Recent publications

Transparency Regarding the Use of Generative AI in Psychotherapy

Would you want to know whether your therapist uses ChatGPT to analyze your emotional world? "Transparency Regarding the Use of Generative AI in Psychotherapy" examines the ethical questions of trust and autonomy in mental health care in the age of artificial intelligence. In a world where 80% of adolescents in Israel already turn to artificial intelligence for emotional support, the article asks when streamlining the work turns into a clinical and professional risk. The authors propose a framework that balances respect for the patient's right to know against the concern that the model will become a "shadow therapist" that gradually replaces intimate human judgment.

The article was written by Dr. Oren Asman, Daniel Toledano and Dr. Amir Tal (Sihot, the Israeli Journal of Psychotherapy, April 2026).

Responsible Design, Integration, and Use of Generative AI in Mental Health

This editorial introduces the first-ever special issue dedicated to the integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in mental health.
It outlines the central themes of the issue, whose contributions explore the potential of GenAI systems to recognize emotions, summarize therapy sessions, and assess risk, while also confronting the critical challenge of validating such technologies.
The editorial further engages with pressing concerns such as algorithmic bias, the role of empathy in AI, and the importance of adopting human-centered ethical frameworks, like the ethics of care, when designing and implementing AI systems in mental health contexts.
The article is authored by Dr. Oren Asman, Prof. John Torous, and Dr. Amir Tal. (January 2025)

Boundary-blurred behaviors in academic teachers-students facebook interaction

This study explored the differences between nursing students and academic faculty in their attitudes, subjective norms, and behaviors on Facebook, particularly those reflecting blurred boundaries in student-teacher relationships.

Findings indicated that students generally held more favorable attitudes toward such boundary-blurring behaviors and were primarily influenced by peer social norms. In contrast, lecturers were more influenced by the university’s academic norms. These differences underscore the importance of clarifying boundaries and establishing guidelines for the appropriate use of social media in student-teacher communication.

The research was conducted by Ms. Ronya Levy as part of her master's thesis, under the supervision of Prof. Sivia Barnoy and Dr. Oren Asman. (November 2024)

An Ethical Perspective on the Democratization of Mental Health With Generative AI

As generative AI technologies become increasingly accessible to the public, their use in mental health represents a new phase in the broader democratization of knowledge. This article explores the transformative potential of GenAI to increase access to personalized mental health support and disrupt traditional hierarchies between clinicians and service users.
It also addresses significant ethical, professional, and societal challenges associated with this shift. To support responsible integration, the authors propose a strategic framework for evaluating mental health AI applications, emphasizing the importance of balancing benefits with risks.
Authors: Prof. Zohar Elyoseph, Dr. Tamar Gur, Mr. Yuval Haber, Dr. Tomer Simon, Mr. Tal Angert, Ms. Yuval Navon, Dr. Amir Tal, Dr. Oren Asman. (October 2024)

Conversational Artificial Intelligence—Patient Alliance Turing Test and the Search for Authenticity

A few months after OpenAI launched the first publicly accessible version of ChatGPT, fundamental questions emerged about how such a conversational AI might reshape the landscape of therapeutic dialogue.
Can a system devoid of a "self" convey genuine authenticity? And if not, can it nonetheless be regarded as a form of therapist?
This article explores these questions through the perspectives of notable thinkers in therapy and philosophy, offering a preliminary normative framework for ongoing discourse, as generative AI technologies continue to develop and find new applications within mental health practice.
Authors: Dr. Oren Asman, Dr. Amir Tal, Prof. Yechiel Michael Bar-Ilan (American Journal of Bioethics, 2023)

Ethical and Legal Implications of Outrageous Conduct Toward Mental Health Patients

This article discusses the ethical and legal aspects of outrageous conduct toward clients in the field of counseling and psychotherapy, using a case study as an example. It begins by presenting the foundations of the tort of 'outrageous conduct' and its development in Anglo-American law. It then outlines the ethical and legal framework in Israel related to recognizing harm resulting from psychological treatment, and the manner in which 'outrageous conduct' may be recognized under Israeli law. Finally, the article presents clinical situations that carry the potential for such claims, along with clinical strategies to reduce this legal risk.
Authors: Dr. Oren Asman, Dr. Yaakov Margolin, Prof. Eliezer Witztum (Sihot – The Israeli Journal of Psychotherapy, 2022)

Therapeutic Jurisprudence and the Importance of Its Integration into the Work of Regional Psychiatric Committees

This article presents the approach that the Mental Health Treatment Act should be interpreted in the spirit of the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty, while incorporating the principles of Therapeutic Jurisprudence into the work of the Regional Psychiatric Committees. This approach aims to strengthen the patient’s liberty and autonomy, enable an experience of procedural justice, and promote cooperation with the treatment and rehabilitation process. The authors emphasize that this does not mean turning the committee into a therapeutic body, but rather making informed use of legal tools to promote mental health. In their view, the application of Therapeutic Jurisprudence principles is necessary in both civil and criminal proceedings—since 'the mind is the same mind

Authors: Dr. Oren Asman, Prof. Mordechai (Moti) Marc, Adv. Daniel Raz (Medicine and Law, 2023).

Further Publications of the Lab, 2023-2026

A Responsible Approach to Innovation: Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing (Ha'achot Be'Yisrael, September 2026). An article for the nursing community on ethical principles for integrating artificial intelligence in nursing work, which grew out of Shir Hasson's master's thesis. Shir Hasson and Oren Asman, Ha'achot Be'Yisrael (The Nurse in Israel), September 2026, pp. 21-25 (in Hebrew).

Between Tradition and Progress: Portraying Nurses on Muslim Countries' Postage Stamps (British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 2026). An analysis of the representation of nurses on postage stamps. Zelkovitz I., Limor H., Asman O. doi.org/10.1080/13530194.2026.2614095

Mental Health Volunteers After the October 7 Gaza Border Crisis in Israel: Silent Warriors (Lancet Psychiatry, 2024). A letter on the volunteers who acted after October 7, 2023 and on the need to recognize and support them. Elyoseph Z., Hadar-Shoval D., Angert T., Yitshaki N., Hol E., Asman O., Levkovich I. Lancet Psychiatry 11(1), 10-12. doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(23)00369-3

The Artificial Third: Utilizing ChatGPT in Mental Health (American Journal of Bioethics, 2023). Proposes the concept of the "artificial third" to describe the entry of language models into the therapeutic relationship, and its ethical implications. Tal A., Elyoseph Z., Haber Y., Angert T., Gur T., Simon T., Asman O. American Journal of Bioethics 23(10), 74-77.

Supported Decision Making "Adaptive Suit" for Non-Dominating Mental Scaffolding (AJOB Neuroscience, 2023). A model that respects the autonomy of people with mental disabilities without taking it over. Asman O., Segal-Reich M. AJOB Neuroscience 14(3), 238-240.

Caregivers' Perceptions of Compulsory Treatment of Physical Illness in Involuntary Psychiatric Hospitalization (Nursing Ethics, 2023). Joury S., Asman O., Gold A. Nursing Ethics 30(3), 423-436.

Legal Competence in Sharia Courts in Israel: Between State Law, Sharia, and the Perception of the Role of the Courts (Israel Affairs, 2023). Asman O., Zelkovitz I. Israel Affairs 29(2), 307-322. doi.org/10.1080/13537121.2023.2182091