My therapist had not heard of Eliza. When I explained, she immediately pointed out the trick: mirroring what someone is saying is powerfully validating. It's a tool therapists use to make patients comfortable and feel heard, and it helps build rapport.

But again, it is not in itself therapy.

I suppose some might conclude we are better off with BigTech as therapists rather than Real Humans, & I suppose we aren't too far from USA health insurers refusing to cover human therapy.
We should resist.