Semmi works with children using movement and body awareness rather than talk therapy. Director Marijke Smit explains that therapists were spending a large part of their working time on mandatory reports that are rarely read. This was the reason the practice wanted to participate in AI in je bedrijf, an initiative from Amsterdam Business School that connects small and medium-sized businesses and care organisations with students from the Business Information Technology Management programme, via intermediary Preneuz. The aim is twofold: organisations receive practical AI solutions tailored to their own processes, while students gain valuable hands-on experience in real organisations.

Students Laurens van Campen and Safouan Bolbaroud developed a tool for Semmi that records sessions, converts speech to text, and automatically structures the information into reports that match the practice’s existing formats. A central design principle was that therapists should be able to give their full attention to the child during a session, without having to take notes at the same time. Van Campen observed that therapists often conduct intensive sessions with young children, and that undivided attention during those sessions is essential.

Privacy and data protection were built into the solution from the start. All parties involved must give consent before recordings are made, the tool does not store patient data, and audio files are deleted immediately after processing. Where possible, the students deliberately chose European technology providers, despite the complexity of applicable privacy legislation. Staff were initially hesitant about working with AI, but once they saw how the tool functioned in practice, they were eager to start using it as soon as possible. The reporting tool is set to be introduced in September and is expected to considerably ease the workload of therapists.

The outcome for Semmi is clear: the AI tool takes care of the reporting, allowing therapists to concentrate fully on their core task, which is helping children deal with difficult emotions in a safe and supportive environment.