presentation/workshop offering, its content, level of presentation, or the facilities in which the workshop was offered, the Board will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action, the Board will:

• provide a credit for a subsequent presentation/workshop or

• provide a partial or full refund of the presentation/workshop fee

Refund policy:

Registrants must cancel their registration within 10 days of the event to receive a refund minus a $5 administrative fee.  Exceptions can be made for 48-hour notices in case of an emergency.  If you need to cancel, please contact Event Chair, Kim Richards: richardskimlmft@gmail.com. 

Special Accommodations

If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any of our events, please contact Event Chair Kim Richards within 10 days of the upcoming event at 805.458.8063 or email Kim Richards at richardskimlmft@gmail.com.