Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Treatment ModalitiesA therapy that helps people make room for difficult thoughts and feelings while taking action toward what matters most to them.
Related terms: ACT, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
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Mental Health Glossary
A Glossary of Therapy and Counseling Terms
Therapy, counseling, and mental health care come with a lot of specialized language. This glossary explains common terms in plain English so clients, families, and people new to therapy can navigate them with more confidence.
Showing 74 terms.
ACT
Treatment ModalitiesCommon abbreviation for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, an approach that pairs acceptance with values-based action.
Related terms: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness
ADHD
ConditionsAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, a neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, activity level, and impulse control.
Related terms: Assessment, Psychological Evaluation
Amygdala
Clinical TermsA brain region that plays a central role in detecting threat and shaping emotional responses.
Related terms: Nervous System, Fight, Flight, or Freeze, Prefrontal Cortex
Anger Management
ConditionsA focus area in therapy that helps people understand their anger and respond to it in ways that fit their values.
Related terms: Emotional Regulation, Coping Skills, Trigger
Anxiety
ConditionsAn everyday word for feelings of worry, nervousness, or unease that can range from mild to overwhelming.
Related terms: Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attack, Social Anxiety, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Grounding Technique
Anxiety Disorder
ConditionsA category of mental health conditions where anxiety is persistent, intense, and interferes with daily life.
Related terms: Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety, Phobia
ARNP
Professional TermsAdvanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, a credential used in some states for nurses with advanced clinical training.
Related terms: PMHNP, Psychiatrist
Assessment
Clinical TermsThe early process where a therapist gathers information to understand what is going on and how to help.
Related terms: Treatment Plan, Psychological Evaluation, Goal Setting
Bipolar Disorder
ConditionsA mood-related condition marked by shifts between elevated or activated states and depressive states.
Related terms: Depression, Psychiatrist, Treatment Plan
Borderline Personality Disorder
ConditionsA mental health condition involving intense emotions, unstable relationships, and a shifting sense of self.
Related terms: BPD, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Emotional Regulation
BPD
ConditionsCommon abbreviation for Borderline Personality Disorder.
Related terms: Borderline Personality Disorder, Dialectical Behavior Therapy
CBT
Treatment ModalitiesCommon abbreviation for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a structured approach that links thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Related terms: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Restructuring
Child Play Therapy
Therapy TypesA form of child therapy that uses play as the main way for a child to express experiences and learn new skills.
Related terms: Child Therapy, Parenting Therapy
Child Therapy
Therapy TypesCounseling designed for children, often using age-appropriate tools like play, art, and stories to help them express what they are feeling.
Related terms: Child Play Therapy, Parenting Therapy, Family Counseling
Chronic Illness
ConditionsA long-term health condition that can affect daily life, mood, and relationships in addition to physical health.
Related terms: Grief, Coping Skills, Mindfulness
CMHC
Professional TermsClinical Mental Health Counselor, a licensed therapist trained to provide counseling for a wide range of concerns.
Related terms: Licensed Therapist, LCSW, LMFT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Treatment ModalitiesAn evidence-based therapy that focuses on the connections between thoughts, feelings, and actions to support change.
Related terms: CBT, Cognitive Restructuring, Anxiety, Depression
Cognitive Restructuring
Treatment ModalitiesA CBT skill for noticing unhelpful thoughts and updating them with more accurate, balanced ones.
Related terms: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, Coping Skills
Coping Skills
Clinical TermsStrategies a person uses to manage stress and difficult emotions in healthier, more sustainable ways.
Related terms: Grounding Technique, Mindfulness, Emotional Regulation, Distress Tolerance
Couples Counseling
Therapy TypesTherapy for two partners, focused on communication, connection, and shared challenges in a relationship.
Related terms: Marriage Counseling, Family Counseling, Individual Therapy
DBT
Treatment ModalitiesCommon abbreviation for Dialectical Behavior Therapy, a skills-based approach that pairs acceptance with change.
Related terms: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness
Depression
ConditionsA mental health concern marked by persistent low mood, loss of interest, and changes in energy, sleep, or appetite.
Related terms: Postpartum Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Treatment ModalitiesA therapy that blends acceptance with change-focused skills like mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation.
Related terms: DBT, Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotional Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness
Dissociation
ConditionsA common stress response in which a person feels disconnected from themselves, their surroundings, or their memories.
Related terms: Dissociative Disorder, Trauma, Trauma-Informed Care, Grounding Technique
Dissociative Disorder
ConditionsA category of mental health conditions involving more persistent or disruptive forms of dissociation.
Related terms: Dissociation, Trauma, Trauma-Informed Care
Distress Tolerance
Clinical TermsThe ability to get through intense or painful moments without making things worse.
Related terms: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Coping Skills, Grounding Technique
Eating Disorder
ConditionsA category of mental health conditions involving serious disturbances in eating behaviors and related thoughts and feelings.
Related terms: Assessment, Treatment Plan, Anxiety, Depression
EMDR
Treatment ModalitiesEMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a structured therapy approach often used to help process trauma and distressing memories.
Related terms: Trauma, PTSD, Anxiety, Trauma-Informed Care
Emotional Regulation
Clinical TermsThe skills involved in noticing, understanding, and responding to emotions in flexible, intentional ways.
Related terms: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness, Coping Skills, Distress Tolerance
Exposure Therapy
Treatment ModalitiesA therapy approach that supports facing feared situations or memories in a gradual, structured way.
Related terms: Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Phobia, OCD, PTSD
Family Counseling
Therapy TypesTherapy that includes multiple family members to work on relationships, roles, and shared challenges as a system.
Related terms: Couples Counseling, Parenting Therapy, Child Therapy
Fight, Flight, or Freeze
Clinical TermsA common name for the body's automatic survival responses to perceived threat.
Related terms: Nervous System, Amygdala, Trigger, Grounding Technique
Goal Setting
Clinical TermsThe process of naming what you want from therapy and breaking it into specific, doable steps.
Related terms: Treatment Plan, Solution-Focused Therapy
Grief
ConditionsThe natural emotional and physical response to a loss, which can take many forms and last different amounts of time.
Related terms: Grief Counseling, Depression, Trauma
Grief Counseling
Therapy TypesA therapy focus that supports people working through loss, including death, separation, or other major endings.
Related terms: Grief, Individual Therapy, Trauma
Grounding Technique
Clinical TermsA simple practice for bringing attention back to the present moment and the body when emotions feel overwhelming.
Related terms: Coping Skills, Distress Tolerance, Fight, Flight, or Freeze, Trigger
Group Therapy
Therapy TypesA therapy format where a small group of people meets with one or more therapists to work on a shared focus.
Related terms: Individual Therapy, Coping Skills
Hippocampus
Clinical TermsA brain region heavily involved in memory and in placing experiences in time and context.
Related terms: Nervous System, Amygdala, Trauma, PTSD
IFS
Treatment ModalitiesCommon abbreviation for Internal Family Systems, a therapy model that works with the different parts of a person's inner world.
Related terms: Internal Family Systems
Individual Therapy
Therapy TypesA one-on-one counseling format where a client meets privately with a licensed therapist to work on personal concerns and goals.
Related terms: Coping Skills, Treatment Plan, Licensed Therapist
Internal Family Systems
Treatment ModalitiesA therapy model that views the mind as made up of many parts, and helps the person relate to those parts with curiosity and care.
Related terms: IFS, Trauma, Trauma-Informed Care
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Clinical TermsSkills for asking for what you need, setting limits, and keeping relationships healthy.
Related terms: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Coping Skills
LCSW
Professional TermsLicensed Clinical Social Worker, a mental health professional with a master's degree in social work and clinical licensure.
Related terms: Licensed Therapist, LMFT, CMHC
Licensed Therapist
Professional TermsA mental health professional who has completed required education, training, and licensing to provide therapy.
Related terms: LCSW, LMFT, CMHC, Psychologist, Psychiatrist
LMFT
Professional TermsLicensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a clinician trained to work with relationships and family systems.
Related terms: Couples Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Family Counseling, Licensed Therapist
Marriage Counseling
Therapy TypesA form of couples counseling specifically focused on married partners and the unique commitments they share.
Related terms: Couples Counseling, Family Counseling
MBSR
Treatment ModalitiesCommon abbreviation for Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, a structured mindfulness program.
Related terms: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness
Mindfulness
Clinical TermsThe practice of paying attention to the present moment with openness and without judgment.
Related terms: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, MBSR, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Coping Skills
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Treatment ModalitiesA structured program that teaches mindfulness practices to help with stress, pain, and difficult emotions.
Related terms: MBSR, Mindfulness, Coping Skills, Chronic Illness
Nervous System
Clinical TermsThe network in the body that senses what is happening and shapes how we respond, including under stress.
Related terms: Fight, Flight, or Freeze, Amygdala, Somatic Experiencing
Neurofeedback
Treatment ModalitiesA training method that uses real-time information about brain activity to help support self-regulation.
Related terms: Nervous System, Anxiety, ADHD
OCD
ConditionsObsessive-Compulsive Disorder, a condition involving repeated unwanted thoughts and behaviors meant to ease the distress they cause.
Related terms: Exposure Therapy, Anxiety, Trigger
Panic Attack
ConditionsA sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort that peaks quickly and includes strong physical sensations.
Related terms: Panic Disorder, Anxiety, Grounding Technique, Fight, Flight, or Freeze
Panic Disorder
ConditionsAn anxiety disorder marked by repeated panic attacks and ongoing worry about having more of them.
Related terms: Panic Attack, Anxiety Disorder, Exposure Therapy
Parenting Therapy
Therapy TypesCounseling that helps parents respond more effectively to their child's needs and to the demands of parenting itself.
Related terms: Child Therapy, Family Counseling, Child Play Therapy
Phobia
ConditionsAn intense, persistent fear of a specific object, situation, or activity that is out of proportion to the actual risk.
Related terms: Exposure Therapy, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorder
PMHNP
Professional TermsPsychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, an advanced-practice nurse focused on mental health care, including medication management.
Related terms: Psychiatrist, ARNP
Postpartum Depression
ConditionsA form of depression that can show up after the birth of a child and goes beyond typical short-term mood changes.
Related terms: Depression, Individual Therapy
Prefrontal Cortex
Clinical TermsA brain region associated with planning, reasoning, and regulating responses to emotion.
Related terms: Amygdala, Nervous System, Emotional Regulation
Psychiatrist
Professional TermsA medical doctor who specializes in mental health and can prescribe medication.
Related terms: Psychologist, Licensed Therapist, PMHNP, ARNP
Psychological Evaluation
Therapy TypesA structured assessment process used to better understand someone's mental health, learning style, or specific concerns.
Related terms: Assessment, Treatment Plan, Psychologist
Psychologist
Professional TermsA clinician with a doctoral degree in psychology, often involved in therapy, assessment, and testing.
Related terms: Psychiatrist, Licensed Therapist, Psychological Evaluation
PTSD
ConditionsPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event.
Related terms: Trauma, Trauma-Informed Care, EMDR, Exposure Therapy
Safety Plan
Clinical TermsA written plan that outlines warning signs, coping steps, and supports to use during a crisis.
Related terms: Coping Skills, Treatment Plan
Sleep Disturbance
ConditionsOngoing trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling rested, which can affect mood and daily functioning.
Related terms: Anxiety, Depression, Coping Skills
Social Anxiety
ConditionsA pattern of intense worry about social situations and being judged or evaluated by others.
Related terms: Anxiety, Anxiety Disorder, Exposure Therapy
Solution-Focused Therapy
Treatment ModalitiesA short-term, goal-oriented approach that focuses on what is already working and on building practical next steps.
Related terms: Goal Setting, Treatment Plan
Somatic Experiencing
Treatment ModalitiesA body-oriented approach to working with stress and trauma by paying close attention to physical sensations and the nervous system.
Related terms: Trauma, Trauma-Informed Care, Nervous System, Fight, Flight, or Freeze
TMS
Treatment ModalitiesTranscranial Magnetic Stimulation, a non-invasive medical treatment that uses magnetic fields to target specific areas of the brain.
Related terms: Depression, Psychiatrist
Trauma
ConditionsA response to an event or series of events that overwhelms a person's ability to cope and can leave lasting effects.
Related terms: PTSD, Trauma-Informed Care, EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, Dissociation
Trauma-Informed Care
Treatment ModalitiesAn overall approach to care that recognizes how common trauma is and prioritizes safety, choice, and respect.
Related terms: Trauma, PTSD, EMDR, Somatic Experiencing
Treatment Plan
Clinical TermsA working document that outlines the focus of therapy, goals, and the approaches a clinician and client plan to use.
Related terms: Assessment, Goal Setting
Trigger
Clinical TermsA cue—internal or external—that sets off a strong emotional or physical reaction tied to past experience.
Related terms: Trauma, PTSD, Grounding Technique, Fight, Flight, or Freeze
This glossary is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have questions about your mental health, please speak with a licensed professional.