From AI dating to parasocial grief, PTC is at the forefront of digital relationship ethics and support.

We provide therapeutic support & resources for individuals, clinicians, and platforms.

AI Intimacy, Digital Love & Parasocial Connections

Technology is reshaping how we connect.
AI companions, digital dating, parasocial bonds, and even AI breakups are part of today’s intimate lives.

At PTC, we are at the forefront of global conversations on AI intimacy, digital relationships, and grief. We bring together research, practice, and lived experience to guide people through this evolving landscape.

We believe intimacy, whether with humans, machines, or communities online - deserves ethics, respect, and care.

PTC Position Statement on AI Intimacy &
Digital Relationships

At Progressive Therapeutic Collective, we work at the intersection of relationships, psychology, and technology. The rise of AI companions and digital intimacy is not a gimmick or a crisis. It is a meaningful response to the pressures, loneliness, and disconnection shaping modern life.

People turn to AI for the same reasons they turn to anyone: to feel understood, supported, desired, or less alone. These relationships sit in the same landscape as grief, trauma, imagination, attachment, sexuality, and care. They deserve to be met with curiosity and respect, not shame or dismissal.

For many people, AI companionship offers consistency during periods of instability. For others, it becomes a place to process emotions that feel too heavy, too private, or too complex to share with humans. Whatever the pathway, the feelings are real, and the experience matters.

Our role is to support people in navigating these relationships with clarity, ethics, and self-understanding. We help clients remain grounded in their communities, stay connected to their values, and understand the psychological dynamics at play when technology becomes part of their intimate life.

Digital relationships are already reshaping how people love, cope, heal, and relate. At PTC, we bring together trauma-informed practice, attachment science, queer and kink literacy, neurodivergent-affirming care, and an understanding of the cultural and technological forces shaping intimacy today.

AI companionship is not about replacing human relationships. It is one part of a person’s emotional ecosystem. Our focus is to help people use technology in a way that supports their wellbeing and preserves their connection to the world around them.

This is new relational territory. People deserve practitioners who can meet it with intelligence, nuance, and integrity.

To learn more or to contact Sarah, please email admin@progressivetherapeutic.com.au

AI Intimacy & Digital Relationships

AI partners and chatbots are now part of daily life. For some, they bring comfort, affirmation, or erotic exploration. For others, they raise hard questions about love, attachment, and consent.

We support:

  • People exploring AI love, dating, or relationships

  • Clinicians working with AI intimacy in therapy

  • Platforms building intimacy technologies

Parasocial Bonds & Online Attachment

Parasocial connections — with streamers, influencers, or AI personalities — can feel very real. These relationships can bring joy and belonging, but also create risks.

We help with:

  • Understanding parasocial attachment

  • Navigating healthy vs. harmful digital bonds

  • Practitioner support for clients experiencing online relationship struggles

AI Breakups & Digital Grief

Losing a digital partner or AI companion can be devastating. Apps shut down. Bonds end suddenly. Too often, this grief is minimised or dismissed.

At PTC, we provide:

  • Support after AI breakups and digital loss

  • Resources for people navigating grief connected to technology

  • Recognition that digital grief is real and valid.

Digital Ethics & Relational Futures

Our team has pioneered resources on AI intimacy, parasocial grief, and digital harm. This makes PTC a trusted point of reference for individuals, clinicians, and platforms worldwide.

We focus on:

  • Ethical design for AI intimacy and relational tech

  • Tackling algorithmic bias in digital love

  • Building safety and accountability into the future of relationships

Our Commitment

Digital intimacy is part of the human story. We work alongside individuals, communities, and platforms to ensure it is shaped with dignity, care, and connection.

Together, we can create futures where the digital space is safer, more ethical, and more human.

Read our digital connection articles here