Exploring Artificial Intelligence Integration in Online Therapy: A Qualitative Study of Indian Mental Health Practitioners' Experiences

India faces a significant mental health treatment gap with only 0.75 psychiatrists and 0.3 psychologists per 100,000 population. This qualitative study explored the experiences of 30 licensed counselling psychologists implementing artificial intelligence (AI) applications in online therapy practices across six metropolitan cities in India. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand practitioners' lived experiences with AI integration, perceived benefits and challenges, and the transformation of professional practice. Four superordinate themes emerged: (a) technological augmentation of clinical practice, (b) ethical negotiations in AI implementation, (c) professional identity reconstruction, and (d) client-therapist relationship dynamics in AI-mediated contexts. Participants reported that AI applications enhanced clinical efficiency, particularly in assessment and documentation, while raising concerns about data privacy, algorithmic bias, and maintaining therapeutic authenticity. The findings highlight the nuanced nature of successful AI integration, balancing technological efficiency with core humanistic values of therapy. This study contributes to culturally relevant AI implementation frameworks for Indian mental healthcare and underscores the need for adaptive training and ethical guidelines suited to technology-mediated therapy in resource-constrained settings.