#HumansOverAlgorithms: DMU explores generative AI’s role in therapy and mental health care
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Divine Mercy University (DMU) is gearing up for its yearly MHAM campaign with a series of free webinars that will explore the intersection, use, and limitations of generative AI in the field of therapy and mental health care.
Digital systems are optimized for engagement, not for care.
Generative AI is emerging as a significant presence in the conversation surrounding mental health, prompting important questions about the future of therapeutic practice and authentic care. This year’s MAHM campaign—#HumansOverAlgorithms—was chosen based on the statistics on AI usage recently published by the National Institute of Health (November 2025):
- Approximately 13.1% of adolescents and young adults (12–25) use generative AI for mental health advice, with 65.5% of those users seeking advice monthly or more often. Young adults (18-21) have even higher adoption rates (22.2%).
- Daily, 31% of teens aged 15–17, and 24% of 13–14-year-olds use AI chatbots.
- Over 50% of US adults use AI to manage stress, anxiety, or other mental health needs.
- Only 8% of adults aged 60 and older use AI for mental health. Roughly 50% of those over 50, particularly those with poor physical health, are not confident in their ability to identify incorrect AI information.
The online series offered by DMU explores the use of generative AI and the importance of traditional therapy grounded in connection, empathy, and presence—features all lacking in digital systems that are optimized for engagement rather than care. All presentations are open to the public and free to register.
Check out DMU’s upcoming webinars:
“Technology & Social Media Addiction”
May 7th, 6:00 p.m. EST
In this webinar, Nkechi Juwah (DMU MSP 2020) will present on the important and urgent topic of the impacts of technology and social media on mental health.
Nkechi Juwah is an experienced HR Resource Professional whose specialty is in the areas of Talent Management, Leadership Development, and Organizational Effectiveness. She has worked in five multinational organizations, mostly in the consumer goods sector in West Africa. She is passionate about implementing organizational high-performance strategies that respect the dignity and psyche of the human person, and this is what attracted her to DMU.
“You Are Not Data”
May 13th, 7:00 p.m. EST
Dr. Garrett Boyer (DMU PsyD 2020) and Dr. Laura Cusumano (DMU PsyD 2017), husband and wife alumni of DMU, will present on the reality that people are complex emotional beings, not datasets that algorithms can fully interpret.
Garrett Boyer was born and raised in North Dakota. He completed his undergraduate studies at North Dakota State University and graduate studies at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He worked as a music teacher in the National Capital Region before completing doctoral studies in clinical psychology in 2020.
Dr. Boyer enlisted in the United States Army in 2017 and was commissioned in 2019. He completed his internship and residency at Womack Army Medical Center in North Carolina and currently serves as a staff psychologist at Winn Army Community Hospital at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Dr. Laura Cusumano completed her undergraduate studies in psychology and theater at the College of William and Mary, and she earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at the Institute for the Psychological Sciences at Divine Mercy University in 2017. Her areas of interest and specialization include the treatment and prevention of eating disorders. She is intensively trained in radically open dialectical behavior therapy for disorders of overcontrol. In addition to her clinical interests, Dr. Cusumano enjoys teaching, and she served as an adjunct professor for Divine Mercy University’s Master of Science in Psychology program between 2022 and 2024.
Dr. Cusumano currently resides in Georgia with her husband, Dr. Garrett Boyer, and their four young children. At present, she devotes her time to homeschooling and raising the children. She is also involved in faith formation at her parish and is a Level 1 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd catechist.
“Augmenting Care, Not Replacing It”
May 21st, 7:00 p.m. EST
In this webinar, Jerome Placido (DMU MSP 2020) will be presenting on how technology can be used as a tool to support, rather than replace, mental health care.
Jerome Placido is an engineering leader and builder working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, human behavior, and real-world systems. With over a decade of experience in software engineering and leadership, he has led teams from early-stage startups to large-scale organizations, building products that serve millions of users.
His work today focuses on designing and evaluating AI systems, particularly agent-based and generative AI applications, and understanding how these technologies shape human decision-making, productivity, and behavior. He has led the development of AI-driven tools ranging from internal productivity systems to large-scale evaluation platforms used to assess how AI systems act in complex, real-world environments.
Outside of his professional work, Jerome has contributed to a range of initiatives at the intersection of technology and the Catholic faith, including collaborations with SacredSpark, Catholic Polytechnic University, Tabella, and other mission-driven organizations. His work in these contexts has focused on designing systems that promote trust, intentionality, and authentic human connection in an increasingly digital world.
More broadly, he is interested in how technology can be developed to support, not replace, human relationships, personal formation, and long-term well-being.
As both a technologist and a person of faith, Jerome is particularly interested in the ethical and psychological implications of AI: how systems influence attention, motivation, and identity, and how we can design technology that respects the dignity of the human person.
“Algorithms and Therapeutic Awareness: Essentials for Help and Hope in Counseling”
May 28th, 7:00 p.m. EST
Dr. Kathie Erwin (MS Clinical Mental Health Counseling Professor) will present the final talk of this month-long series.
Dr. Kathie Erwin is a Professor at Divine Mercy University School of Counseling, and Green Cross Academy Certified Master Traumatologist. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a doctorate in Counseling Psychology, National Certified Counselor, National Certified Gerontological Counseling, and AMHCA Diplomate in Geriatric Counseling.
Dr. Erwin was appointed Fulbright Specialist, teaching at the University of Iceland. She has served as Secretary/Board Member and President of Florida Mental Health Counselors Association. She is also a Board Member of Green Cross Academy of Traumatology. As a Master Field Traumatologist, Dr. Erwin has served as team leader in Trinidad, India, and Romania. She taught trauma counseling for the Ukraine Project, including distant support for Ukrainian counselors remaining in the country. Dr. Erwin is the author of six professional books.
Divine Mercy University is a Catholic graduate institution of higher education offering degree programs in psychology and counseling, founded in 1999 as the Institute for the Psychological Sciences (IPS). The university offers a Doctoral (PsyD) degree in Clinical Psychology, Doctoral (PhD) degree in Counselor Education and Supervision (CES), Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Master of Science (MS) in Psychology, and a certificate in Spiritual Direction.
For more information, visit their website at divinemercy.edu.
