Counsellor Education Relevance in the AI Era: Why We Matter Now More Than Ever

In this presentation recorded for the Australian Counselling & Psychotherapy Academics (ACPA), Dr. Shannon Hodges (Associate Professor & Counselling discipline lead at the University of the Sunshine Coast) explores the rapidly evolving intersection of Artificial Intelligence and mental health counseling. Delivered on 15 May, 2026, introduced by ACPA Chair Dr Nathan Beel, this talk addresses the existential anxieties surrounding AI automation, traces the history of tech disruptions, and looks at how foundational therapeutic principles from Carl Rogers and Viktor Frankl apply to an AI-driven future. Rather than viewing AI as a pure dystopian threat, Dr. Hodges argues for a future of proactive agency and "peaceful co-existence," where human intuition and AI data capabilities work in tandem to support clients and educators alike.