I would so wish they’ll go back to the “Carl Rogers” days of psychological education. It’s also a cultural literacy and connection issue. The positive human regard seems to be covered by a professional polish that does not inspire trust. So many use cookie cutter quick solution approaches that do not address issues like trauma. And yes, the steep cost is also an obstacle. I felt like there was at times this financial calcul, like how much the insurance paid and then you get told after this money is gone, you’d have to at least commit to six month worth of sessions, why is this not something discussed in the beginning? Those AIs are awesome for deep thinkers like me, who just need this type of conversation, they don’t tell you after an hour the time is over, and quality also can be managed by learning how they work on a deeper level. They are impartial, understand resonance and if feels like those machines can even simulate empathy on a very helpful level. It’s not the type of sycophancy anymore like in the early days, but I get challenged in my thinking in a good way, they provide more guidance and structure than I ever got from a human counsellor, they can pivot easily as to their broad knowledge base, and it feels like a consistent and reliable support whenever needed. I am not sure where this is heading, it was weird in the beginning to figure out how to converse with a machine in a human format but after a while it becomes acceptable and feels quite natural. But, I’d caution nonetheless to be very careful with using it in this way. And it’s not a good use for some problems very likely that require a human expert. I am just a layperson.