Are we turning to AI instead of real help for mental health?

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman is joined by Dr. Katie Frugé and Dr. Ryan Denison for a timely roundtable conversation on mental health, cultural trends, and the search for hope.They explore emerging challenges, from new forms of synthetic drug use to the growing reliance on AI chatbots for mental health support, highlighting both the risks and the deeper spiritual questions behind them. The conversation also addresses the limits of technology when it comes to caring for the soul and the increasing sense of hopelessness many are experiencing today.Together, they offer a hopeful path forward, sharing practical ways to cultivate lasting hope through worship, community, healthy rhythms, and a renewed focus on God’s presence in everyday life.Topics(0:00) Introduction(0:46) Meet the roundtable(1:43) Paper drug threat(6:38) Fear and gospel response(14:45) Supply versus demand(17:45) Chatbots and mental health(22:14) Benefits and dangers of AI(27:11) Human soul care matters(31:07) AI and deeper healing(35:22) Self-regulation lessons(42:48) Defining hope simply(46:51) Five practices for hope(49:57) Applying hope personally(56:47) Closing ResourcesCrisis HotlineWhen a letter becomes lethal Evaluation of large language models on mental health: from knowledge test to illness diagnosisLarge Language Models as Mental Health Resources: Patterns of Use in the United StatesExploring the Dangers of AI in Mental Health CareHow LLM Counselors Violate Ethical Standards in Mental Health PracticeFar more Americans say they’d like to live in the past than in the futureDick Van Dyke and scientists tell us how to live longerAmericans Predict Challenging 2026 Across 13 DimensionsThis has never happened before on “American Idol”Why Some Men Struggle to Keep Up With FriendshipsAsk Us Anything: info@denisonforum.orgSign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribeAbout Dr. Katie FrugéKatie Frugé, M.Div, Ph.D., serves over 5,000 Texas Baptist churches as the Director of the Christian Life Commission for the Baptist General Convention of Texas. In this role, she equips pastors and ministry leaders to navigate complex cultural, moral, and political issues with biblical faithfulness and pastoral wisdom.About Dr. Ryan DenisonRyan Denison, PhD, is the Senior Editor for Theology at Denison Forum and the author of The Focus newsletter, contributing writing and research to many of the ministry’s productions. He holds a PhD in church history from B. H. Carroll Theological Institute and an MDiv from Truett Seminary. Ryan has also taught at B. H. Carroll and Dallas Baptist University.About Dr. Mark TurmanDr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and t