I think there are are two slightly different conversations going on in the thread. Some are just wanting to know how to use mirroring and Ipracticing mirroring. I was speaking to that when I reffered to it as "rather like a chess game".
Using it in therapy is something completely different. I do not belive that any ethical T would use it if it were "hollow". I do not believe that an ethical T would use it for manipulation. When used in therapy it is a very important and healing part of the theraputic relationship.

Just to clarify my earlier post. Brain is a bit boggled right now.